Emily’s endeavour from Sydney to Hobart

A former Wee Waa resident had the best seat in the house for the start of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht race on December 26.

Emily Grellman, daughter of David and Sharon Grellman, travelled for five days on the Young Endeavour which accompanied and followed the annual race.

The Young Endeavour is brigantine ship which measures 44 metres and displaces 239 tonnes.

Emily, who grew up in Wee Waa but is now based on the Central Coast, travelled on the Young Endeavour as part of the radio, relay and rescue team for the event.

The crew consisted of 10 Navy-trained staff and 24 returnee adventurers.

Some of those returnees were young and had been on the boat recently while others had not sailed on the Young Endeavour since 1991.

The ship departed Sydney Harbour at 10.30am among the chaos caused by the pre-race start.

Once the competitors turned out of the heads the crew on the Young Endeavour trailed the race, cruising at 10 knots while the speedier race Yachts were quicker by more than 10 knots.

The Young Endeavour works as a youth development programme however, this journey was slightly different.

“We boarded in Sydney but because everyone on this ship was alumni we all settled right back into it,” said Emily. We sat just outside the Sydney heads to watch all of the boats come around the corner and go south.

“Which was a really cool spot, and then we sailed east.

“We ended up going all the way out to the [East Australia Current].”

Emily said the whole trip was a great experience but she was able to pinpoint her two favourite moments.

“To be able to be a part of the opening of the Sydney to Hobart where we got to see them all come out and see the Constitution Dock at the end as well was amazing,” said Emily.

“Other than that being able to sail the Bass Straight.

“Which sounds weird but when you wake up at two in the morning and have to tie yourself into a bunk so you don’t roll out, it’s a really cool experience that not a lot of people get to do.”

Emily recalled her first time on the Young Endeavour, which came about after her friends had recommended the experience, and what drove her to sail on it for the second time.

“I sailed on it at the end of 2018 to the Whitsundays, which is a different experience but I loved it,” she said.

“Friends of mine had been on the ship before me and they said it is a really cool way to learn because it’s a training program.

“They said it was like going on school camp with all your best mates and you get to learn all about sailing.

“But after that, doing the Sydney to Hobart, doing the Bass straight, it is just a different form of sailing.

“I wanted to be able to experience the open water aspect of it and getting to do it coupled with the Sydney to Hobart was just a really good bonus.”

Emily said she fell in love with the ocean at a young age which encouraged her to get into sailing.

“I’ve always been kind of a water baby,” she said.

“We had a few beach holidays where we sailed around on little catamarans.

“But friends of mine had sailed on this boat before me and said it was a really cool way to do it.

“And it kind of just stuck.”

The crew saw dolphins, whales, sunfish and sharks on its way to Hobart and made it to the destination of Constitution Dock on December 31.