Tory and her partner Luuk convinced Reg to join them sailing Luuk's boat from Tahiti to Hobart over winter. First long distance sailing trip for them all! They have all been raving about the trip, so we asked Tory a few questions below about their adventure.
1. How was this expedition compared to a kayaking expedition?
Besides the obvious change of ‘craft’, it was generally less physical work, and we had more down time to relax and enjoy where we were. It was a real luxury being able to sit and watch the colours of the sky and ocean change for hours and hours on end!
Many aspects were similar to a kayaking expedition - the planning of the route, weather forecasting and communication equipment and stocking up of food.
One big difference was being well prepared for clearing several different country’s ports along the journey. There was a large amount of preparation needed to exit French Polynesia and that took us about a week of long days to ensure the vessel was shipshape. Along the way we had sail changes, and the constant adjustment of the sail configuration and trimming to get the best performance we could from the conditions.
I have to add, cooking while under way was at times a challenge although made much easier with our gimballed stove. I got a little seasick from time to time when concentrating on something when it was rough. Not something I experience in a sea kayak!
2. What was planning like with all the different countries?
As any traveller can appreciate, each country has its own unique customs and quarantine requirements. Due to the time frame we were working with for this trip, we only had to deal with French Polynesia, Vanuatu and Australia. I also put together information packs for each country we would pass by while crossing the Pacific, just in case we needed to stop anywhere else, eg, Samoa, Fiji, New Caledonia.
The bureaucracy in French Polynesia was immediately obvious, while arriving in Vanuatu was the polar opposite, a relaxed ‘hello and welcome’ style which didn’t feel official at all. It was very welcome after 21 days at sea!
3. Hardest part of the trip?
Besides prepping the boat for 21 days of straight sailing, when it had not been sailed much several years prior….
While some of us struggled with the excess of time suddenly on hand and what to do with it (Reg particularly), I personally found some days my energy was zapped and I had little to no hunger due to a low level of sea sickness, difficult when you know you have to eat. And not wanting to eat is a big deal for me!
4. Favourite part of the trip?
The satisfaction of setting the sails well to suit the conditions and feeling the yacht hum and glide through the water. It took a lot of practice! Oh, and jumping off the boat near Fiji into 8,000 meters of the bluest water I have ever seen (see pic of Reg swimming centre above).
5. Would you do it again?
In a heartbeat, but I would stop at more places along the way and it won’t be so time pressured next time.
I’d like to add BIG shout out to Reg not just for his great company on the trip but also his expertise in servicing and maintaining the vessel’s diesel engine. It needed a fair amount of work and he never complained. We owe you!
