CLIENT: General Public Voyage
VOYAGE NUMBER: 20250525
FROM: Mackay To: Townsville
DATE: 25 May 2025
POSITION: Whitehaven Beach, Whitsundays
REPORT: White Watch
I joined the other sailors at 6 am at the Mackay marina, I had my parents by my side as I walked onto the South Passage for the first time as a passenger. It was amazing to meet everybody; they were so welcoming and kind. I am the only teenager on the South Passage for this journey as I am doing my silver Duke of Edinburgh course. Once breakfast was done, we had a safety briefing and made sure everybody knew each mustering area. I had many mixed feelings as this is my first time sailing and I didn’t know anybody.
My parents took some quick photos, and we then waved goodbye and left the marina heading out to sea. We did a man overboard drill and headed to Brampton Island. There was a slight breeze, so we put up the sails. I learnt a few names of the ropes such as the vang and halyard and helped heave and ease the ropes as well as learning two different knots. I was assigned in the white watch and had completed two different shifts throughout the day where I was stationed at the helm and on lookout.
We passed Hamilton Island and travelled through the Whitsundays where we are now anchored at Whitehaven Beach. Some of us decided to go snorkelling and ride the dingy into shore, it was such a lovely temperature. It was a low tide, so we were able to walk out very far but the water was a bit murky, so it was quite hard to spot any fish, but we did see some nice, large coral.
We headed in and hung up our wet swimmers and had quick showers just in time for dinner. We had lovely butter chicken and apple pie and custard for dessert! White watch is on shift from 6 – 8 pm and later at 4 – 6 am! I am definitely feeling more settled in now!