For 16-year-old Katherine High student Michaela Blaney, a 3661 kilometre road journey wasn’t going to put her off joining STS Young Endeavour on an 11-day voyage.
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The year eleven student and her family spent three days on the road driving from Katherine to Sydney, so Michaela could join 21 other young Australians onboard the square-rigged tall ship.
“I’d heard good things about Young Endeavour and I wanted to challenge myself and push my boundaries.”
“I figured I’d get to find myself a bit more and get to know myself, what I can do and what my abilities are,” Michaela said.
During the voyage, the twenty-two members of the youth crew learnt how to sail the brigantine; including how to navigate, keep watch, cook in the galley, take the helm and climb the 30 metre mast to work aloft, setting and furling sails.
“My biggest challenge onboard was learning to communicate with everyone. I’m very shy, so just being on the ship with all these people I didn’t know was very challenging.”
Over the course of each voyage the youth crew face a number of personal challenges and towards the end of each voyage, the youth crew elect a command team who take full responsibility for Young Endeavour for 24-hours.
“I think I’m a bit less shy now! By the end of the voyage I was screaming at the top of my lungs from the top of the ship,” Michaela said.
“I’ve also made some fantastic friends that I will never forget!”
During the voyage, the youth crew had the chance to explore the islands and beaches around Sydney, which Michaela said was spectacular.
“It was my first time out at sea and we got to see some amazing coastline. It was so beautiful seeing dolphins and whales.”
“When I get home I’ll be telling my friends to apply. Do it, just do it! I was so scared at first, but by the end I wishing I could redo it. It really was an amazing once in a lifetime experience!”
Young Endeavour is Australia’s national sail training ship and was presented to the Australia by the United Kingdom for Australia’s bicentennial in 1988. During her almost thirty years in service, almost 13,000 young Australians have joined the ship and participated in the youth development program delivered at sea by the Royal Australian Navy.
Youths aged 16 – 23 years old can apply for a chance to set sail on the voyage of a lifetime at www.youngendeavour.gov.au