Australian East Coast sailing

Braiden Fuda Start Date: Jul 9, 2017 - End Date: Nov 8, 2017
  • Cairns City, Queensland, Australia

My Travel Story

by: Braiden Fuda Start Date: Jul 9, 2017 - End Date: Nov 8, 2017
We brought our little 25 foot Tophat a year an a half ago, it was in a state that required a lot of hard work to get her ready for our passage up the coast, but she was within our budget and we were willing to put in the hard yards to achieve the goal that we had set ourselves. After a massive clean out,  lots of sowing, refurbing, trawling gumtree for the equipment we needed,  and the kindness of our friends who helped us with odd jobs along the way,  we finally got our little Tophat TRIADA ready for a once in a lifetime trip.
We set off from Sydney at the end of May,  ready to take on the challenge that we had set, but the limitations of our little girl soon set in. Weather issues and the limitation of our small 2 stroke outboard left us stranded just a few hours from Sydney,  spending over 3 weeks in Pittwater reality hit us hard,  as our savings dwindled away on Marina fees and general living expenses. We avoided spending, taking refuge on moorings available to the public where possible, but the delay had left it's mark on our moral.  
Finally, after 2 failed attempts to make passage to Newcastle,  we got the conditions we needed to set sail.  What a wonderful day,  it was what we had signed up for,  an amazing run,  we set the sails and breathed in the surroundings. Accompanied by whales and freighters, our sense of achievement skyrocketed and it all began to seem possible again, we could do this. But like the wind our luck changed again,  stuck in Newcastle for nearly 2 weeks with no option of public moorings and more Marina fees to pay. Looking for work to fill the gap, but without any luck, we waited it out and tried not to give into the frustration, hopeful that this was just another bump in the road and part of the reason why this trip would become character building for us both, teaching us that life is full of these little hiccups, but persavearance would help us overcome them. 
With the wind shifting once again and a high sitting off the coast producing low swell,  we left Newcastle for, port Stephens. What a challenging day,  and another lesson for us both, unfortunately the weatherman is not always right lol. A day of contrasts,  smooth sailing one minute, bobbing around like a cork the next. From elation, to stressing that our outboard would overheat because we had to motor more than expected. And the closing act to the day,  a lesson in the power of Mother Nature! With an incoming tide and a strong Westerly, the chop created by these opposing forces within the bay was both breathtaking and scary. A loss of steering ability as the force of the waves outweighed the push of our outboard, and the boat nosediving whilst sails were required to be pulled in and secured, complete focus was our saving grace. 
So now we are in Nelsons Bay,  assessing the next passage,  the next challenge, and hopeful that we can continue our journey that has already thought us so much and will hopefully teach us more.  But our only challenge that could holt our plans is funds. So hence why we are here,  sharing our plans with you all in hope that there are those who would understand the importance of this trip for us, and the life changing impact it will have. We understand that money doesn't grow on trees,  but if anyone is able to contribute to our journey, or has some odd jobs that we could do for you in exchange, we would be very grateful for your support.
  • Cairns City, Queensland, Australia