Where to start (geographically) for a new cruising family?

[Jim Cate]

Well, fursoc, when we finally get through with the ophthalmologists, we'll be heading south as fast as we can go. May stop briefly in Newcastle, and if so, you're on for a boat tour. If that doesn't work out for us, we will likely spend a week or so in the Pittwater and if you chose to drive down, the same offer would apply. It's all in the hands of the weather gods...

Jim

[David B]

Originally Posted by fursoc

Hi, sorry for another long post. I am new to cruising, in fact I haven't even come close to starting. I posted Should I buy a trainer or a cruiser a while back to find out how to start this adventure by first looking at what boat to buy and when. Well I am now wondering if I should first be asking where is the best place to start a cruising adventure for a new cruising family? Keep in mind we will be relatively new to sailing, and very new to living aboard a boat when we do decide to leave. It’s quite possible we won’t have even owned a live aboard boat at all until we leave.

We live in Newcastle Australia and the most obvious choice is to buy a boat here in Newcastle within the next couple of years. Spend time preparing and learning the boat as much as possible until departure. When it comes time to leave we travel up the east coast and spend our first few months in the Whitsundays really getting to know the boat and each other. The problem I see with this is that I fear travelling North up the east coast would be quite difficult for a “new to cruising” family, and that the Whitsundays would be very expensive training grounds.

Part of me thinks I should be looking elsewhere. Somewhere cheaper and easier to sail. Maybe South East Asia, the Caribbean or the Med. Not only are the living expenses going to be cheaper, but the boat prices are definitely cheaper, the climate is nicer, etc, etc. Obviously this will have it’s own set of problems (difficulty in finding a boat on the other side of the world, being in a foreign land when we are probably at our most vulnerable, etc).

Please guide me oh wise and wonderful cruisers! Where is the best place to learn to cruise and is it worth starting there from the other side of the world?

Congratulations on the decision - that's the first step.
You will get lots of answers, lots of perspectives, and they are all correct for someone. You just have to collect the data, the experiences, and the suggestions, and decide what is right for you.

To add to the data, we are based in Adelaide, and for years were considering buying a decent sized yacht (never owned a keel boat before - this was to be the first), that we would be happy living on for whatever time we chose. We are still working and although we can get away for several moths at a time, our computers go with us.

The decision we made works best for us, and if we had our boat in Adelaide, it would be a disaster - a rope around our neck, sitting in the water, and us feeling torn between the day to day requirements of life and running a business - and justifying the expense of a yacht, and somehow finding the time to go sailing more than a weekend here and there.

Actually it was not that perspective that helped our decision to choose the Med, but the thought that we were in our sixties, and by the time we were done with sailing Australia (if we ever got to that point), we would be too old/too scared to cross oceans to experience the Med, and other places.

However whatever the reason, for us, the Med was the absolute right choice. Some years we are just too darned busy to want to go, and would be quite happy to sit in our busyness, and let another year slip by. However we have no choice - our yacht is over there, and demands our attention, so off we go - and by the time we are there, all is good, and we are into it, and glad to be so.

The Med is certainly cheaper than Australia - sure, you can spend a lot of money over there, but it's not too hard to be economical, and enjoy amazing places, amazingly friendly and helpful people, and to make some really valued friendships.

The other consideration we had was the actual sailing. While fantastic sailing is all very well - nothing quite like it when you can find it, we are travellers, and sailing is just part of that. Travelling on the same sort of coast, and being in the same sort of culture year in, and year out did not appeal to us so much as being able in a matter of hours, to cross country borders, to be immersed in amazing history, and different cultures etc. That for us does not get boring.

I remember well, the words of one couple we came across. They planned on sailing the Med for a year, then sailing back to Australia. They decided after the first season, they would never be doing that, and now are in (I think) their twelfth season, and on their third yacht over there.

Just another perspective for you, but if you would like to chat, PM me, and I can give you a call.

Whatever you do, wherever you do it, I wish you the best experiences - the best adventures.

David

[robert sailor]

The downside of the Med is that it has winter, most cruisers either put their boat on the hard or hunker down in a marina. Most go home but if you really want to cruise your better off sailing in warmer areas, like Australia. I think Jims advise is good unless your really experienced in sailing and boat buying your best to start out at home.

[fursoc]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Well, fursoc, when we finally get through with the ophthalmologists, we'll be heading south as fast as we can go. May stop briefly in Newcastle, and if so, you're on for a boat tour. If that doesn't work out for us, we will likely spend a week or so in the Pittwater and if you chose to drive down, the same offer would apply. It's all in the hands of the weather gods...
Jim

Thank you!

[fursoc]

Originally Posted by David B

The other consideration we had was the actual sailing. While fantastic sailing is all very well - nothing quite like it when you can find it, we are travellers, and sailing is just part of that. Travelling on the same sort of coast, and being in the same sort of culture year in, and year out did not appeal to us so much as being able in a matter of hours, to cross country borders, to be immersed in amazing history, and different cultures etc. That for us does not get boring.

Thanks David for your perspective. I really think you hit the nail on the head here for us as well. I'm sure we will love the sailing, but the main reason for us doing it is the access it provides to so many exotic places.

[Chebacco]

Hi Fursoc,

Queensland has a wide range of reasonably priced boats and is a great cruising ground as it has many Islands and of course the Great Barrier Reef. You do need to get to know your boat in detail before heading off for parts unknown, get to know how your boat works, rigging engine, seacocks electronics and of course the head. The other benefit of staying in Australia is the very good marine rescue service that we have.

[tuffr2]

Just saw how dangerous Australia is with salt water crocs which are eaten by giant pytons not to mention great white sharks, jelly fish, and a myriad of other snakes and dangerous fish.

I would move to a safer part of the world to start.

[fursoc]

Originally Posted by tuffr2

Just saw how dangerous Australia is with salt water crocs which are eaten by giant pytons not to mention great white sharks, jelly fish, and a myriad of other snakes and dangerous fish.

I would move to a safer part of the world to start.

Hahaha. Don't worry, I've lived here my whole life. The first things they teach us at school are to wrestle crocs into submission, tie pythons into knots and swim faster than great whites. We'll be fine

[tuffr2]

That would make me pay attention in school. How to survive and not be eaten 101.

Good luck and stay out of the food chain.

[Sea Dreaming]

Originally Posted by fursoc

Hahaha. Don't worry, I've lived here my whole life. The first things they teach us at school are to wrestle crocs into submission, tie pythons into knots and swim faster than great whites. We'll be fine

Dang! I thought the secret was to stay in the boat!

[StuM]

Originally Posted by tuffr2

Just saw how dangerous Australia is with salt water crocs which are eaten by giant pytons not to mention great white sharks, jelly fish, and a myriad of other snakes and dangerous fish.

I would move to a safer part of the world to start.

Once you leave the coast, it's the drop bears that are the real threat.

Drop Bear - Australian Museum

Don't believe the part that says most attacks are accidental!

Drop bears prefer travellers, says study - Australian Geographic

[Jim Cate]

And for goodness sakes,don't forget the spiders (or Pauline Hansen, if ya wanna talk about dangerous critters)!

Jim

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

And for goodness sakes,don't forget the spiders (or Pauline Hansen, if ya wanna talk about dangerous critters)!

Jim

Please explain?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfNoto58fQM

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by StuM

Please explain?

Stu, some things are simply inexplicable...

(didn't watch the video... data limits are severe and there are other things I'd rather spend the bytes on)

Jim

[44'cruisingcat]

You'd be hard pressed to find a better learn to sail/cruise venue than Lake Macquarie.