Around Fraser Island!

G’day Shipmates, The ship remained at sea overnight making way up the east coast of Fraser Island. The Youth Crew each kept their first night watch last night, which means they were awake for 4 hours during the night, keeping the ship safe. I have the pleasure of saying that all the watches completed this first night watch to a very high standard in very trying conditions. The Youth Crew battled through both rain squalls and their attached high winds as well as very light and variable winds all throughout the night. It was some rather tired young Australian I greeted this morning at the morning brief. They were soon brought back out of their shell by some of the guest speakers like Rick the Nav who told them all where we had been overnight, the Salty sea dog who explained how ships used to recruit willing (or not so willing as the case maybe) crew and of course some house keeping tips from Nanna Diesel. Happy hour followed the brief and then the Youth Crew were given a brief on the Rules of the Road at sea to help explain to them how ships avoid collisions at sea. A very important lesson to have before command day when I hand the ship over to the new command team on day eight. After the brief the Youth Crew were treated to yet another amazing lunch from Bec. After lunch, the crew had a little bit of down time until Mick the engineer ramped them back up with the semi competitive event that we have onboard called rope races. After that hilarious event Rick the Nav gave a captivating brief on Navigation and how we work out where we are in the world. This left a little bit of spare time in the afternoon for the watch leaders to take charge of their watch for some more training. All to soon however the day was at an end and the ship once more was preparing for a night at sea. We sadly had to farewell a member of the ships company in Bundaberg tonight due to chronic sea sickness. It was a very sad farewell from all onboard as she departed the ships side. We intend to remain in the vicinity of Bundaberg overnight and conduct further sail handling and navigation training overnight. I plan to send the Youth Crew ashore tomorrow for some well earned shore leave! Until tomorrow, may your horizons always be clear and the winds fair CAPT Matt It is not the critic who counts, Nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is marred in the arena, whose face is marred by dust, sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who, at best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement. And who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while doing greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls, who know neither victory nor defeat. Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919)