UNEXPECTED CHALLENGES PUSHED SASKIA STAINER-HUTCHINS AND HUSBAND TO THEIR LIMIT IN THE CAPRICIOUS WATERS OF THE AUSTRALIAN EAST COAST
When we tell people we’re sailing around the world, the first question is almost always the same: ‘What about storms?’ I’m hesitant to reinforce a Hollywood dramatised view of life at sea so keep a practised response to hand: ‘We plan ahead and use lots of forecasting tools to avoid bad weather, so see it rarely.’
But my answer to where we have experienced the most challenging weather – so far – may surprise you: Australia.
I should caveat this with an observation: everyone sails their own course. Having met many cruisers in over two years as a liveaboard, I’ve realised that no experience is universal. Sailing contains so many variables that every passage is different. I should stress that Australia was one of our favourite overall cruising destinations. Did it push us to our limit? Absolutely. Would I encourage you to go? I would say that it cannot be missed.
THE COASTAL NATION
Firstly, Australia is massive. The Australian coastline is over 16,000 miles. You want to sail all of it? It would take years. More than 85% of Australians live on the coast; it’s integral to their way of life. Australia is also a nation of sailors. There are modern marinas in nearly every town and every boat service you can imagine is easily accessible. For us, this was a key draw; it was an important stop off on our round the world trip to conduct some much-needed maintenance and repairs.
After almost a year sailing our Lagoon 46 Acushnet in the South Pacific, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to breathing a sigh of relief to be back in the modern world. Luxuries like direct delivery, Uber and, best of all, crisp salad, made travel more enjoyable by relieving some of the stresses of cruising life and left us with more time for exploring.
We sailed into Australia from New Caledonia at the start of the cyclone season in November 2022, and spent three months in a yard just south of Brisbane. By February, we were itching to head back out to sea and explore but were hampered by our insurance which would not allow us to go higher than 27° south before the cyclone season broke in April. As a result, we turned south, keen to view iconic Sydney Harbour from the bow of our own boat.
For anyone who’s had even a passing interest in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race it’ll come as no surprise to learn that Australian weather can be unpredictable at best. These challenging conditions are largely thanks to the currents of the Pacific and Southern Oceans, each of which have varying temperatures. Where the waters meet, in the Tasman Sea, the waves swell, and storms develop quickly. As a result, these waters can be
