Airlie beach to middleton & elizabeth reefs, lord howe island, Balls Pyramid to pittwater / 1,370nm / 17 Aug - 1 Sep 2022

15 DAYS / cat 1 OFFSHORE PASSAGE / salt lines: CREW full waitlist only

Take a stunning 1,370nm+ Category 1 ocean passage from Airlie Beach south, down Queensland's East Coast through the sparkling Whitsunday Islands of the Great Barrier Reef to Middleton Reef, Elizabeth Reef, Lord Howe Island and then onto the final destination of Pittwater NSW, 16nm north of Sydney. As we sail south from Airlie Beach, we'll overnight at one of the islands or a coastal marina and then assess the weather conditions to decide whether we sail down the eastern or western side of the world's largest sand island; Fraser Island'.

Once clear of Fraser Island, we head SE to for a sail past of Middleton Reef, the site of more than 80 shipwrecks, before sailing onto Elizabeth Reef where we will anchor and go ashore. From there we will set a course for Lord Howe Island, where we will tie up on a mooring in the lagoon for 2 nights on the western side and take the opportunity to swim, cycle, hike, relax and enjoy everything this stunning island has to offer. Upon departing Lord Howe Island we’ll sail past the unique Balls Pyramid 13nm to the SE, stretching almost 500m out of the ocean, before changing course for SW for the final leg to Pittwater.

At this time of the year thousands of whales head up and down the Australian East Coast and whale sightings along with dolphins and sea turtles are a common occurrence so bring your camera. 

Secure your place on the crew with a 20% deposit.

AUD$7,250

15 days

ADDITIONAL MEDIA

• Check out photo gallery highlights from previous Hamilton Island, Lord Howe Island and Pittwater passages.

Itinery

You'll fly into directly or into Airlie Beach (Proserpine) on the 17th of August 2022. We'll have a crew dinner on the night of the 17th at Airlie Beach and complete final preparations for departure the next day. On the 18th of August we'll depart Airlie Beach Marina and head south through the Whitsunday Islands. It’s a navigators minefield with islands, reefs, whales, commercial ships, pleasure boats and the Australian Navy to watch out. This voyage normally takes 12 days sailing time to complete and we'll break it up with some overnight stops in sheltered islands, bays or at a marina on way south. On the way south we'll assess the weather conditions and tide times to decide whether we sail down the eastern or western side of the world's largest sand island; 'Fraser Island'. The inside (western) route has additional navigation challenges including crossing the notorious Wide Bay Bar at the southern tip of Fraser Island before heading SE to Lord Howe Island for a stopover, then onto the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club in Pittwater, NSW.

We would expect to arrive in Pittwater on the 1st of September and you are welcome to stay onboard the entire time and should plan to fly out of Sydney on the 2nd of September.

Inclusions

Your crew package includes; all meals onboard, crew meals in Airlie Beach, Lord Howe Island and in Pittwater, accommodation onboard, your Ocean Sailing Expeditions crew shirt, marina fees, the use of a PFD (personal floatation device), PLB (personal locator beacon), and a safety tether. Your bedding, a pillow and towel is also included along with suncream.

Exclusions

Your crew package excludes; accommodation ashore, flights and transport to and from departure and arrival ports, alcohol, toiletries, clothing and wet weather gear.
You will need to complete a 2-day Sea Safety and Survival Training Course or equivalent at least 1 month prior.

Its always recommended that you book flights with date flexibility incase of unforeseen changes due to weather or schedules. Accommodation options if you want to stay ashore either side of trip: AirBNB, Booking.com, Wotif &  HomeAway.

Review sailing calendar for all events