Noon position: Rose Bay, Sydney Harbour
Day’s run: 3.5 nm
HMB Endeavour at the National Maritime Museum
At 0845 hours, 36 paying crew and four passengers wait by the gangway, eager to board whilst His Majesty’s Bark Endeavour’s professional crew make the finishing touches to ready the ship for sea. The shore manager, Paula, welcomes the voyage crew onboard as they make their way up the gangway at 0900 hours, their eyes glistening with anticipation about the new adventure they are about to embark upon, will I be able to climb all the way to the top of the masts? I hope I’m not seasick! A million thoughts must be rushing through their minds but they all show and are ready for the time of their lives.
Baggage is stowed and determined to get underway, the voyage crew are introduced into their watches, foremast, mainmast and mizzenmast. Everybody gathers to listen as Captain Ross introduces the professional crew, then the chief officer, Martin, and the second officer, Ben, begin to tell the crew about the many safety systems we have in place onboard Endeavour. “Don’t tread in any coiled ropes unless you suddenly want to be hanging upside down from a yard looking silly!” is just one piece of helpful advice passed on by Ben.
The bell has sounded, ding-ding, ding-ding, ding-ding, 1100 hours and it is time to cast off from our home berth at the Australian National Maritime Museum. Thanks to Vince and Christine from the museum’s fleet department, the mooring lines are thrown and we ease away from the wharf before setting a course for Rose Bay. The two other tall ships that call Sydney home, Our Svanen and James Craig join Endeavour on her jaunt down the harbour.
“Let go the anchor” yells the captain and the crew release it, letting it sink slowly down to the sandy seabed below. Endeavour is safely moored in Rose Bay and it is time to see what Abi, our catering officer, and Darbey, our cook’s mate, have prepared for lunch.
All is well.
Contributed by ship’s steward, Melanie Snow
