from www.yachting.org.au
The skipper of the 2008 OAMPS Australian Youth Team 29er, Nick Peate, tragically died while at home in Ballina (NSW) on Saturday 10th May. He was just 17 years old.
Nick was a member of the Richmond River Sailing Club, the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron and The Southport School Sailing Club, where he was the 2008 Sailing Teams Racing Captain.
With a natural sporting talent, Nick achieved representative honours in many sports including sailing, gymnastics, cross country and hockey. He also had success in schoolboy rugby union, athletics and rowing.
Nick was regarded as one of Australia’s top youth sailors, beginning his career in 2001 with the Richmond River Sailing Club in his home town of Ballina in northern NSW. He tasted his first National success just 6 months after taking up the sport, at 11 years of age, placing 3rd in the ‘Manly Junior’ National Championships at Woollahra SC in Sydney.
In 2004, Peter Vaicuirgis, the ‘NS 14’ National Champion and NSW Academy of Sport Sailing Coach asked Nick to crew for him in the NSW ‘Heron’ State Championships. Against sailors with more experience than him, Nick rewarded the faith Peter showed in him, with a flawless performance placing them 1st after three races.
Later that year he was accepted as a cadet into the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron (RQYS) and in 2005 became a member of their Elite Junior Youth Development Squad.
In 2006 he won his first National Title, in the ‘Sabot’ class, and was offered a prestigious Sporting Scholarship for sailing at The Southport School (TSS). Nick relocated to the Gold Coast and despite it being his first year in the TSS squad he was immediately selected as skipper for the 'A' team at the GPS Sailing Championships.
Ongoing triumphs in State and National competitions culminated in Nick being selected for Australia to compete in the 2007 Austalian Youth Olympic Festival as well as a nomination for the 2008 Ballina Shire Young Sports Person of the Year.
Success continued with Nick, and his crew Rhys Mara, recently being selected as NSW Institute of Sport scholarship holders and also members of the 2008 OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Sailing Team to compete in the Volvo ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships in Denmark in July.
Outside of sport, Nick was a very high achiever earning the Silver & Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Awards as well as participating in numerous community programs including Solomon Islands Outreach Work and a Server and Crucifer at St Mary’s Anglican Church, Ballina NSW.
Nick is survived by his father Roger, his mother Janice and his siblings Katherine, James and Matthew.
Our sincere condolescenes to all Nick's family and friends.
Date: 13/5/2008 10.00
Weather: Clear blue sky
Location: Sand Point 33'36S 151'18E
Author: Peter
We spent a week in Cronulla in total catching up with as many friends as we could and picking up our new mainsail. The entire time there our bikes were put to good use transporting us around from A to B and by the end of our stay leaving us little tired and sore. The weather has been noticeably warmer, or is it that we started to acclimatize to Tasmania, which has made us start to look forward to heading to Queensland and perhaps even experiencing something that feels like summer. Before leaving we also went to the players biscuit factory where we not only got biscuits but also picked up a massive box of kit-kats for just $5 that should last us at least to the Whitsundays.
We left Cronulla around 10 on the Wednesday morning and had a easy four and a half hour run to Broken Bay before spending the the next two nights in Refuge Bay, including a walk up to the top of the waterfall. It was fantastic to feel warm again, Kylie spending both days in her bikini. Still not quite warm enough for a swim though. 
On Saturday afternoon we made our way into Pittwater where we rafted up to John and Jenny for the night. It has been great to catch up with so many friends, yet such a shame that we also missed seeing so many. Sunday saw us motor around to Patonga where we were picked up before spending the day at my sisters house for mothers day and a quick chance to see half of the family.
That weekend we also received some shocking news. Nick, a good friend from Ballina past away. This news has changed our plans and we our now trying to get to Coffs as quickly as possible, however we have had zero wind over the past few days and the weather does not seem to be changing in time for us to make it up there quickly enough.
Nick we will miss you greatly.
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Date: 1/5/2008 07.30
Weather: Clear blue sky
Location: Cronulla 34'03S 151'08E
Author: Peter
We have arrived back in Sydney. A little earlier than expected (in the big picture) and as a result it felt really weird sailing back into the Port Hacking. Australian registration still is not complete so overall the switch to sail to Queensland is proving to be the right decision.
We arrived at Jervis bay at 6 in the morning of the 23rd after a calm but quick ride through the night picking up a mooring once again at Hole in the Wall. After a day of resting and plainly doing nothing we moved over to Huskisson and went for a walk before picking up supplies to make chicken stuffed with brie which Kylie had seen the day before on a cooking show. It turned out to be really nice.
We had a slightly rolly night then moved over to Callala Bay as a change had been forecast and this was the best place to hide from it. Being the Anzac weekend and school holidays, there were people out and about everywhere. Allot more than we have been used to down in Tassy. We later learnt this was also probably due to the fact that it had been raining heavily for the past two weeks, the whole school holidays, and people probably just needed to get out. I think Kylie and I have been quite lucky in that we have managed to avoid rain, having only seen a few days of it over the last quarter of the year.
We spent the weekend working on hobbies, reading books, walking on the beach, collecting shells and Kylie did some fishing (not so lucky here, but there were heaps of fishing boats around so we can understand why). Alex, Rebecca and the kids came to visit us Saturday afternoon and after Alex and Jade came out to check out the boat we spent some time on the beach catching up in the afternoon warmth.
Yes we have started to notice the temperature increasing as we have come back up the coast. Especially of an evening, when we were shutting up the boat quite early in an attempt to keep the heat in only a short time ago.
On the 29th, we took advantage of a moderate south westerly and headed for Sydney. We were making great time up until Wollongong where the breeze started to swing through to the south east and became light. We arrived at Cronulla sailing club at 18.30, before heading up to the mall to get hot chips. After Dinner we un-bent the main for Neil before heading to bed.
Yesterday we both went back to work to see people which was both a surprise for them and great for us. It was really good to see every one again. Seeing we would be here for about a week while our new main gets completed I thought I would try and get some work, but being the 1st week back, no one seems to be sick, so my prospects don't look that great. Pity the money would really have come in handy. After a quick stop at Seafarer and Barracouta to check out our sail we headed back to the boat for a quiet night.
We can't wait to catch up with everybody and I look forward to seeing my family although mum and dad aren't back for another week so we will have to catch them up at Broken Bay.
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Date: 24/4/2008 13.00
Weather: On off showers and blue sky
Location: Jervis Bay 34'59S 150'43E
Author: Peter
The last few days in Hobart were spent tied up at the RYCT. After our arrival back we were once again invited to the Davis's house for dinner. I think they were just trying to remind us of how nice it would be to live in Hobart, with their stunning house, the view, the excellent food, the wonderful company and the quality of living. It really is convincing. The next morning we woke to a sumptuous breakfast before being lent a car again to do some running around. We went to the Salamanca Markets in the morning and spent the rest of the day shopping then dinner and a movie at the Eggins house, before heading back to the yacht for the night. The next day we took the car up to Mount Field National Park, to check out Russell Falls and the big tree walk. Wow, although a bit touristy, this is a must see. The big tree walk especially so. We even came across a tree 76m tall that was missing its top. The base was just huge. The forest was our first real chance to also check out Myrtle up close and personal. This is what Jura is fitted out with, and is the mother of the forest because everything else grows on it. That night we went to dinner with Nigel, Terri, John and Ces whom we met on the Flinders Cruise.
Monday we did some last minute running around and provisioning of the boat. That afternon we started to say goodbye to people which we found extremely difficult. The people of Tasmania had been so friendly a helpful, and our friends so great it brought some tears to the corners of our eye's. We were lucky enough to be invited to dinner again that evening and headed up Mount Nelson for dinner at Damiens house (the cruise commodor from the Flinders Cruise). We had a very enjoyable dinner, swapping stories and sharing photographs. The next morning we picked up the last of our provisions and sett sail about midday for Bull Bay (43 05S, 147 22E) at the mouth of the Derwent. With light breeze the next day we made our way round to Lime Bay (42 57S, 147 42E) to wait out the tide so we could get through the Dennison Canal. Tasmania put on one final great sunset for us although at the time we did not know it would be our last. After an early rise we set off through the Dennison Canal planning to stop at Wineglass Bay on the way up and await the weather there.
We set the kite and headed north.
After the next weather Forecast we decided to set sail strait for Eden as the winds were just so great. 48 hours later we were picking up Pete and Jess's new mooring (37 04S 149 54E) -which they had laid the day before, just for us, ha ha- after a south east two sail reach across a calm Bass Strait. All the people just ahead had motor sailed across. Over the next two days we were once again spoilt by Pete and Jess (her cooking really is a taste delight, and she provided us with a little going away bag- Jess, Kylie says the Pesto is lovely). We cant wait to see them again up in the Whitsundays after they pick up their boat.
On Tuesday we took advantage of some more south east breeze and once again set off under kite for Batemans Bay before changing destination again and going straight through to Jervis Bay.
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Thursday 20th March
Josh: Going out to Jura in the rain and sleeping in my nest for the first time when it was so stable it did not feel like being on a boat!
Friday 21st March
Caitlyn: In the morning we had a good sleep-in and a delicious breakfast od eggs benedict. Josh had a stear. We had the polr up and we were running and gybing for quite a while. Josh got tired of steering. Kylie, Josh and I had a card game marathon with uno, go fish, war, and old maid.
Josh: On Friday just after lunch we saw Adrianne out on her yacht we were sailing quite quickly and Dad turned Jura around to go back to see them again. We then turned and continued sailing towards the Bruny Island Neck. We got there and then Caitlyn, Kylie and I went fishing and caught a few flat head
Caityln: We had a nice warm pasta for tea and got really rugged up warm then we jumped in the rubber ducky, Dad, Peter, Josh and I went ashore. We walked around looking at penguin burrows, walked on the beach in search for tracks when we could not find any we decided to walk up the hill.
Josh: When Mum and kylie came ashore in the rubber duck with Peter we went up the stairs to look at the view. Mum pulled out a bag of freckles and we ate some. Then we went to the look out, we waited ages for the penguins some other people left so Caitlyn and I went to the top of the stairs and heard a noise I turned on the flash light and there was a fairypenguin. Caitlyn ran and told Mum, Dad, Peter and Kylie and they came and found three more, one was really fat!!!
Caitlyn: we got back on board really late and moved to a new anchor spot then we went to sleep after the jelly for dessert
Saturday
Caitlyn: On Saturday morning we woke up and had a few rounds of uno before everyone else woke up. After breakfast Josh got out Dads birthday present a electronic battle ship game and we started to pack up for a sail. There was no wind and therefore it was slow trip to Randalls Bay, we had nachos and were soon there.
Josh: When we went ashore Peter, mum, Caitlyn and I played a game with heavy silver balls. Whilst we played Kylie cooked a gluten free chocolate cake with chocolate icing with spinkles on top
Also we have some movie footage of the big blow, just trying to compress it a bit.
Check out Johns tracker to see maps....http://www.juratrack.blogspot.com/
Oh yeah, we are back in Hobart at the R.Y.C.T.
We plan to leave Hobart in a few days time.
