Category: Boating Life

Making Fast Tracks North

We liked Port Macquarie, don’t get me wrong. But after months in that winter wonderland of rain and floods, once Go was ready, so were we. With our visas on the verge of expiring and the cold weather continuing, we started making fast tracks north. Townsville, just under 1000 knots north, was our goal, and we made it in good time.

Making Fast Tracks North: Our Route

We planned our route beforehand, and made some slight modifications due to – what else? – wind and weather. Our route was straight to Coffs Harbour, then an overnight to Gold Coast, our first stop in Queensland! From there, it was going to be an easy sail inside the islands to K’Gari and up to meet our friends in Scarborough Marina, outside Brisbane.

After celebrating Brian’s birthday over two nights in Scarborough, we moved north to Mooloolaba for one memorable night. Then we jumped to Double Island Point, Hervey Bay, and spent two nights in the marina near Bundaberg.

making tracks north from Port to Townsville, map
All the stops on our 800nm sail from Port to Townsville

After Bundy, we sailed to Great Keppell to Island Head Creek to Curlew Island, then two nights in Mackay with a quick reprovisioning and off again to the Whitsundays.

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Calamities in Queensland

There are times living on the boat when I think it’s going to break me. We’ve had some calamities in Queensland that have almost put me off living on a boat. While it may look from afar as if we’re always enjoying tropical cocktails while swimming with dolphins, which would be a fun combination, it’s not always fun or easy.

It’s Rough Sometimes

In our first year living on Sava, we made many mistakes and had a lot of rough days. We got past that beginner’s hump. Now, we love our new boat, and living aboard is our life, so we take the bad with the good. But even after six years, there are times when we have almost had enough. Since our not so fun sail from New Zealand, we’ve had a few calamities in Queensland, Australia.

Getting Stuck on Mooring Balls

Some of the anchorages in Queensland have mooring balls. We haven’t used the moorings either because we don’t know who owns them or how to get permission, or they are not rated for our boat’s weight. When you’re anchoring near moorings, you need to leave room so you don’t swing into the boats on balls or swing into the balls or their lines. We haven’t always succeeded in avoiding the moorings.

sailboats anchored in Brisbane
Some sailboats anchored in Brisbane River

Twice we tangled around the moorings, and it wasn’t easy to get off!

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The Sail from New Zealand to Australia

I am still recovering from the sail from New Zealand to Australia. It was one of our longest passages and a challenging trip. The good news is we made it, and are now basking in the warm sun in Australia!

The Route from New Zealand to Australia

Our sail from New Zealand to Australia covered over 1200 nautical miles. We departed from Bay of Islands Marina in Opua, New Zealand aiming for Southport Yacht Club in Gold Coast, Australia.

Map sailing from New Zealand to Australia
Our route across the Tasman from New Zealand to Australia

Our route took us from the Pacific Ocean north up the east coast of New Zealand and then west along the north of New Zealand into the Tasman Sea to Australia. The Tasman Sea, known as “The Ditch” in sailing circles, is infamously rough due to the currents of the Southern Ocean colliding with those of the Pacific. So yes, we expected rough wind and waves and that’s what we got.

Rough Seas

From the first day until near the end of our passage, the waves were like a washing machine. Also known as confused seas, the waves came from every direction. To make it even more uncomfortable, there was no break between waves. The incessant confused waves made me sick a few times the first night and next morning, and I continued to feel sick for a couple more days. It wasn’t until late on the third day that I felt human enough to spend time inside the boat and to eat anything besides crackers.

A rainbow on the sail from New Zealand to Australia
We saw a few rainbows on the passage.
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