Sailing Hawaii to Australia?

[justshane]

I can't seem to find any routes that go from Hawaii to Australia, just the other way around.
I'm trying to plan something for next year that would go Hawaii, Vava'u, New Zealand, Sydney + misc islands in-between. We could sit in Vava'u for a good while due to connections and possible part time work/play.
If you've read my other post, I'm not a 'sailor', not yet at least. It'll likely be my boat with an experienced crew, I'd rather learn as I go with someone else at the helm than make dumb rookie mistakes just out of inexperience.
From what I've read on the weather patterns, it would be best to leave around end of april to early may, hit vavau for a month or so and be back on the move by august, ending the trip in Australia by Oct.
Still in the infancy of learning about this world so I could have everything ass backwards. I plan on staying in Australia for up to a year depending. Living aboard the whole way and inbetween.

[fxykty]

Hawaii to the central Pacific is not uncommon - you basically head through Kiribati and Tokelau towards Samoa. Any further east will probably be too upwind. Your start time depends on not arriving during cyclone season - April departure is reasonable. Jimmy Cornell shows the route in his world cruising routes book - get your hands on one of these books. And check out noonsite.

Once you arrive in Tonga or Fiji your next decision is NZ or Australia? The easiest way between the two is via the South Pacific, so make your decision before you leave the South Pacific and don't plan for sailing from one to the next.

You will want to leave the South Pacific by the beginning of November - the longer you wait the less chance of a bad low coming out of the Tasman Sea, but not waiting so long that you get an early season low coming down from the NW.

Enjoy your time in the South Pacific islands - no need to rush further south. Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia can provide you with multiple seasons of cruising, in between cyclone seasons.

You will need to check the respective visa rules for spending more than 90 days in either NZ or Australia. NZ does allow temporary import of your boat for up to two years without much difficulty or cost.

Regarding working in other countries - you do realise that you are entering on tourist visas? Internet-based work to your home country should be OK, but nothing local.

[justshane]

Thanks! Definitely looking into that book.
Visa's not a problem, I'm a citizen of Aus. Tonga it would be a working Visa through one of the diving centers out that way.
Why would you suggest between NZ or Aus and not both? Just academically curious, I'm sure there's a logical reasoning behind it.
If I had to choose the obvious choice would be Aus, I could always fly to NZ at any time.

[savoir]

You could always go the northern way via Marshall Islands, then turn left. On the way south you have Solomons, Vanuatu and New Caledonia to pick from.

If you are headed for Australia all you have to do is get yourself anywhere south of Bundaberg before 1 December.

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by justshane

...
Why would you suggest between NZ or Aus and not both? Just academically curious, I'm sure there's a logical reasoning behind it.
If I had to choose the obvious choice would be Aus, I could always fly to NZ at any time.

Only suggesting it because the cross Tasman sail is much more difficult and at risk of poor weather than the passages between the Pacific Islands and AU or NZ. And as you say, the flight between the two is easy.

[justshane]

Safety first, scratch NZ for now. Gives me something to vacation to mid year