Learning to crew an 1828 tall ship like the Enterprize is no small task. Yet a professional sailing crew together with sponsorship from Rotary Clubs enable groups of young people to push their limits and experience what they are capable of.
This is the first year that Emerald Rotary has had the opportunity to sponsor a young person who has been selected to experience the pride of accepting responsibility which leads to leadership, self-confidence, teamwork, and many other skills that will benefit them for years to come.
The 27-metre topsail schooner Enterprize is a replica of the tall ship that brought the first European settlers from Tasmania to found the city of Melbourne in 1835. The original schooner was eventually wrecked on a bar off the Richmond River in Northern N.S.W with the loss of two lives.
The successful Emerald applicant, Myra Incoll boarded Enterprize at Melbourne Dock 8.00am Saturday 6th April and spent 4 days and nights doing 3-hour watches literally learning to sail and navigate Enterprize with 11 other young people under the experienced guidance of a professional crew.
Each participant has a mentor in support of their adventure, in Emerald Rotary’s case a club member and past commodore with years of experience at sea was available for this assignment, Roy Bowyer.
Roy and members of the club joined Myra on Saturday as they set sail.
Image: Past President Marcus Adams, Sangeeta Bajaj, Mentor Roy Bowyer and Past President Shalini Penny in Port Melbourne on Saturday.