Amanda Bayles and Tori Percival mini trip on the Young Endeavour - Extract from January 2012 Newsletter.
I received a very exciting e-mail from the Young Endeavour about a week before Ebony Crawford was about to set sail asking if myself and another member would like to join the 19/11 (the 19th voyage in 2011) youth crew on board for a mini tour of the ship and a cruise around the Derwent River. So I was able to track down Tori Percival who also had the day off and we took a cruise on board the Young Endeavour.
At 0945 hours we met at the Elizabeth Street Pier where we boarded the Young Endeavour and met the Navy staff and the youth crew for the voyage 19/11. At 1000 hours we had our safety briefing and then we unhooked from the pier and went sailing. To get us out they used a little Perkins power, once we were out a few hundred meters that was switched off and it was on to putting the sails up and into place. All of the youth crew were in blue, red and white teams and had their specific ropes/sails that they must adjust each move, so we were able to help with the moving of the ropes and sails when needed. After helping many times to pull ropes and sails down and around we able to relax a little and enjoy the scenery, and enjoy a bite to eat. Then it was back to changing direction as the Derwent is not that big, meaning a few changes of direction and more pulling ropes and sails around.
The Navy crew were supervising us while we were doing all this and spotted a small hole in one of the sails— so up went one of the crew to put a patch over it. They explained how it is a working ship and much easier to place a patch over it now when it's spotted, rather than take the chance of the hole tearing and making it a big job later.
For the remaining time we did a couple more turns and then it was time to put all the sails away and head back in to the pier, three hours went really fast!! We arrived back in to the pier at 1245 hours and were hooked back up and then after a few thank you's we departed the ship at 1300 hours.
Towards the end, the youth crew gave us a 'wiggles' remix of songs that they have learnt over the trip.
This was a fabulous opportunity to go aboard the Young Endeavour to see what our Study Tours winners get up to and the amazing fun that they have. Thank you to the Young Endeavour, staff and youth crew for hosting such a wonderful morning.