CLIENT: Townsville Grammar School
VOYAGE NUMBER: 20260722
FROM: Townsville To: Townsville
POSITION: Orpheus Is
DATE: 23 July 2026
REPORT: Red Watch
Our watch hours were 0001-0400. During our one-hour shifts, we all took bearings, completed logs, checked the anchor and the anchor light. Everyone was woken up at 6:30am. We had a team knot-tying competition for the round turn and two half hitches and we learnt new knots, figure of 8 and reef.
While preparing the sails, we learnt how to manage the foremast and the backstays. Once we set off, we set course to Orpheus Island. We left at 9:30 and arrived at approximately 3:30. For our watches, during our sail, we rotated through positions; helm, standby port lookout, port lookout, deck check, standby starboard lookout, starboard lookout, standby helm. We saw a number of whales and sea snakes on the way to Yank’s Jetty on Orpheus Island. Once there, we were able to go from the jetty to the beach and swim.
Tonight we have moored around the corner from Yank’s Jetty. While the sun was setting, we saw dolphins and even more whales. Before dinner, we had another knot tying competition for the figure 8 and reef knots that we learnt this morning. Tomorrow we will have another competition for the bowline knot, so we practised that before dinner as well.
After dinner, we were again on watch until 2000. We took bearings again and organised our groups for our next watch tomorrow morning from 0400 to 0800. Dinner was a gourmet meal of sausages, Rupert’s tuna, and vegetables and for dessert, we enjoyed sticky date pudding and custard; all organised by our chef, Hugh. We eagerly await tomorrow adventures.