Ever Dreamed of Sailing the South Pacific?

By Richard Loseby

There are two clear ways you can cruise offshore from NZ. Just decide to go — and then work your way alone through the labyrinth of Cat 1, offshore insurance, provisioning, passage planning, weather routing, vessel maintenance, offshore medic, advanced sea survival and of course the sometimes kindly (but not always) immigration and customs officials at your exotic destinations. Or you can go with the Island Cruising Association headed up by the legendary Viki Moore and make it easy. All you’ll need to do is sail the boat.

Viki has recently taken over this long-established offshore cruising organisation and, after a successful South Island Rally in 2021/22, has just come to the end of a hugely fun and entertaining rally to the islands. I can say this with confidence because Libby and I were on it.

We went everywhere in the Southern Lau, over the top of Vanua Levu, down through the Yasawas, enjoyed the Musket Cove Regatta, surfed some of the best breaks in the world before sailing two-handed to Vanuatu and New Caledonia.

What Viki brought to the group was priceless.

She is a passionate sailor/racer as well as a Director of Yachting NZ, plus a keen promotor of getting more women into sailing, so she knows her stuff. She’s also a great organiser and facilitator. Need a new starter motor in the Southern Lau? Viki will probably know who, what and where to find a replacement. She’s simply one heck of a lady and she’s coming to DYC to talk offshore island cruising in 2023, which now will include Tonga.

If the horizon beckons for the first time, or the fifteenth, come along and listen in.