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chall · 27-08-2012, 18:08

Hi all,

We are trying to nail down some cruising plans for the next few years and would love some routing advice!

We are currently in Sydney and are looking at spending 1-2 years cruising away, ideally ending up back on the east coast of Australia.

Having spent a bit of time cruising the east coast of Oz already we now are hoping to get farther afield, but with our timeframe of 1-2 years being too short for a circumnavigation, we are stuck trying to come up with destinations, and a tentative plan for a 'loop' cruise that won't see us beating to windward for months and months!!

Options we have looked at.......

1) Leave Sydney in April, sail up the East Coast, go across to the Louissades for a couple of months and then back to Cairns and back down the Sydney. ( We like this plan but other than a couple of months in the Lousiaddes we aren't really covering any new ground, we were maybe hoping to see a bit more in our timeframe than this....but then maybe we are being too ambitious with anything else ?)

2) Leave Sydney in April, sail up the East Coast, go across to the Loissades, then onto the Solomon Islands, the Vanuatu, then back to Bundaberg. (Would the passage(s) from Louissades to Solomons, and Solomons to Vanuatu be awful???)

3)Sail Sydney to Auckland, then Auckland to Fiji/Cook Islands and follow usual run back to Oz from there. ( Involves crossing that horrible cold Tasman sea....)

4)Or for something completely different up to Darwin, Indonesia then Singapore and then ummmm I guess turnaround and come back. ( Sounds like fun getting to Singapore, coming back seems like a beat to windward against adverse current)

Would very much welcome thoughts on any or all of the above, or alternatives.

ozskipper · 27-08-2012, 18:36

My vote is number 4. For no other reason than its where I would prefer to travel. But if you go for two years, I would suggest from Singapore you head into the gulf of Thailand via parts of the Malaysia coast. Across to Cambodia , then Borneo, Philipines, Then indo again and home. So you loop asia somewhat. Forget Vietnam as cruising viet is quite difficult. But you can travel to Ho Chi Minh city on a bus from southern cambo for about $20 if Vietnam was important.

Re: Number 3. An no offence to our Kiwi mates, but New Zealands culture is so much like ours, if its culture youre looking for, you will get the same as ours. On the other hand, It is a lovely place to sail- when its warm

stillbuilding · 27-08-2012, 23:25

East Coast of Oz to Ambon via the Darwin rally, up thru Indonesia and northern Phillipines to Hong Kong, islands to Japan, West coast of US, NOrthern Pacific run down back home. Can leave the boat anywhere on this route for other travel or revisits home, interesting places and down-wind if you choose your times. Well documented.

Jimbo485 · 28-08-2012, 00:49

1 year means just the QLD Reef, but 2 years means Stillbuilding has the best advice to do a fast lap around the Pacific via Solomons, Micronesia, Guam, Japan, Aleutians, California, Marquesas, and then the typical milk run bacl to Oz.

So is it 1 year or 2 years?????

malukusailor · 28-08-2012, 01:50

Hey, quite glad you posed this question, as it gives me the opportunity to introduce Sail Maluku for 2013, which will be completely free entry with some other freebees from the good people of the Spice Islands. That aside my advice, from someone who has spent the last 25 years wandering around Indonesia with occasional trips to Malaysia, Singapore and Fiji is not to try and tick too many boxes. I'm always amazed at how much of a rush most cruisers are in. Had a friend of mine leave Oz aug 2010 spend 2-3 months in Indo then based themselves in KK East Malaysia, side trips back to Indo and extended cruising in the Philippines, they're still there planning next year, there is so much to do. Returning to Oz is just a matter of timing after x number of deliveries it's all doable, and documented on site. Stay tuned for more on Sail Maluku 2013.

Factor · 28-08-2012, 03:42

Do the lap maybe (as in around australia)- reasonable 1 year trip, or two years with a few breaks along the way.

chall · 28-08-2012, 03:53

Thanks all for the thoughts and ideas. From a point of view of culture etc heading up to Asia certainly is high on the list.....

I have been reading on here, Noonsite and elsewhere discussion on the best way back from Asia and perhaps it is more doable( while maybe not a milk run) than I thought. Any further thoughts on getting back from Asia??

I certainly don't want to rush, whatever we do, cruising should be well cruising.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimbo485

So is it 1 year or 2 years?????

As in all things it depends!!! At the moment it is probably 18 months.
1 year doesn't seem long enough for me at all. 2 years doesn't either, but that is probably the current extent of our freedom chips.

Charioteer · 01-09-2012, 13:46

We exited from Darwin, two months in Indonesia...a quick stopover at CHANGI YACHT CLUB, SINGAPORE..then onto Borneo Malaysia, Brunei, up to Philippines ( 13 months ) up to Taiwan, over to Japan (3 months), South Korea (. 3 months ) Japan ( 6 months ) South Korea ( 4 months ) China ( 1 month ) South Korea ( 2 months) Japan ( 2 months) Taiwan (3 months) Philippines ( 3 WEEKS) Borneo Malaysia, Brunei ( 2 months ) Mainland Malaysia [Johor Bahru] (2 months) CHRISTMAS ISLAND AUSTRALIA then over to Carnarvon West Coast Australia, down to Hobart Tasmania. Exited Tasmania for Wellington New Zealand on December 31st.
It took us five years to get to China, but we were home in New Zealand within one year. The time we spent in each country was dependent on the length of visa we received and if we were able to get an extension
Should you decide to go up towards South Korea ( wish we we still there), but can not manage it in the time frame you have, there is a very good boat yard at the top of Borneo Malaysia, in KUDAT. They do long term storage and the prices are good. Also there are several marinas on the way up the coast which are reasonable, but they do not have lift out facilities.
Hope this is of some help....
Feel free to contact us if we can offer anymore help. Cruising in Japan and Korea was, for us novice cruisers, an amazing experience.
Carol and Brian
EMAIL.. pewterandmugsy@ gmail.com

**Boracay** · 01-09-2012, 19:04

I've read a few description of the return from Asia that make me feel that for us it might be a one way trip. 20kts of wind behind all the way there but coming back...

With a two year window and a boat you want to keep why not plan on getting to Thailand and then having the boat shipped back.

Thinking of the damage in one particular report it could be cheaper!

stillbuilding · 01-09-2012, 19:12

Good thing about this circuit is that you could leave the boat for side trips, freight it anywhere on a ship or take variety of ways back to Oz

savoir · 01-09-2012, 19:21

Sail to North Head, turn left, come back to North Head 2 years later, turn right.

Eeeezzeee

Figure the rest out as you go.

mausgras · 01-09-2012, 19:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charioteer

We exited from Darwin, two months in Indonesia...a quick stopover at CHANGI YACHT CLUB, SINGAPORE..then onto Borneo Malaysia, Brunei, up to Philippines ( 13 months ) up to Taiwan, over to Japan (3 months), South Korea (. 3 months ) Japan ( 6 months ) South Korea ( 4 months ) China ( 1 month ) South Korea ( 2 months) Japan ( 2 months) Taiwan (3 months) Philippines ( 3 WEEKS) Borneo Malaysia, Brunei ( 2 months ) Mainland Malaysia [Johor Bahru] (2 months) CHRISTMAS ISLAND AUSTRALIA then over to Carnarvon West Coast Australia, down to Hobart Tasmania. Exited Tasmania for Wellington New Zealand on December 31st.
...........
EMAIL.. pewterandmugsy@ gmail.com

Sounds like the same direction I am heading in around 2-3 years from now. I have made a note of your email and probably get in touch one day.

SunDevil · 01-09-2012, 20:06

I think it depends on how much experience you have first, and what type of trip you are looking to have is second. And the cost would be third.

I would love to do the loop around Australia and New Zealand one day. I've been to both countries, and had a great time. Asia would be a great trip too.