Diary 25 March 2006

Hi Folks,

Saturday 25th of March and it's time to leave Port Elizabeth.The atmosphere has undergone a subtle change in the last few days. When we first arrived the ship was in hospitality mode. Streams of school kids making the treck up the gangway, down the hatch into the gun deck to see where we socialize and eat, up another set of stairs perhaps catching a glimpse of the quarters below where the voluteer crew sling their hammocks, onto the weather deck and finally ascending to the heavens otherwise known as the Sundeck. The sundeck is at the back of the boat and is at least two meters taller than the weather deck. This area will be the preserve of the officers while we are at sea although we as crew get to visit when there are lines to set.

There have been almost nightly functions with great food and fun speeches. I feel like a minor celebrity. I have signed autographs, mugged for photos, and talked to lots of fans, many of whom want to know the best place to stow away so they can sail with us to Australia.Saturday starts out early for me with a pot of green tea on sundeck with a few stretches thrown in. After breakfast we muster at our stations to here the plan for the day.First priorities are cleaning and tying down all the loose items that could become projectiles when we hit rough seas. We want to get all the rubbish off the boat as there is little room for stowing even the most carefully washed and cut up pieces of plastic.

The locals are out in force today. We are entertained by a dance group. The guys are all rippling with muscle and the women are so agile. There energy is fantastic It was impossible to stand there and not want to move with the music.They were followed by a community Kettle Drum and Marimbula band. The Marimbula is like a giant wooden Xylophone. They produced the sweetest of music.On to the ceremonies. We file off the ship and line up on the dock. This gives the local Governor and the Reverend Fremantle an oppportunity to shake our hands and to give each one of us a blessing. I truely am feeling blessed.As we file back the crowd starts clapping, they can sense to adventure we are about to undergo. We muster at our watch positions just in front and below the sundeck.

I´m in Port Watch so I stand to the left side. More speeches follow including the blessing of the ship.The best moment was lining up along the starboard rail singing  "We Are Bound For South Australia". The gangway was being dismantled and the mooring lines dropped. The dance troupe start singing a traditional African song which is taken up by the crew. I get a sense that some people on the wharf see the ship as a fantasy. People had a dream and built this wonderful craft and are now sailing it over the horizon. I feel that this dream has given hope to many who are staying behind. That they too can dream of something new and courageous for their future.

I have taken over the hammock of Ocean, a local lad who sailed from Cape Town. Ocean is on the water in a small power boat filled with his friends. He`s waving at us and I can feel the love that is beamed across the water. There is no doubt that he is waving to another boat full of his friends. The Captain gives the order to fire the canons as a farewell salute. Those suckers are loud!. Many boats sail out of Port with us probably hoping to see us set sail but the wind is not favourable and a ship this size with a new crew takes some time to get organized. That`s O.K. We have 49 days to sort it out on our way to Oz.

Jenny, trainee from Australia