Day 10 – Community Day Sail

Good evening shipmates,

After a well-earned quality night’s sleep at anchor in Hunters Bay, Sail Master Chucky woke us with another of his soothing tunes to get us on deck for a quick early morning activity. While the youth crew had breakfast the staff crew weighed anchor and commenced the transit to HMAS Waterhen, at Waverton. After passing the Opera House and going under the Harbour Bridge, we berthed at the Navy base and prepared to embark our guests for the Community Day Sail.

At 1000 we cast off our berthing lines and departed with our 34 guests and commenced our 3 hour tour of the harbour. Our Community Day Sailors were a group of students and Staff from the Crescent School in Goulburn. We also embarked some defence staff from Project Sea 1788, ADF Careers and some Defence Graduates.

We again passed under the Harbour Bridge and then proceeded into Rose Bay where we set some sails and commenced sailing back towards Waterhen. Whilst on the harbour our fantastic youth crew helped us host our Goulburn special guests. They encouraged our guests to participate in setting the sails by helping to pull on the sheets. The youth crew also helped Chef Ash to prepare and deliver the food to our guests on deck.

At 1300, after 3 fun-packed hours on the harbour, we berthed back at the southern wharf at HMAS Waterhen. Once we had farewelled our guests it was time to commence our end-of-voyage activities and preparations. The youth crew got together with their watchmates and proceeded ashore at Waverton to completed their End-of-voyage reports, facilitated by their watch leaders. On completion they returned onboard, put their climbing harnesses on and laid aloft to undertake the ‘Harbour Furl’ of the square sails, to make them look immaculate for our ceremonial arrival at the end of the voyage tomorrow. We departed HMAS Waterhen at 1615 and proceeded to anchor in Athol Bay, just near Taronga Park Zoo.

Next was our traditional voyage, last dinner onboard, homemade pizza night. Everyone had worked-up a healthy appetite from the long and very physical day, so probably ate a slice or two more than they probably needed. The youth crew then finished off their final outstanding Command Day tasks, which were planned for the last night onboard. These included the Voyage Slide Show compiled of photos taken by everyone. This was excellent and provided a touching reminder of what we had experienced and the beautiful coastlines and islands that we had visited during the voyage. The show was skilfully compiled by Taylor Smyth.

The final activity of the day was the end-of-voyage administration, which for the youth crew included a feedback questionnaire asking for feedback on their experience of the voyage, as well as a letter for each crew member to write to themselves on their experiences during the voyage, which the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme will post to the youth crew in 6 months time, the aim of which is to help reinforce what the youth crew have learned about leadership, teamwork and about themselves from the experience of the voyage. Once these were completed the crew were encouraged to go to bed.

The Ship will remain in Athol Bay overnight and weigh anchor and sail in the morning at 0800, undertake a short harbour cruise, before berthing at the Navy Fleet Base at Woolloomooloo on Cowper Wharf Road. Family and friends who will meet the Ship on arrival can enter the Fleet Base at the gate near Harry’s Cafe de Wheels.

Until you hear from me tomorrow for the final instalment of Voyage 18/23.

Yours aye,

Captain Mike