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South Passage Daily Report

CLIENT: Gladstone to Brisbane DofE GPV

VOYAGE NUMBER:  20230410

FROM: Gladstone to Manly

DATE: 15 April 2023

POSITION: Horseshoe Bay, Peel Is

REPORT: Blue Watch

This morning, Blue Watch had to do the midnight to 4 am watch in which we took shifts to take bearings and practice our navigation skills. We then all went to bed until we were loudly woken up by the bugle being played by the Red Watch. After a cold breakfast of cereals, we then went on deck to complete the first knotting competition of the day: the rolling hitch. Blue Watch were once again victorious in this! Flawless performances all around ensured that we took it out. Hot breakfast followed, a delicious meal of fried eggs, sausages and grilled tomatoes.

Blue Watch were on the main sail, hoisted at around 0830 so that we could get under way in order to sail to Peel Island. We were on watch from 10-12 and we got in some practice tacking for Command Day. We sailed until around 11:30 when we dropped the sails and anchor in the middle of the sea to have a lovely, refreshing dip off the boat. Jumping off the boat was both exhilarating and scary for different people but we were all excited to cool off.

Once again, we raised the main sail and then we relaxed as we were no longer on watch. We each did our various activities until we arrived in Horseshoe Bay at Peel Island and got ready to go ashore as the boat was being filled with fuel. Touch footy and swimming were the main activities of choice for us younger ones while the crew members were still required to help out on the ship. We then even saw some people on a different boat who had helped to build the South Passage!

Before dinner, we competed for the double sheet bend in the knot competition, where we won… again! We then grabbed our delicious dinner of beef stew, roasted pumpkin, mashed potato and beans and watched the beautiful sunset. Blue Watch is on from 1800-2000 tonight but during this time, we will also be voting for our Command Day positions.

Each of us are very excited for Command Day but also sad as it means that it is our last day of the voyage. While we are looking forward to returning home and the luxuries of long showers and huge beds, we will miss the voyage and all of the people on it.

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