CLIENT: Moreton Bay Youth Voyage
VOYAGE NUMBER: 20260113
FROM: Manly To: Manly
POSITION: Big Sandhills, Moreton Is
DATE: 13 January 2026
REPORT: White Watch
Today was our first day on the South Passage. When we first entered the ship, we were introduced to our living spaces, group leaders, and other youth voyagers. At first, we felt intimidated by the rough conditions, such as the stability of the ship and the wind. Furthermore, the layout of the dorm was surprising and hard to adjust to. During our first watch, we felt the side effects of the sea-sick tablets kick in, (e.g., fatigue, tiredness, dizziness and thirstiness) and the tasks were initially confusing and quite difficult. However, by the time we reached our second watch, tasks ran more smoothly and the procedures felt more natural (e.g., like the belaying, pulling ropes, flaking). We enjoyed the rotations, each learning new things about the ship, from operating the helm, to navigations.
If we’re being completely honest, the thing that we looked forward to the most was…lunch!!! (Thank you Cath!) Although we weren’t particularly used to eating on a waterborne vessel, it became a challenge to overcome, and by the time dinner was served…we felt very accomplished, coupled with the sunset, the wind, the view. We felt like it was all worth it and that it would become an unforgettable lifetime memory that we will forever cherish.
Additionally, the knot tying competition was probably another highlight of the day. We learnt different kinds of knots and although we were initially hesitant about it, towards the end it felt really rewarding and we learnt important life skills and knots to use other than the basic shoelace knot.
Nevertheless, today wouldn’t be completed without the challenges faced… such as the sun! But without getting sunburnt, we wouldn’t have learnt the valuable life lesson of always applying sunscreen.