Final leg, Tonga to Australia

Posted on October 21, 2009 by Nick

Tomorrow I haul up the anchor, and set sail for Australia, nonstop from Vava’u, Tonga.

The counter on this website indicates that I’ve been doing this sailing thing for 765 days. That sounds like a lot. In fact, it’s so many days, that I’m going nonstop because I’m out of money, out of energy, and it’s time to call it a day. I’ve said from the beginning that I was going to sail from Europe to Australia, and I’m going to fulfill that promise – To myself, and to the thousands of people that have emailed me, left comments, encouraged me, and supported my efforts to keep this dream alive.

I can’t tell you the number of times, in the worst moments, where I’ve just wanted to give up. Where it seemed impossible; where the sacrifices were too great… To do something like this takes a great amount of selfish endeavour and single-mindedness. Relationships are strained, severed, mistreated and broken. Friends come, go, and are lost after years of neglect… Family worries and wonders… Yet the vast expanse of ocean; those moments of the sublime are fought for and held onto by tooth and nail… I cannot explain what this is about, what it means, why it has to be done – It is what it is, and soon it will be complete.

Everything in the last three years has been given up to do this trip, and it’s terrifying to think that in 1900nm I will have made good on my promise… So I thought in honour of the “Bigoceans, Tiny Boat” ethos, this final leg will be like all my others others – Long, wet, and full of terrible food. I remember all my long passages well: Three days across the Bay of Biscay on 9 hours of sleep. Ten days of perfect sailing from Lisbon in the middle of winter to the Canary Islands. Thirty days to the Caribbean powered by pasta, twenty eight days to New York City on ramen and rice… Twenty seven days from San Francisco to Hawaii, seventeen days to Palmyra Atoll, and thirteen days to Western Samoa full of canned beef stew.

It simply wouldn’t be right to finish this project any other way.

Nick.

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  • http://northwestladybug.blogspot.com/ Carol

    I hope you’ll be having one hell of a party when you land in Australia!! (And that you’ll blog it — photos and all.) Tell ya what? You can have my job at Microsoft and I’ll… oh, never mind. You’d certainly do my job fabulously but my finesse at sailing the oceans… well, not so great!

    My positive thoughts are with you on this final leg of your journey of a lifetime!

    Carol

  • japhy

    firmly with the go nick go campaign a stupendous quest of wisdom and inner strength continue to enjoy the magic moments within the struggle

  • jeff

    does anyone know how Nick is? its been a long time since he posted a new position

  • jeff

    sorry, should have been WHERE, not HOW Nick is.

  • http://www.miq-tak.blogspot.com dt

    He’s starting to sound a little like Moitissier. I don’t know if that’s good or bad.

  • http://www.sailingducks.com The Waddles family

    My family and I have really enjoyed your journey Nick, whats next after all this sailing is over?

  • Pingback: Cruising Knots » Blog Archive » The final leg

  • Jose Rodriguez

    Nick,

    I am really interested on hearing more about your single handle experience. I always thought that you might get tired but as long as it was a pleasure should not be such. However I understand that single handle sailors go through all kind of different emotions, exhaustion, etc… I would like to know if at one point you thought something like: “I just wish the next leg was the last one”. Since I sail coastal waters, my cruising has always been about pleasure and with that perspective is difficult to imagine the anxiety of finishing a trip like this. When my trips are over, I almost always think… “I wish I didn’t have to work tomorrow”. Well Nick, I didn’t meet you but I follow your trip from the Canary Islands until now. I really wish you the best and I would love to hear more from you including your lovely Contessa 26 abilities, food experiences, etc… A book maybe?
    FAIR WINDS!
    Jose

  • http://www.sailingforsos.com Lee

    Nick,

    Congrats and Thanks. I took a lot of inspiration from your blog while I was still in my refit stage with only a few hundred coastal miles under the keel. A couple thousand miles later I can’t imagine what it must be like to look at the last 1900. It’s strange to see your journey come to an end now that I am firmly embedded into the first year of my own. Cheers to whatever comes next Nick. I’ve got a feeling it will be fun to watch.

    Lee

  • danny

    Good luck Nick. Will miss hearing your adventures.

  • isha

    dear Nick,
    Our family has been following your excellent adventure since about Hawaii and I can only wish you godspeed – it is still such a long way to come home to Australia. Your messages have lightened up my mundane life and although it is hard and tiring and a strange way to spend three years there is a time when you will understand the true value of what you are achieving.

    Best wishes and love, Isha

  • crusty

    hang tough, moby. its so hard when you’re always in the wrong place at the wrong season and haven’t got a dime. its especially hard solo, and even more so in port funnily enough. when the sound of somebody’s functioning dinghy outboard racing to an entertaining dinner ashore with friends laughter floats across the water stikes a lonely contrast to the beans you don’t know how you’ll even pay for it can be overwhelmingly sad.
    remember your cockpit holds a view to the most beautiful moments on this planet and don’t forget you have many friends thinking of you.
    don’t fear or curse the sea or your loyal boat, nick; we are far luckier than we know.
    safe passage and may you find yourself at sea. your pal crusty.

  • Dee Hutchison-Aunt

    Hi Nick-It was lovely to hear your voice when we spoke briefly even when under extreme circumstance.I’m so looking forward to u sailing into Port Philip Bay! sounds like you’re going through tough times right now -keep your spirit up!!!- I’ve posted a little money to fight off scurvy-luv u very much and please always be omni present with safety measures-with u in spirit deexxx000

  • Debbie Hiley

    Hi Nick! I’m praying for your safe return to Australia. Please know that even in your darkest hours, the thoughts and prayers of many are with you. You, my friend, are a heck of a man to persue and accomplish your dream in spite of all the obstacles. Many of us have dreams, but how many actually live them out, eh?

    Big Hugs from Florida!!!

    Debbie

  • Steve

    I have enjoyed following your journey. I meant to do it when I was young but just got busy…so it has been nice to follow you from day to day. Thank you for sharing.

    Steve
    California

  • Martin

    It would be nice if you could return the boat back to the UK after your done with it, if you don’t mind just turning around and sailing it back the other way!!!!

    Some people just dream dreams and then there are people like Nick. A wonderful personal achievement that shows what can be done if you have a goal and some courage to just do it.

    Congrats

    Martin

  • http://www.tightasscrusing.com Tristan

    Well done nick! Currently in the process of buying a boat to do a circumnavigation of Australia. Do you know what sort of Duty (vessel) and GST (vessel delivery costs) you will be up for if you import Constellation into Australia?

  • http://sidetrackedsailor.net Erik

    Sorry to see that you left, but good to see that you’re on your way. Good times, the Neiafu Singlehanders Club was fun while it lasted. Everyone here wishes you well.

    If I get to Oz next year and you’re still there I’ll buy the beer.

    Fair winds and good fishing, I hope you get a few Mahi Mahi so you can pitch some that lovely corned beef overboard.

    Go Nick!

    S/V Sidetrack