V01/16 Fleet Base West to Esperance
Good evening ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls.
Day 2 of our voyage started after a lovely, all night sleep – the last for the voyage – having remained alongside HMAS Stirling overnight. After a lovely breakfast followed by the traditional Naval ceremony of Colours, Sail Master Taffy then told us the plan for today at the morning brief. Chef Jenko and Engineer Horto both took the opportunity to explain a few more ground rules relating to the galley/café and engineer related type things (electrical/water/toilets) respectively. It was then time for ‘Happy Hour’, where we couldn’t wipe the smiles off our faces as we gave the ship a good old clean, fore and aft.
At 1000 we waved farewell to our neighbours HMAS Arunta and the Commanding Officer of HMAS Stirling, who had both been very active in assisting us with preparations for this voyage – Thank you again. We departed our berth and proceeded for the Indian Ocean via Gage Roads. On the way out Taffy gave a very detailed briefing on the various items of safety equipment held onboard. The crew then progressed with deck safety training to ensure they have the necessary seamanship skills to set and furl Young Endeavour’s sails safely.
Deck safety and ‘setting and furling’ drills continued after lunch and then the Ship went to Tacking Stations (needed to steer the ship through the wind to place the sails on the other side – which is a whole ship evolution). This exercise proved very successful and showed the Youth Crew’s seamanship skills are indeed progressing well. Even the dolphins were impressed! The fish too were thankful with so much “fish feed” being kindly provided by some of our green and queasy crew. Alas, the sea was a little lumpy.
The intention now is to spend the night at sea, settling into watches and making ground to the SW before tacking to the SE, some time in the morning. Yes, the wind is coming from where we need to go… but that sailing!
Until tomorrow,
Yours Aye
Captain Adam
“20 years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do then by the things you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. EXPLORE. DREAM. DISCOVER”. – Mark Twain.
Latitude/Longitude:
Conditions:
Wind: SSW at 24 knots. Swell: from SW at 2-3 metres. Temp: 19 degrees
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Thank you Tarvi, Kaeden and Matt for your narrative of today's events. Intentions are to remain at anchor in Hunters Bay, just off HMAS Penguin, home of the RAN Diving School, a place close to my heart, having spent many a day there under training as a young Officer! The plan is to weigh anchor and proceed to HMAS Waterhen, in Waverton, to pick up our Community Day Sailors from the Windgap Foundation and take them for a sail around the harbour for 3 hours. The Youth Crew will help us host our visitors and give them an experience of Young Endeavour. We will drop them back to Waverton and then proceed to anchor in the harbour where we will have a good view of the Bridge and the Opera House for the Youth Crew's last night onboard. Until tomorrow. Yours Aye, Captain Mike