Noon report Sydney to Suva (9 September 2026?)

After a few busy weeks of pre -departure work, most scheduled and some unscheduled, we bunkered early, and returned to our berth at Royal Prince Alfred Marina. Border Force were there to greet us and complete our pre-departure paperwork and interview.

We also had a departure committee of GPAP volunteers, David the CEO, Daniel, Bella and numerous other employees who presented us with an amazing guest book made possible by Alexis, which has many heartfelt messages of support from donors and supporters and many blank pages that will be filled with tales of future oceanic exploits.

After an emotional goodbye and recognition of all the hard and incredible work done by many, some who were front and centre, and others who worked behind the scenes, unheralded but no less important. Oceania and her crew departed on the 7th of September 2026 at 11 hundred hours, on a beautiful calm, sunny day. A day that was not representative of the night that was to come. All forecasts were telling a very similar story. A fairly vigorous front will funnel between Tasmania and Aotearoa with predicted winds of 25 knots on the majority of models developing in the early evening and sustaining themselves for around 12-18 hours. 

The most dramatic of forecasts was speculating 31 knot gusts. In terms of time and direction, the models were spot on. As straight as the Rhumb line between Sydney and Suva. This is the rhumb line we will most definitely not be taking. Overnight we experienced consistent 40 knot winds, with gusts exceeding 45 knots and waves breaking onto the deck and into the cockpit.

The sailing up to this point had been pretty spectacular with speeds topping out at over 11 knots, however it soon became clear that the jib, the double reefed main and single reefed mizzen was too much sail and we needed to reduce sail. The plan was to drop the main and see how it felt sailing jib and jigger style. The sailing gods had other ideas as is often the case and suddenly the mizzen came loose and started flogging around. 

First thoughts were that the sail may have ripped, but it was soon discovered that the reefing line had given way. A later inspection discovered the 2nd reefing line had snapped, but prior to this we turned the boat into the 45 knot winds and large seas while Steve and I dropped the mizzen and then the main and wrestled with them which felt somewhat akin to wrestling a raging Anaconda into their respective bags. 

Meanwhile multiple crew members were struggling with the motion and seasickness was setting in amongst a number of the crew. One can say the knots in my mind were not being untied by this sailing experience. However a beautiful sunrise and easing conditions helped us on all fronts. 

Oceania crew attempting to hold down their vegemite toast.

I have made the decision to head north. This is due to a relentless army of southwesterly frontal systems that will do very little for the knots in my frontal lobe. So we will head to the latitudes of Brisbane, before making a decision on waiting this next system out anchored somewhere or simply continuing our northward trajectory and potentially outrunning the extreme winds that are forecast to come with it.

The further north we go, the lighter they become. It may be that we turn when we are due west of New Caledonia and head across at this point. The distance from Sydney to Fiji is 1800 miles, from Brisbane to Fiji is 1500 miles and it is approx 480 miles from North Sydney to Brisbane so at this point 180 miles added due to a need for comfort and safety. And when comfort and safety are attained the knots in my mind will loosen as if I’d had a shot of Rum from a bottle Chris promised me if we manage a 200 mile day.

Morale is pretty good despite the seasickness and we are currently doing around 6-7 knots under sail, back to jib, reefed main and reefed mizzen.