Sydney to Hobart and return
Sydney to Hobart for the Australian Wooden Boat Festival 2025
OUTWARD LEG
SYDNEY TO HOBART – Mon, 27TH JAN – FRI, 7TH FEB 2025
Parade of Sails included for those booked in the outward leg.
Join our crew for a real sea-going adventure aboard the tall ship Soren Larsen. Boarding in Sydney on the Mon, 27th Jan, we’ll be sailing to Tasmania to attend the Australian Wooden Boat Festival.
Our route will take us down the picturesque New South Wales and Victorian coastlines. With a suitable weather window we’ll cross Bass Strait and navigate down the eastern Tasmanian coast and into Hobart. What a way to arrive at the 2025 Australian Wooden Boat Festival!
Arrival in Hobart will be mid-afternoon on the 7th of February. For those staying on board the Bed & Breakfast is an option.
PLEASE NOTE: Bed and Breakfast is included (FOC) for those booked both on the 1st and 2nd leg.
The 2025 Australian Wooden Boat Festival starts on the 8th to the 10th of February.
From the 8th to the 10th Feb, we will be offering daily cruises and an evening cruise with dinner.
This 12-day voyage is priced at $3300 per person and space is limited. Preference will be given to people also completing the return leg back to Sydney. Included in this price is the parade of sail on the last day into Hobart.
Departure: Pick up – Mon, 27th Jan, (Boarding time is 3:00pm at Campbell’s Cove Jetty, The Rocks.)
Arrival: Fri, 7th Feb, (Arrival time is 3:00pm in Hobart.)
The Parade of Sails will be on the 7th, Feb. We will be picking up passengers from Hobart at Woodbridge at 8:00am and re-joining the other vessels for the Parade of Sails. Arrival in Princes Wharf, Hobart at 3:00pm.
Pick-up: Woodbridge – Check in time 15 minutes before 8:00 AM
Disembark: Princes Wharf Hobart at 3:00 PM (approximately)
Call us on +61 (2) 8015 5571 to register your interest, or complete the form on this page.
RETURN LEG
HOBART TO SYDNEY – WED, 12TH – SAT, 22ND FEB 2025
After attending Tasmania’s unique Australian Wooden Boat Festival, board our tall ship Soren Larsen for her return leg to Sydney. Departing from Hobart, Soren Larsen will sail up the east coast of Tasmania, across Bass Strait and up the scenic south eastern coastline of Australia. This is a truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
This 11-day voyage is priced at $2860 per person and space is limited.
Departure: Pick up – Princes Wharf Hobart Wed, 12th Feb, 11:00am
Arrival: Disembark – 22nd Feb, 11:00am at Campbell’s Cove Jetty, The Rocks
Call us on +61 (2) 8015 5571 to register your interest, or complete the form on this page.
READ ABOUT RECENT OFFSHORE SAILING ADVENTURES
A Voyage to Hobart on the Tall Ship Soren Larsen 2023
It’s 6am and the full moon is setting over distant purple forest as the sun rises over a lightly ruffled sea. We are 15 kilometers off the New South Wales south coast somewhere between Bateman’s Bay and Moruya and I’m at the helm of the Soren Larsen tall ship. Four bells ring out and my shift is half over.
The sea was kind last night as we glided down the coast on a moderate northerly breeze, the ship is sailing steadily and is quiet except for the woosh of the wake and the creak of rigging, as all hands not on watch are getting some well-earned rest. For the 8 of us on watch we are being treated to a most beautiful transition from night to day; the vast emptiness of the ocean off our port side and the Australian coast a way off to starboard, the deep marine blues of night giving way to a golden dawn. It is a magical time to be awake and it’s wonderful to be alive.
I almost didn’t get to take up my place on Soren Larsen because of sudden and unexpected heart valve surgery in early December which almost scuttled my plans to make this voyage. However, with a solid recovery and somewhat grudging support of my cardiologist, I made the Sydney deadline of 31 January 2023 and our departure for Hobart – 10 days to make the 860 odd nautical miles.
We 45 intrepid souls are on our way to the bi-annual Australian Wooden Boat Festival on the Derwent River in Hobart, 8 days into the future. But like all great trips, getting there is so much part of the adventure.
Day one saw a 3pm rendezvous at White Bay – Rozelle, headquarters of Sydney Harbour Tall Ships. Amidst the bustle of last-minute preparations, we were introduced to the crew and fellow “trainees” – a total of 13 crew and 22 trainees, we were a happy and excited bunch with a fair weather forecast. However, the prospect of southerly breezes for the night convinced the ship’s Master Marty Woods to anchor for the night in Farm Cove beside the Sydney Opera House. We could hardly complain – views over picturesque Sydney Harbour and its iconic bridge with the lights of the city as backdrop, we had time to enjoy dinner with a beer or two.
Day 2 started early as we made good our departure from Sydney Harbour, with a fresh northerly breeze making possible the hoisting of main sail followed by stay sails and the much anticipated square sails were deployed. It felt like this is what we came for; a tall ship experience of transferred orders, rope pulling in teams and billowing sails. Soren Larsen caught the wind and propelled us south down the New South Wales coast past the southern suburbs of Sydney, Royal National Park, Wollongong and beyond.
We trainees figured out early on that the permanent crew avoided calling us “passengers” in case we got a notion that we weren’t there as part of a working crew. Increasingly, and as we learned how, we shared the labor of ship life throughout the voyage to Hobart. Everyone was up for “learning the ropes”; we had sacrificed a comfortable flight down to be rewarded with the experience of a lifetime and an opportunity to learn how a tall ship works – in short, it’s manual work which relies on human muscle power, timing, deft commands, encouragement aided by sea shanties and lots of grunts. Our crew were as awesome as they were patient.
We made good southward progress throughout days 2 and 3, however weather forecasts predicted a storm in Bass Strait of +45 knot winds and huge swells that have travelled half way round the world. Coupled with a torn main sail, Marty decided that we would stop over in Eden to allow for a new sail to be brought down from Sydney and for us to wait out the storm. We spent 2 nights in this delightful town and most of us enjoyed some time ashore.
While in harbour I had a chance to climb the mast and secure (gasket) the square sails. This was initially a bit nerve wracking but definitely a memorable experience. It’s a 100 foot mast!
After leaving Eden we confronted south-east and southerly winds which required us to tack and motor sail most of the way down the coast. I was on helm with Marty when we crossed Disaster Bay on the southern Victorian Coast. We were fine…
And then we came to Bass Strait. The storm had moderated somewhat, and the wind was 25-28 knots on our starboard beam, which buffeted the ship around a fair bit. The westerly swell was not huge but it clashed with a northerly swell coming up the Tasmanian Coast which made for an uncomfortable day and night and we made good use of our wet weather gear while on deck. Not ideal conditions, but then again, sailing the wind and riding the swell is what we came to do and it was a wonderful adventure to be on deck with water flying about. Thankfully we had our sea legs by this time in the voyage.
After crossing Bass Strait the seas settled a lot and we made steady progress down the Tasmanian east coast, passing Flinders Island, Bicheno, Freycinet Peninsular and Wine Glass Bay, ducked into Port Arthur for breakfast, Maria Island – all well-known names from stories of the Sydney to Hobart Race.
On the afternoon of 9 February we crossed Storm Bay with all sails aloft and made good our anchorage in the lee of Bruny Island, in readiness for the Wooden Boat Festival. At night we had a final meal and celebration of a voyage enjoyed by all. It was great to eat, drink, sing badly, laugh at terrible jokes and ridiculous lies and enjoy the camaraderie that comes from a voyage on a tall ship.
On the morning of 10 February Soren Larsen joined 9 other tall ships and a gazillion smaller boats in the Australian Wooden Boat Festival Parade of Sail. It was a feast of wooden craft of all sizes and descriptions on the iconic Derwent River and launched 4 days of festivities at the Australian Wooden Boat Festival.
OUTWARD LEG (SYDNEY TO HOBART)
Mon, 27th JAN – FRI, 7TH FEB
PARADE OF SAILS – 7TH FEBRUARY 2025
8:00AM TILL 3:00PM
LUNCH SAIL / FESTIVAL IN HOBART
12:00PM TILL 2:00PM
DINNER WITH MAST CLIMB / FESTIVAL IN HOBART
5:30PM TILL 7:30PM
FIREWORK DINNER WITH MAST CLIMB / Festival in Hobart
7:30PM TILL 10:00PM
ADMIRAL’S SAIL / FESTIVAL IN HOBART
4:00PM TILL 5:30PM
*RETURN LEG (HOBART TO SYDNEY)
MON, 12TH – 22ND FEB 2025
Highly Recommended
I would highly recommend this cruise to anyone who is looking for an enjoyable & relaxing couple of hours on the Harbour. A wonderful experience to be aboard a Tall Ship with such fascinating history. This is a must do cruise!!
Best Way to See Sydney Harbour
The best way to see Sydney is from the Harbour. The boat and the sails were extra special; we even had the opportunity to climb up the Mast to get an extra special view of Sydney. The staff were professional, welcoming and encouraging. Spend the afternoon with the fun crew at Tall Ships and have a ball.
Thrilled with Every Moment
We chose the afternoon sailing cruise and were thrilled with every moment. Sydney looks its best from the deck of a real ship, with the breeze on your face and a cool drink in your hand. We had an absolutely splendid, entertaining and interesting sailing adventure, on a great ship with a great crew!
Educational Experience on Sydney Harbour
I would just like to thank you for such a wonderful, entertaining and educational Experience. Our family had the most fantastic time. The food was great, the crowd was happy and the guides were so professional and informative! It was really a day to remember!
Keep Up The Good Work!
We thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon and have not stopped talking about the whole experience! From the time we boarded and were welcomed, nothing was too much trouble. Congratulations you are doing a great job of showing Sydney and part of our history to tourists and the locals!
Excellent Historical Tour on Sydney Harbour
Thanks for a most enjoyable and informative cruise of our harbour and Goat Island last Saturday. Our guide’s knowledge and presentation of the historical aspects behind our early history was first class. I would recommend it others and especially visitors to our city. WELL DONE Crew!
Great Day Out on Sydney Harbour
I thought this trip was excellent with all the activities available, when it is over you want more! An awesome day on the harbour.
Highly Recommended
I can’t say enough for this activity it was FANTASTIC! As well as laser clay shooting they ran mast climbing where two people could climb the mast of the sip and hang out in the wind. I cannot recommend this enough people, get out there and take a sail with the boys! Also get involved in the activities as well, really makes the trip.
Awesome Sydney Harbour Cruise
Fulfilled my ambition of going on a tall sail ship, a great way to do it! This is a must if you like old sail ships and it’s a great way to experience the harbour. The activities on this cruise are awesome!
New Year’s Eve Cruise on Coral Trekker
Dear Nice and all at Sydney Harbour Tall Ships, We want to thank you all for the most fantastic evening on board The Coral Trekker. Please pass on our thanks to the Captain ( Andrew ? ) and all his crew who made the evening so special . The food and the odd glass of Champagne were just right for the occasion. The main event and the reason for being on board The Coral Trekker — The Sydney Harbour New Years Eve Fireworks – Were way beyond our expectations and made all the more spectacular by the Captains ability to position his ship into the perfect viewing location. In our view the only way to see and enjoy the Sydney Harbour New Years Eve firework display is on board “ The Coral Trekker”. Well done everybody and wishing you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR and a Successful 2023.
Wonderful, Leisurely Sail Around Sydney Harbour
A thoroughly enjoyable jaunt, and so quintessentially ‘Sydney’.Much more relaxed and easy going than expected, with great laughs and plenty of history with host Howard and Captain (?) Andy.A really great way to see all the sights of Sydney Harbour, including some very interesting buildings complete with informative commentary. We loved the friendly, nostalgic atmosphere on the ship.The mast climb was a highlight of our Sydney trip.
Awesome Sunset Cruise
What a great afternoon/evening. Keegan (the M.C.) was great as were the rest of the crew. Really friendly & helpful AND the “deck girls” – fearless. (climbing up the rigging & setting the sails) Sydney harbour was as always – magnificent. Food was great as were the people we met on board. The mast climb is an ABSOLUTE MUST and the views of Sydney Harbour from the Crows Nest are out of this world. Hardest part is getting the world to hold still whilst you try to take pictures up the mast. !!! Summary…. MUST DO.
Mast Climb Was Amazing!
Coming from Sydney I was not sure I would enjoy. How wrong can you be! It was great, Sydney turned on a gorgeous day and I would highly recommend the mast climb, it was a little hard work for us over 50’s but I got there in the finish.
A Must-do Experience
I have lived in Sydney all my life, but to see the city skyline at sunset & lit up at night from out in the harbour towards Watsons Bay was a new experience. It was fantastic, must-do experience!
Tall Ship Experience, Lunch Cruise
Vintage sailing on Sydney Harbour is quite indescribable. Not to be missed (or forgotten)! A great ship, great crew and great food made for an absolutely splendid sailing adventure.
Great Way to See Sydney Harbour!
I have lived in Sydney for over 36 years have never seen the harbour quite like this before. This is a magical experience whilst taking a step back in time. The crew were so friendly, the food was great and the view spectacular. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend an afternoon!
Great Day Out
What a fantastic day. Well organised, excellent food. Great helpful staff who really knew their stuff. I would recommend to anyone with a love of boats or anyone wanting a great way to see the Harbour.
Unique Sydney Harbour Cruise
A spectacular and relaxing way to see Sydney from the harbour. Raise the sails, turn off the engine and float along whilst sipping a flute of bubbly, viewing Sydney in a truly unique way. Top marks to all!
Spectacular Sydney Harbour Cruise
What a wonderful combination of hospitality, food, bubbly, and a great experience on board! You can get involved in sailing the ship, or, like me, one can just kick back, be a champagne member of the crew and love spectacular Sydney Harbour from the deck of a beautiful Tall Ship.
Incredible Sydney Harbour Views
A step back in time on the most spectacular harbour. Incredible Sydney Harbour views with a very friendly crew. What a great experience on a well-cared for and much loved tall ship. Watching the sails rise was a highlight and it was lovely to be able to simply explore the ship at leisure.
Traditional Sydney Harbour Cruising
I admire these people for wanting to keep the tradition of these majestic sailing ships alive. The boat is beautiful, the food and wine superb and Sydney at sunset is striking.
Canapés Delicious
The great thing about this cruise is the charming crew, full of life and love for their job. The cruise is a step back in time, the wine and canapés delicious, the entertainment lovely. I could have gazed at the waves, the wind and the sails forever. If you love sailing, or being on the water this is an incredible way to experience Sydney Harbour.
Romantic All-Inclusive Night Out
Drinks and canapés were served in abundance as we motored out to Sydney Heads and the beautiful scenery passed us by. I would definitely do this again; it was a relaxing, romantic all-inclusive night out.
Great Experience – Highly Recommended
Great host in Andrew and Captain Andy and friendly crew. Great experience, much more interesting than your normal pre-recorded tour boats with no character. Book early as may be full and therefore unavailable on your stay in Sydney! Highly recommended. Kids 7 (boy)and 9 (girl) and both loved it.
The Ship is a Beauty
Sydney Tall Ships provided a great harbour experience for the Google crew… Our expectations were exceeded for sure. The mast climb was thrilling… And the ship is a beauty!
Real Professionalism
I just wanted to let you know how pleased I am with Tall Ships Cruises. Nothing was too small or too big for your staff and they managed all our tedious requests with a smile and real professionalism. I am glad to have come across your organization. Microsoft is grateful to have chosen Tall Ships in catering for our event. Thank you.
Loved the Southern Swan
We absolutely loved our time aboard the Southern Swan. Not only did it perfectly fit our theme (pirates, of course), but the crew went out of their way to really make sure we had a great time. Having done a few harbour cruises as part of team building and corporate exercises, this is definitely one that sticks out the most in my mind. The Mast Climb was exhilarating and we’ll definitely keep it in mind for future events. Thanks again to everyone at Sydney Tall Ships and until we sail arrrrrrrgain me mateys!
A Big Hit with our CEO
From the moment we contacted the team at Tall Ships we found the service to be professional, courteous and nothing was ever a problem. All our needs were accommodated for and the afternoon was a big hit with our CEO, MD and members of our Senior management team. I would highly recommend Tall Ships to anyone thinking of this type of event.
Enjoyable Time on the Water
Our staff had a lovely time out on the ship and quite a number of them climbed the mast as well. Despite slightly cold weather, it was really enjoyable time on the water. Many thanks to you and your team for making the last part of our conference so special.
Perfect way to enjoy Sydney Harbour
We took a 2.5h sunset cruise on the Soren Larsen for a large group from work.Sydney harbour is a real natural wonder and seeing it from a beautiful period boat was spectacular.The ship itself was wonderful (solid oak, real sails and rigging etc.) and had actually made the voyage from Denmark to Sydney. Plus, you could climb up it :-)The staff were knowledgable, entertaining and couldn’t have done more to look after us. Personally I really enjoyed learning about the history of the boat and it’s voyage around the world to reach Sydney.We also enjoyed food and drinks on board which were pretty varied and very good.Highlights of the trip were mast climbing, cruising back from shark island using wind power only and watching the sun go down to be replaced by the Vivid lights.Overall this was a great team event for us and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.
