CLIENT: Gold Youth Voyage
VOYAGE NUMBER: 20240401
FROM: Gladstone To: Manly
DATE: 6 April 2024
POSITION: Big Sandhills, Moreton Is
REPORT: Blue Watch
We woke up on Thursday morning at 5am in the Great Sandy Strait to raise the anchor using the manual capstan to be on time to catch the tide over the shallow section of the Great Sandy Straits. We steamed down to Inskip point, where we anchored to wait for the incoming tide to cross the Wide Bay Bar.
While we were waiting, we had a knotting competition for the single sheet bend where we came 3rd. We scrubbed the decks using manual fire pump. We also practised the backstays, putting them on and taking them off. In the mid-afternoon, we pulled up the anchor again using the manual capstan, raised the sails, and crossed the Wide Bay Bar. Once out to sea, we headed towards Double Island Point and came off watch as we rounded the point.
Blue Watch got up at 0000 to begin midnight to 0400 duty watch whilst on the way to Tangalooma (Moreton Island). The weather was cold but at least it wasn’t raining. We used towels at blankets to keep warm. It was interesting passing the shipping off Caloundra and the lights of Caloundra.
At 4am we came off watch and were blessed to go back to bed. It was the best feeling ever! At 6.30 am we were not woken to the bugle. Gabriel has flashbacks from the bugle.
After anchoring at Tangalooma at 10.30 we had the election for the bosuns for the day and knot tying competition. We came last (again) and Jude rose up, becoming the bosun for the day,
At about 1230 we boarded the tender and went ashore at Tangalooma. We rose up, high like the waves, and climbed the sand dunes there. We would do it a thousand times again! At about 1430 we ventured back onto the ship. We rose up once again and pulled the sails up and sailed to Amity Banks near the Moreton Sandhills.
At 1800 we enjoyed Hugh’s gravy beef and roast veges dinner. We then rose up for dessert, which was yummu peaches and custard. In spite of the ache from all of the activities, we went to bed.