NZ to South Africa in one season?

[Dave Isom]

Answer is yes you could.I left Melbourne in March 2013 then departed Darwin sailing solo at the start of September arriving at Richards Bay on 7 November. The Indian Ocean passage did not seem rushed. If you sailed from NZ to say Bundaberg arriving no later than June, sort your boat out there as facilities are excellent and reasonably priced, an easy port of entry and cruiser friendly.
You’d want to spend a couple of weeks around the Whitsundays and then mostly day hop over Cape York down to Seisia on the west side where you can get fuel and basic supplies.From there go straight across the Gulf and over the top of the Wessells which is easy and will save time getting down to Darwin.
Get Alan Lucas’s cruising guide for details.
In Darwin you can stay at Cullen Bay or Tipperary Waters Marinas or anchor off Fanny Bay. You will need to leave Darwin by early September at the latest in order to arrive at Richards Bay by early November, nominally the start of cyclone season.
I was in an Adams 40 and stopped at Cocos Keeling, Rodriguez ( delightful) Mauritius then RB where I left my boat until January. From there you can hop down the coast as weather permits down to the lovely Simons Town then
Cape Town.
There are lots of variations possible of course but I believe this is the easiest and most straight forward route.
So yes, it is eminently doable, safe sailing.

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by Dave Isom

Answer is yes you could.I left Melbourne in March 2013 then departed Darwin sailing solo at the start of September arriving at Richards Bay on 7 November. The Indian Ocean passage did not seem rushed. If you sailed from NZ to say Bundaberg arriving no later than June, sort your boat out there as facilities are excellent and reasonably priced, an easy port of entry and cruiser friendly.
You’d want to spend a couple of weeks around the Whitsundays and then mostly day hop over Cape York down to Seisia on the west side where you can get fuel and basic supplies.From there go straight across the Gulf and over the top of the Wessells which is easy and will save time getting down to Darwin.
Get Alan Lucas’s cruising guide for details.
In Darwin you can stay at Cullen Bay or Tipperary Waters Marinas or anchor off Fanny Bay. You will need to leave Darwin by early September at the latest in order to arrive at Richards Bay by early November, nominally the start of cyclone season.
I was in an Adams 40 and stopped at Cocos Keeling, Rodriguez ( delightful) Mauritius then RB where I left my boat until January. From there you can hop down the coast as weather permits down to the lovely Simons Town then
Cape Town.
There are lots of variations possible of course but I believe this is the easiest and most straight forward route.
So yes, it is eminently doable, safe sailing.

That was some serious milage in less than a year, Melbourne to Richards bay!

It's taking me 9 years to get from the Gold Coast to Knysna. Lol, and I'm getting lazier. Lol.

[MikeFergie]

Some nasty weather in the Mozambique channel at the moment