CALOUNDRA, QLD – COMMAND DAY

PAST 24 HOURSCOMMAND DAYFUN FUN AND MORE FUN. THE YOUTH CREW OF VOYAGE 18/04 WERE OFFICIALLY HANDED CONTROL OF THE SHIP AT 1200 HOURS ON WEDNESDAY THE EIGHTH.THE COMMAND DAY COMMENCED WITH AN ATTEMPT AT COMPLETING THE ROPEHAMMOCK CHALLENGE WHICH COULD SUPPORT ALL YOUTH CREW ANDSTAFF. AFTER SOME HICCUPS THIS WAS ACHIEVED WITH FLYING COLOURS,ENABLING ALL ON BOARD TO SIT IN THE HAMMOCK AT ONCE.WITH HIGH STRESS LEVELS AND NERVES ON EDGE WE FINALLY WEIGHED ANCHOR AND SET SAIL FROM DOUBLE ISLAND POINT AT ROUGHLY 1600 HOURS. THE ENTIRE CREW WORKED HARD TO SET SAILS AND TACK OR WEAR SHIP AS REQUIRED, AND WE WERE SOON ON COURSE TO PASS OUR FIRST OF 4 WAYPOINTS.AS THE WIND REACHED NEAR GALE-FORCE CONDITIONS – OUR WORST WEATHER OF THE VOYAGE SO FAR – THE WHOLE CREW WORKED THROUGH SOME INCREDIBLY TOUGH CONDITIONS TO SET AND FURL SAILS, AND WEAR AND TACK THE SHIP, RIGHT THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT. WATCHES WERE KEPT, BUT THE ENTIRE TEAM PITCHED IN AND DID A WONDERFUL JOB, AND WE SAILED THE 24 HOURS WITHOUT A SINGLE FALSE TACK, THANKS TO THE COMMITMENT OF THE YOUTH CREW. WE REACHED SPEEDS OF UP TO 9.5 KNOTS, WITH WIND SPEEDS OF 25 KNOTS, BUT THE CREW STIOCALLY CLIMBED BOTH MASTS TO UNTIE GASKETS IN ORDER TO SET VARIOUS SAILS – A COURAGEOUS FEAT APPRECIATED BY ALL.SEVERAL DOLPHINS AND WHALES WERE SPOTTED THROUGHOUT THE DAY, GIVING MUCH DELIGHT TO THE CREW. OUR THREE COOKS WHIPPED UP A STORM IN THE GALLEY BELOW, FEEDING THE TIRED MASSES.THIS MORNING WE GAVE THE MORNING BRIEF, IMITATING PARTICULARCHARACTERS AMONGST THE STAFF CREW, CONCLUDING WITH A WONDERFUL STAFF RENDITION OF A NURSERY RHYME. ALL HANDS THEN PROCEEDED TO CLEANING STATIONS FOR HAPPY HOUR, AND ALSO BRASSO DAY ON THE UPPER DECK.AFTER THIS, THE ENTIRE YOUTH CREW OF 23 SCALED THE FOREMAST WHILST UNDERWAY, IN ORDER TO COMPETE THE YOUTH CREW ALOFT CHALLENGE, SURE TO BE AN IMPRESSIVE PHOTO. WE ALSO COMPLETED A BUCKET O’ KNOTS CHALLENGE, IN WHICH WE SCORED EXTRA POINTS FOR KNOTS OUTSIDE THE REQUIREMENTS.THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF ALL WAS ALSO COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY – TOARRIVE AT OUR DESTINATION ON TIME AND HAND BACK COMMAND OF THE SHIP TO THE STAFF CREW. WE ARRIVED DEAD ON TIME AT CALOUNDRA AT 1100 HOURS, PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE HAD COMPLETED OUR COMMAND DAY SUCCESSFULLY. WE WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE ALL MEMBERS OF THE YOUTH CREW FOR TAKING ON THE ENORMOUS CHALLENGE OF TAKING CONTROL OF THE SHIP FOR THE PREVIOUS 24 HOURS. THEY ALL DID AN AMAZING JOB, AND WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND SUPREME EFFORT THE DAY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THE FANTASTIC SUCCESS THAT IT WAS.YC COMMANDING OFFICER – XANTHEYC EXECUTIVE OFFICER – PIPYOURS AYE BRENTON WITTLIEUTENANT COMMANDER, RANCAPTAIN STS YOUNG ENDEAVOUR