Author: Pete
Location: Brisbane, Australia
LAND HO!!!!! After 10 days crossing the Tasman Sea, Tayrona pulls safely into Brisbane, Australia!
Miranda spotted land low on the horizon this morning and shook me from my graveyard-shift-induced slumber. There it was, Australia. After two years of sailing west towards this moment it was pretty much impossible to hold back. A solid, “LAND HO!” burst forth from Miranda. Okay, it was me, but she was pretty excited too.
It took a full day to navigate around Moreton Island and into the Brisbane river. Once you see land, it’s another sixty miles into port. It’s pretty much the slowest day ever. Just… grinds… Didn’t help that we had a head wind of fifteen knots and choppy irksome waves on the bow that made Tayrona lurch and stagger like a prize fighter on a losing streak.
For a while it looked like the day would be stretched out to grueling eternity, but once we were in the lee of the island the waves smoothed out to zilch and our new course provided a favorable wind angle. We unfurled the sails and shot off at eight knots. I was so happy that we didn’t have to motor Tayrona in on her last landfall like some kind of clunky trawler. She wants to sail in!
And sail we did. Sunset ’round these parts is five-thirty, and the cloudless day afforded a blazing, clear sunset as we approached the Brisbane River.
We dodged a few cargo ships making for sea, and then navigated five miles up river in the dark. Is green on the right here, or is that the other way around? We eventually tied up at the Riverside Marina quarantine dock and were checked in by customs despite the late hour.
I’m incandescent. We made it. We sailed to Australia.
