CLIENT: Youth Voyage
VOYAGE NUMBER: 20260103
FROM: Sydney To: Brisbane
POSITION: Peel Is
DATE: 8 January 2026
REPORT: Blue Watch
The start to the day was an early one. We arose at 12am off the shore of Lennox Head with a clear bright moon and a steady breeze. Sailing was smooth as we slowly made our way past Cape Byron, accompanied by a small pod of dolphins and bioluminescent algae. As we let the engine rest, the wind went with it, and we were calmy bobbing as clouds swallowed our light. Just when we thought our watch couldn’t get any more tumultuous, rain made an appearance and left the end of our shift cold and damp.
We slept in and when Blue Watch finally made our way to the deck, the engine and the wind had returned to their full glory. Surfers Paradise was a reassuring sight, as we made our journey to the welcoming Queensland Coastline. We spent the rest of our midday shift navigating the Gold Coast Seaway, which provided us with a nice new challenge as we sailed past the buoys, jet skis and fellow sailing boats. The portside and starboard buoys guided us through the channels, as we reached a new speed record for the journey: 9 knots!
Once our watch was over, we spent the day filling out our bearings and maps, summarising what we have learnt during of Duke of Edinburgh sailing expedition. In the afternoon, we made anchor at the wonderful little Peel Island, followed by a swim and a clove hitch knotting competition. Hugh as always provided us with a fantastic meal as the rest of the crew started to turn in for the night. We look forward to our first Queensland night watch, preparing us further for our impending Command Day.