CLIENT: Gold Youth Voyage
VOYAGE NUMBER: 20230103
FROM: Sydney to Manly
DATE: 5 January 2023
POSITION: Port Stephens
REPORT BY: Red Watch
We started our morning fresh and early, at 1:00 and took turns on the graveyard shift night watch. It was raining “Cats and Dogs” as described by Wozza, our fearless leader. He then began to tell us the origins of the sayings and how they dated back to the Tudor times (aka his childhood). We filled in some booklets and learnt about some key terms such as leeward and windward and how you absolutely don’t want to vomit windward, otherwise you’ll learn the joys of recycling (breakfast).
We then returned to bed and some of us managed to get our remaining hours of beauty sleep (some of us need it more than others). We were rudely awakened by the daily bugle, and swiftly arose to a wonderful breakfast served to us by our trusty chef, Hugh (“In Hugh we trust”). After the feed we all took part in a reef knot tying contest in which I think blue won but who cares, all we know is that we came third (we lost).
We set sail into the soup and met ‘Gale’, aka Gale Force Winds of up to 30 knots. Even though we were warned about the conditions, none of us were prepared for what was to come. I feel sorry for a certain Territorian that was not used to the cold but powered through like a weapon. Red watch (best watch) were blessed with the appearance of multiple marine creatures such as jelly fish and a beautiful pod of dolphins. After our rough day at sea, we brought our watch together with a pole party at the front of the boat.
After anchoring the ship at Salamander Bay, Port Stephens, we had our dinner, had a shower (thank god) and headed off to bed. All in all, stella day at sea with the ripper red watch.