Ahoy me hearties
Young Endeavour provideds action and advanture on the high seas

Special kids link learning

Young Endevour
(MPEG Video 6.77 MB)

Preparing to raise the sails for a day of excitement.

Photo: ABPH Yuri Ramsey

“I can see your house from here.”

Photo: ABPH Yuri Ramsey

A life at sea is a life of adventure.

Photo: ABPH Yuri Ramsey

Tyna Murray from NSW climbs across the yard arm of STS Young Endeavour.

Photo: ABPH Yuri Ramsey

These Liverpool Schoolchildren prove their seaworthiness.

Photo: ABPH Yuri Ramsey

By LCDR Mick Gallagher

Sail training ship STS Young Endeavour (LCDR Brenton Witt), the UK’s gift to Australia’s 1988 bicentennial, recently hosted 18 special children for a cruise around Sydney Harbour.

The teenagers were from the Links to Learning Program at Liverpool and Job Quest Penrith (Windsor High students).

Coordinators Jenny Sheppard and Monique Sadler both praised the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme and the opportunity it gave to young Australians.

Young Endeavour has a permanent RAN ship’s company of 13 with a changing youth crew of 24, “The best experience is watching the youth grow in the 10 days they are aboard,” said XO Kirsten Farmery.

For new members LSBM Rachele Karmiste and LEUTs Ian Hibbard (ex Kanimbla) and Chris Jordan (ex Arunta), life onboard a ship of sail was a new experience and different to normal RAN life.

Also serving onboard were, LSCK Shane Dwyer and LSWTR Shane Firth, son of proud father POB John Firth a staffer at DFCE.

“It’s a different world out here, it’s been one high,” said LEUT Sandon Morrell who with CPOB Bruce Lines and ABWTR Laura Soden who were onboard doing a 10-day crew suitability assessment.

Laura is a relative of the then LCDR Garry Sproule who was the navigator of Young Endeavour on its bicentennial voyage to Australia in 1988.

The Young Endeavour Youth Scheme operates a sail-training program for Australians aged 16-23 under the guidance of Acting Executive Director Mr. Stephen Moss, a Naval Reserve Commander.

“Applications for cruises in early 2005 close on November 05,” said Youth Scheme Business Manager William Hooke.

Applications can be made via the website www.youngendeavour.gov.au or call 1800 020 444

BRATs, murals and hammocks - setting the scene for sea life

By LEUT Adam Grover

“You have the ship” so uttered LEUT Phil Gayden, acting Commanding Officer Young Endeavour, to the ship’s youth crew on voyage 10/04 from Cairns Mackay in Northern Queensland.

Command Day gives the Young Endeavour youth crew a unique an unforgettable opportunity to take charge a Tall Ship for 24 hours.

The week of training leading to Command Day had been both intense and enjoyable, involving topics as diverse as ships safety, setting and furling drills, navigation, tacking drills, climbing the rigging and the ubiquitous knot tying.

On the satisfactory completion of the training, the ship’s Commanding Officer is responsible for assessing the youth crew for their preparedness for command.

The training successfully squared away, the youth crew was responsible for determining its own command structure and watch keeping arrangements so as to ensure a satisfactory outcome.

The CO’s orders are clear - to sail from anchor at Scawfell Island and to proceed, through a series of way points Mackay.

The challenge was not only to sail, but also to undertake a large number tasks, set by the staff crew, en route.

These tasks included the construction of rope hammock, capable of sustaining the weight of the entire ships company, the mustering of a youth crew Beach Ready Assault Team (BRAT), preparing a chalk mural on the deck representing the voyage, as well as the very necessary evolutions of morning brief, cleaning, cooking and sailing the ship.

In his handover to the youth crew, the acting CO of Young Endeavour, LEUT Phil Gaden, summed up their imminent command responsibilities.

“All the principles that you have learnt while on board will now be called upon; teamwork, cooperation, communication, tolerance; utilising these skills you will accomplish the mission,” LEUT Gaden said.

In order to ensure safety, the staff watch leaders supplemented the youth crew and the other staff assisted when requested, but only as supernumeraries under direction from the youth crew.

Commenting on Command Day, acting Executive Officer of Young Endeavour, LEUT Lisa Hickman commented; “We want to expand the horizons of the youth crew, both physically and metaphorically.

We work on the principle of ‘challenge through choice.”

The outcomes of Command Day for the youth crew on Voyage 10 of 2004 were dramatic.

The ship arrived in the predetermined anchorage on time, all required tasks were carried out to the satisfaction of all concerned and the youth crew were awarded a near record number of points for their hard work.

Commenting on their achievements, Young Endeavour’s youth crew Commanding Officer for the day Hugh Ward of Sydney, commented, “It was awesome; it was both the most demanding and most rewarding thing I have ever done . . .. It really brings home the vital elements of being at sea and on the utter reliance you have on your mates to get the job done.”

The brigantine Young Endeavour, a bicentennial gift from the United Kingdom to Australia, is a unique ship.

Crewed by the RAN for the Young Endeavour youth scheme the ship has, since 1987, carried over 6000 young Australians aged between 16 and 23, on a series of sail training voyages of up to 10 day duration.

Additionally it has carried a similar number of young people with disabilities on day sails. Young Endeavour has a fully welded steel hull with plywood decks covered in teak.

Her aluminium masts are more than 30 metres high and can carry a total sail area of 740.6 square metres, giving a maximum speed under sail of 14 knots.

Highlights of the ship’s service to date include: The delivery voyage to Australia from England, via the Cape of Good Hope in 1987;

* A circumnavigation of the world in 1992 to participate in an international Tall Ships race commemorating the 500th anniversary of Colombus voyage of discovery

* Young Endeavour circumnavigated Australia And visited Indonesia in 1995 to participate in their 50th anniversary of independence celebrations

* In 2002 Young Endeavour participated in celebrations commemorating the centenary of Flinders exploration of South Australia.

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