ON THE RADAR
Port Macquarie members sail the high seas Team building activity creates lasting memories
Members of MR Port Macquarie aboard the Soren Larsen in Sydney Harbour. Photo: FORTEM Australia.
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n 2 April, twelve members of the Marine Rescue Port Macquarie unit and a Fortem Australia Community Engagement Coordinator boarded the wooden tall-ship Soren Larsen to sail 230 nautical miles from White Bay in Sydney Harbour to Port Macquarie. Soren Larsen is a 43-metre brigantine, built in 1949 in Denmark from oak and beech. Her current homeport is Sydney. Our reality for the next four days was limited to the 43 metres of our ship, but team spirit was high and we were all looking forward to
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plenty of time for our induction and its range of emergency drills. These included man overboard, abandon ship and fire drills, followed by rope work and learning some strict rules on keeping the deck clean of any obstacles, including loose ropes. The calm conditions in the harbour also provided a great opportunity for the voyage crew to climb the mast some 20 plus metres above the deck to a small platform. The first night on the anchor was calm and serene, and everyone had a good rest, with a few of the Marine Rescue Port Macquarie crew joining
The night shifts were magical – an amazing sky full of stars, the opportunity to spot a shooting star in flight...
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learning plenty about seamanship, teamwork, camaraderie, and other new skills at sea. Due to an extreme swell offshore, Master of the ship Marty Woods decided to stay the first day and night in the harbour, which provided
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the anchor watch to note the ship’s position and ensure the anchor was holding. Next morning, after an early breakfast, the anchor was lifted and we set off out of Sydney Harbour with a light five-knot North West
wind allowing us to hoist two triangular stay sails. We worked on a rotating watch system - four hours on, eight hours off. The voyage crew was split into three watches: red, blue, and white – each with one professional crew member and the Watch Officer. There were plenty of duties during each shift, with everyone having the chance to steer the ship, stand lookout, check the deck and perform the galley duties. Every hour somebody was required to go down and record an entry in the logbook – noting our course, speed, wind, sea state, cloud, weather, barometer, latitude and longitude, and engine status including oil and temperature. The morning watch from eight until midday scrubbed the deck and polished brass. By day three, everyone had settled into the rhythm of life on board and was comfortable with the daily and nightly routines, and having a few moments to relax - snoozing or reading between watches. The night shifts were magical – an amazing sky full of stars, the opportunity to spot
a shooting star in flight, and the glow of bioluminescent algae. It was genuinely inspiring, with talks getting more philosophical in the dark and quiet on deck, with the only other thing listening the big Pacific Ocean. David Iggulden, the Second Mate and Watch Officer, delivered a great session about sailing, how sails work, and the difference between the sloops and square rigged ships. We arrived at our destination, Port Macquarie, on the fourth day of our journey, and were overwhelmed by a big crowd of town residents and Marine Rescue NSW members who met us on the Lady Nelson Wharf. What an amazing experience! Thanks to Marty Woods of the Sydney Tall Ships company and Fortem Australia for their sponsorship, which made this trip a great success. The unique experience of sailing on the ship together created a camaraderie that has forged long-lasting friendships and tight bonds between the crew members. Larisa Trapeznikova
