We’re baaaaaack.
First standard voyage sails Sunday. Lots of work done by contractors and volunteers to get her to this stage. No square sails yet - our elderly, very fastidious shipwright spar maker has been busy but cannot be rushed.
Today’s photo of STS Leeuwin II at her normal B Berth in Fremantle, Western Australia. Note nice new white sails
Thank you everyone. I had merely wanted to round off 18 months of depressing down-time, following on from the financial misfortunes of surviving the Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation going into receivership after the strictures of Covid in a tightly communal ship strangled the voyages that are our bread and butter, saved by a local mining billionaire only to then suffer the collision that dismasted her, months of indecision as to the survival of the whole organisation with the centrepiece near-fatally wounded, the decision to rebuild and the work to get her seaworthy and sailing again today.
Well done all.Fair winds and following seas.
My first time back in command today for 20 months and not a breath of wind. Some slight wind later and got her up over 1 knot under sail. Still naked without square sails but they are scheduled for next month.
The passengers and crew (below) hoisting the mizzensail for an ANZAC Day day sail with 120 happy passengers. Not enough space for all of them on the halliards.
We didn’t fool everyone but kept the throttles at slow ahead initially to give the budding helmsmen the sense of it all.
Glad to see it back in service on its mission. STS Leeuwin II is involved in educational programs that promote awareness of ocean health and sustainability, aligning with global efforts to address climate change and its impacts. The ship participates in research voyages that help students understand marine science and the effects of global warming on ocean ecosystems.
(Double posting)
Congratulation with being back in business. Good luck and following wind!!! 
PS: The subject of “climate change” and “global warming” is just the thing for you Jughead. 
Strangely, there’s no mention of those subjects when we go sailing. We just go sailing.
Good for you for taking this path in your retirement years & providing a service/opportunity to the younger generation. Absolutely great for you to have the opportunity to be around young people. IMO, nothing keeps a person young better than being around young people. And spot on about the political b.s talk. I find it’s the boomers & X’ers who talk about politics the most. I’ve spent many 3 day weekends chaperoning my teenagers & their friends and political topics not come up once. Smart kids.
Good to see her back in service 
Fair winds Master and Commander.
Sail out there and bring me some global cooling evidence from down under as here i have had so far cool March, April, coolest May and June and in July temp hovering btw 17-20. 
Where are you? I was of the impression that most of Western Europe, incl. Germany, have experienced several heat waves this summer, with more to come in August.
Your description sounds more like what we have had here on the NW coast of Norway during this summer, with few signs of improvement in the foreseeable future.
PS: Right now we have rain and 12-14C. No wonder there are a lot of European here on “Coolcation”.
At least we don’t have any mosquito problems: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/18DfNtuh9W/
