sailing event highlights, previews and updates
exploring the Yasawa Islands in Fiji
This is a selection of highlights from our 2 week sailing expedition to the Yasawa Islands in Fiji in 2022. We are planning to explore again with an 11 day cruise in 2023.
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Sailing to Sydney Bay, Norfolk Island
Drone footage of our 24 hour stopover at Norfolk Island on our sailing passage from Southport, Queensland to Elizabeth Reef, Middleton Reef, Norfolk Island Opua and Auckland, New Zealand in 2022. With a population of 2,500nm and situated 800nm east of Brisbane, Australia, it’s a great stopover when the weather permits on a Tasman crossing between New Zealand and Australia.
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Sailing to Elizabeth Reef in the Tasman Sea
Drone footage of the Cay where we anchored inside Elizabeth Reef on our Tasman Sea passage from Southport to Norfolk Island to Auckland in 2022. With more than 100 ship wrecks on Middleton and Elizabeth Reef’s over the past 150 years, this pair of platform reef, 30nm apart are magnificent to visit. They are both more than 6nm long and 4nm wide and form an impressive site at low tide.
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A sailing expedition to Chesterfield Reef
The unscheduled overnight stop at Chesterfield Reef on the passage from Fiji to Mackay, Queensland in 2022 on Silver Fern was a real treat. This stunning island on the edge of a 30nm long reef is just 2km long and 200m wide and is rich in bird life. It was a battle to get ashore in the RIB and trek the 2km across the lagoon in 15-20 knots and through the coral reef to the beach.
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Sailing to Minerva Reef en-route to Fiji
We sailed Silver Fern from Opua, New Zealand to the Kermadec Islands and then to Minerva Reef in June 2022. We arrived at Minerva Reef late in the day and despite the overcast conditions, the colours of the reef still looked fantastic. The lagoon entrance is at least 120m wide and well charted, so its a great overnight stop on the passage north or south between New Zealand and Fiji.
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Sailing to Raoul Island and Meyer Islands in the Kermadec's
We sailed Silver Fern from Opua, New Zealand to the Kermadec Islands in June 2022. The 4 day, upwind passage was hard work, but the stunning scenery was worth it. We arrived after dark and anchored 250m from the 5m contour at Meyer Island and woke up to a magical backdrop.
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A tour of the expedition sailing vessel Salt Lines
A tour of the 70-foot expedition yacht Salt Lines, with new owner and skipper Matt Harvey. Salt Lines is headed to Australia from Tahiti to join Ocean Sailing Expeditions from January 2022 onwards after just being purchased
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THE OCEAN SAILING EXPEDITIONS STORY
The story of how Ocean Sailing Expeditions got started, where the idea came from, the 72-foot Silver Fern project, why people come sailing offshore with us and what's next with our upcoming expeditions and adventures and more about the criteria for joining the crew for a race, passage, expedition or regatta.
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CAPTAIN COOKS NORTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND CIRCUMNAVIGATION 2021 passage preview
This new expedition circumnavigate’s New Zealand’s North Island and the west coast passage through the Tasman Sea will add extra adventure
CAPTAIN COOKS SOUTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND CIRCUMNAVIGATION 2021 passage preview
This new expedition circumnavigate’s New Zealand’s stunning South Island and is filled with rare and remote stopovers.
HAMILTON ISLAND, AUSTRALIA TO PICTON, NEW ZEALAND 2021 passage preview
One of our longest crossings to date, this 1,820nm passage takes us from deep inside the Whitsundays across the Tasman-Sea to New Zealand’s Marlborough Sounds.
AUCKLAND TO NORFOLK ISLAND, BALL’S PYRAMID, LORD HOWE ISLAND, ELIZABETH & MIDDLETON REEF’S & SOUTHPORT 2021 passage preview
A preview of this exciting and unique Trans-Tasman passage that combines blue water sailing with a stopovers at 2 island and 2 reefs hundreds of miles from anywhere.
SOUTHPORT, AUSTRALIA TO OPUA & AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND 2021 passage preview
A preview of the Trans-Tasman crossing in Jan/Feb 2021 from Southport to Auckland with a stopover at Opua on arrival into New Zealand.
SOUTHPORT TO MIDDLETON REEF, ELIZABETH REEF, LORD HOWE ISLAND, BALL'S PYRAMID AND SYDNEY - 2 part passage preview 2019
The offshore 2-part passage is from Southport to Middleton Reef and Elizabeth Reef, with a 2 day stopover at Lord Howe Island then on to Ball's Pyramid and Sydney. This 870nm passage that takes us 310nm off Australia’s east coast.
hobart to picton Passage preview 2020
The offshore passage from Hobart, Australia to Picton, New Zealand is a 1,270nm crossing of the Tasman Sea.
picton to southport Passage preview 2020
The offshore passage from Picton, New Zealand to Hobart, Australia is a 1,270nm crossing of the Tasman Sea.
Previous sailing events
Southport to Auckland Passage preview 2019
The offshore passage from Southport, Australia to Auckland, New Zealand is a 1,400nm crossing of the Tasman Sea.
Next passage: March 2019
Auckland to southport Passage preview 2019
The offshore passage from Auckland, New Zealand to Southport, Australia to is a 1,400nm crossing of the Tasman Sea.
Next passage: April 2019
Pittwater to southport race Start 2019
Highlights of the Club Marine Pittwater to Paradise start.
Race date: January 2019
Hamilton Island to southport Passage preview 2018
The offshore passage from Hamilton Island to Southport, Australia is a 600nm passage down the Queensland coast.
Next event: August 2019
Hamilton Island Race Week 2018
Hamilton Island is a spectacular regatta set in the Whitsunday Islands in Queensland.
Next regatta: August 2019
Solo Tasman Race highlights 2018
Highlights of my 1,500nm Solo Tasman Yacht Challenge from New Plymouth, New Zealand to Mooloolaba, Australia
Race date: April 2018
Hobart to New plymouth Passage highlights 2018
Highlights of my 1,400nm solo crossing from Hobart, Australia to New Plymouth, New Zealand
Passage date: March 2018
Sydney Gold Coast Race Start 2016
Highlights of the Land Rover Sydney Gold Coast Race start.
Race date: July 2016