Stepping back onto the Soren Larsen

For my first few nights in Sydney, I was greeted with a stay at the Oaks Hyde Park Plaza.  With the exception of noise disruption due to renovation work, our studio apartment was the perfect place to fight through Jet lag and a common cold.   However, for the other twelve days in Sydney, I stayed aboard my South Pacific home, the Soren Larsen. As my other half had stayed with the ship since we reached Sydney, the owners were good enough to let me stay in his cabin.  Except for my first days in the city, Zim would be working aboard until we leave for Queenstown.

For the first week back, The Soren Larsen kept up with her charters on the harbour and I would build my days around what she was doing. I also got to see the Southern Swan, the first tall-ship I worked on, out on the harbour. I spent a lot of time reminiscing over my life in Sydney. I got to relive waking up to the Sydney Opera house, see old friends and remember how sailing made me feel.
As an ex-crew member, returning to the ship was a very odd experience. Coming on as a guest, you are no longer part of the ship and its day to day life.  You are there as an observer, looking in. Some things are the same, others are different.  I spent a lot of time stopping myself speaking if the sentence began with "In the South pacific we did it like this..." But coming back to the Soren Larsen has clarified a few things for me. Whilst back I have learnt;

1. The old girl is doing well in the harbour. Life has ticked on for her.
2. As much fun as I loved it before, I'm so ready to live in a building, at least for a few months. I almost forgot the pleasures of marine plumbing, having zero personal space and living with leaky cabins!
3. That although one day I may return to her, at the moment she is no longer part of my story, but another crews. Our time, for now, has come to an end and its the opportune time for another adventure.

But if before I thought she'd shown me everything, the Soren Larsen had another cool thing to show me. Because a few days before we were due to leave, this lady was taken out of the water. More on that to come...

Sydney Baby

After 22 hours in the air - I have arrived. After a lot of stressing and lack of sleep, it all worked out fine. No baggage losses, no problems with immigration and no long delays. So far, so good.

For two weeks I'll be back in Sydney before me and my boyfriend make the move to New Zealand.

This is a time of getting my shit together, spending time with a loved one, taking a trip down memory lane and hopefully, writing a few post about my latest travel experiences. But at this very moment I'm enjoying a Latte in the sun, remembering why I love this city.

However, if you're really missing me, head over to Drops of Elixir and read my guest posts The Wonderland of Oz and an open letter to my pre-travel self.

The Soren Larsen: A Ship's Bio

I've been dropping her name in and out of conversation for a while now, but I never properly introduced you to this lady while she took me around the South Pacific. Meet the Soren Larsen. Not many ladies have a dudes name, but that's down to her creator. Born in a Danish shipyard in 1947, a shipwright decided that the last ship, would bear his name. I think you can guess his name....

A well travelled lady with a few circumnavigations under her belt, The Soren Larsen has had a interesting life.  Beginning life as a trade ship, transporting timber and grain throughout the Baltic and other parts of Europe. In 1978, The Soren Larsen found herself out of date, in disrepair and up for destruction.   Enter the Davies family.  Restoring and refitting the Soren Larsen to the design she is now. It was after this facelift that The Soren Larsen caught the eye of the BBC. She found international fame in the TV series 'the Onedin line' and also featured in films such as 'the French lieutenants woman,' the count of Monte Cristo' and 'Shackleton.'

After working as a sail training ship for the physically disabled, The Soren was chosen as the flagship for the re-enactment fleet of the first fleet. Celebrating the bicentennial of Australia's founding, the 1988 eight tall ship made the journey to Australia from England.

She then made it back to England, but still she couldn't forget quite forget the shores of New Zealand. In 1993 she rounded the cape horn and returned. For nearly twenty year, New Zealand remained her Home, spending the winter in the south pacific islands and the summer in the bay of islands.

Her only break from the South Pacific came in 2000. To celebrate the millennium  the Soren took on a world voyage - heading to Britain via USA, Canada and Europe and returning through the panama canal.

In her years cruising the islands it wasn't always smooth sailing.  One year, during horrendous seas the deck house was destroyed by a rogue wave. However, her owners of the time (The Davies family selling a few years pior) did all they could to get The Soren sea worthy again and out on the waves!

Come 2011 and The Soren Larsen ended her South Pacific Season in Sydney, where me and her crossed paths.  Bought by Sydney Harbour Tallships, she was to work out of Sydney for the summer seasons at least.  At the time I was living aboard the Southern swan and I remember how big she seemed in comparison. Over the next six months I sailed on the Soren in the harbour, but it was not until we began the 2012 pacific season that I began to appreciate and fall in love with the old girl.

At the time of writing this, after some essential work on her engine and a little bit of tender love and care, The Soren Larsen is now out on Sydney Harbour where she will be going out on charters for the foreseeable future. She will definitely be in Sydney for the 2013 Tallship festival taking place, which sounds amazing, I'm even tempted to go back for it.

One things for sure, at 65 years old, there is still go in the old girl yet and I can't wait to see what other adventures she'll have.

Two days in Sydney

After we came alongside in the rocks and cleared customs and immigration, I couldn't believe we were back where it all started. Where had the last 6 months gone?  On our first night back we went to the Mercantile for a few. Mine was a nice cold Cider, something thing I'd been craving for months.

In the morning I popped to a local cafe for a few take away coffees - one that had been a favourite when we lived on the Southern Swan. It was all so Normal and yet so bizarre. After 6 months in some of the planet's most isolated spots, here I was, back in one of the world's major cities. The weather was still gorgeous but I was still feeling rather 'funny' about reaching our final destination and therefore, my departure from the Soren Larsen.  This old lady had been my home and the centre of my world.  Although I was excited about what the next few months had in store for me, I knew life outside the ship would take some adjusting. And those on board had been there with me, experiencing all the ups and downs as a collective. The Soren's motley crew were my Family in many ways.  Living, working, eating, sleeping and hanging out together, suddenly 'poof' they'd be gone. The whole thing made me feel uneasy, and I didn't like it one bit!

However, I was determined to enjoy my final night in Sydney. On our mini pub crawl of the rocks, I might of had one too many swigs of rum, which made my last day in Australia a little 'delicate.' Tip of the day: hangovers do not help goodbyes and it makes dragging your arse away even harder.
 But I did manage to break away from the Soren and its crew. Feeling a little worse for wear, I got myself to the airport, with one more goodbye to say.  For over a year, me and Zim had rarely a day a part and the idea of our temporary separation was hard to comprehend.

But no time to get mushy. I had a 24 hour plane journey to make and a wedding to storm. Adiós Sydney and stay beautiful!

Mother England was calling and it was time to go home.

The Final Voyage: New Caledonia to Sydney

From New Caledonia to Sydney, Australia.  In the beginning this voyage had it's set backs. On the day we left Noumea I was crippled by stomach cramps.  Only lasting 24 hours and still not leaving the reef (thank god -open sea and an upset tummy do not mix well) I was optimistic about the final sail.  But good old mother nature wasn't playing ball. The wind was totally against us, which is pretty hard to work with in a square rigged ship.Let the motor sailing begin! And as we reached our first planned stop, Lord Howe, the wind just died.  Approaching what seemed to be a lone rock in the ocean, Dolphins came out to welcome us, and we even had a shark sighting! Despite the anti sailing weather, reaching Lord Howe was a show stopping moment. It was so calm I felt all right bringing my camera, a.k.a my baby, up on deck.

However, anchoring up in the evening, the wind picked up and we were told by the authorities to clear out in the morning. A fierce wind was coming our way, which would make the anchorage a dangerous one. So we left Lord Howe, without even going a shore. However, at least the wind was in the right direction and we could get on with some sailing.   My watch (8-12) carried on as usual, rain came and went, the final fish were caught and the cooks kept bringing out delicious food.   

It wasn't long until we reached Mainland Australia - Horay! After spending a night or two in broken bay, we then picked up our local knowledge ticket holder (requirement for ships over a specific length wanting to go into Sydney harbour) and went through 'the heads.' 

Under clear blue skies we came into Sydney.  After six months away, the Soren Larsen was back, Ready to clear customs and immigration in the best position possible.

* In regards to the final photo, I would like everyone to look at the amazing paint and turgo job.  It deserves an 'ooowwww' or an 'ahhhh.'

** First picture of moi and the 6th taken by Mr Biddlecombe.

Sailing the Tasman sea: From Oz to New Zealand

 Ten days without seeing land - eleven until we anchored.  After leaving the heads of Sydney, we were greeted by a massive swirl...and sea sickness took hold. For the first few days to say I was a little useless was not an over statement. Getting used to the roll of the ship down below and in the galley took some time. The exhaustion from working in a moving environment - holding onto pots and yourself and in fear that some thing will hit you on the head (some thing random like a cheese grater) meant all you want to do is sleep. And then on day two and day five the Tasman unleashed its storms. With the lightning, 40 knot winds and crashing waves, I feel lucky to be alive. But we are and with all that included I wouldn't take my time on this journey away. Because once I got into the routine of ship life, you can appreciate what's around you.

Predominantly, this is a lot of blue ocean.  Everyday the same view, except for small differences. This is usually the weather.  You are alone, maybe every third day you'll see a tanker on the horizon. However sometimes you'll have the odd visitor.....

 Dolphins, I'll never get bored of seeing them play around at the baow of the ship. And there were other wild life. Having  pilot whales near the ship was a great surprise (I had never heard of them before and thought they were some demon dolphins!) and spotting an albatross for the first time was a pivotal moment.

When the sky was clear and the water a little less 'rolly' than usual, being aboard the Soren Larsen in the Tasman seas was a gift.  Sure this was an endurance test rather than a pleasure cruise, but it made me realise I could do this.  And then, land ahoy! on the tenth day, I woke up to see New Zealand for the first time.

Finally, we had arrived...

Farewell Sydney

 Behind us is a city. Its one I never expected to like much or find surprises. I thought I was a Melbourne-nite through ad through. I expected a world of brash glamour obsessed with greed and tanning. In some ways i thought Sydney would be an 80's pop video. perhaps it is, but now I'll forever have a soft spot for this part of the world.  The harbour has got to be one of the most beautiful spots on the planet. By the end of my six months harbour cruising, I did get pretty tired of it, but on a sunny day and all the sail boats come out, it still made me feel good inside.

 Its Sydney's closeness to the natural world that really impressed me. For all the glitz, bling and industrial power, you were never that far from the mountains, the beaches and open water.

 I also liked the hidden treasures in Sydney. like the alley way off George street with the bird cage artwork. My favourite cafe in the rocks, the fine food store and is it strange to say the Anzac bridge holds more sentiment for me than the harbour one?


See you later Sydney. xxx

Leaving the heads

And so, this is it.  On a Friday we picked up the voyage crew and had a day sailing the harbour, getting everyone aware of emergency procedures and working the sails.  For the first leg of the south pacific challenge, we would be sailing across the Tasman sea to the top of New ZeaIand's north island, and heading down through the bay of islands towards Auckland. It was estimated the sea crossing would take around 10 days, leaving days to anchor along the coast.  This journey wouldn't be for the faint hearted and if I'd had time between working the day sails and refit to think about what I'd signed up for, I may have thought twice.

However, during the initiation day I spent a lot of time rushing around doing galley 'things' and attempting to get my head around this cooking malarkey.  On this night we slept along side the timber wharf on Campbell's cove, right next to my old home, the Southern Swan.  She'd been out on the harbour that day and watching her being handled by a new crew. For a large portion of the crew, the southern swan had been not only a place to live, but the first chance to get into Sailing.  It was weird to know that I'd moved into another phrase of my life.

The next morning, waking up between the opera house and the harbour bridge, between running about lashing down all we could and checking food, there was time to say goodbye to some great people I honestly don't know when I'll see again.  

This time we motored out of Campbell's cove but did not turn around at shark island. This time we kept going, right through the heads of Sydney harbour and out to meet the Tasman Sea...

Soren Larsen Refit

A few weeks a go I collected all my belongings off the southern swan (and there's a lot of them) and moved onto The Soren Larsen.  From here Refit officially started. After four months cruising the harbour, there was a lot of work to be done on this old girl.  This included;

 Taking out a mast....and then putting it back in again...

mending sails....and then putting them back on again.....

 oh and putting an engine together, painting cabins and mending sails. There were a few mishaps (like a head cook dropping out and another stepping in), which is pretty scary when you're the next in line!

We worked long hours...

but the sunrise was one of the good moments of the day.

 After a lot of blood sweat and tears, refit is over. And now its time to sail away, out of 'the heads' and into the Tasman sea, all the way to New Zealand.

By the sea...

Before this blog get too bogged down with 'shippy' things, I thought I'd share a day by the sea. On the ferry me and Zim headed to Manly, drank coffee, slept on rocks, found some bushland and met an Echidna.