Family takes to the high seas for epic sail from San Diego to Gwandalan

TEN months, 41 ports, 10 countries, 9337 nautical miles (17,292km) and 76 nights at sea — there are family holidays and then there is sailing across the Pacific Ocean with two kids under seven.

Kent and Heidi Weathers with their children Dylan, 7, and Connor, 4, after sailing their ketch from San Diego to Gwandalan. Picture: Sue Graham

TEN months, 41 ports, 10 countries, 9337 nautical miles (17,292km) and 76 nights at sea — there are family holidays and then there is sailing across the Pacific Ocean with two kids under seven.

Meet Kent and Heidi Weathers, who set off from San Diego on February 28, 2017, aboard their 52-foot (15.8m) ketch Elandria and finally pulled into Lake Macquarie and moored at Gwandalan on December 29.

Sitting on the back deck of their home of 10 months the Elandria. Picture: Sue Graham

“It was the best thing we could have done for the kids,” Kent Weathers said.

“What do kids want? They want to spend time with their parents. It was 10 months with both mum and dad and they got to see a lot of the places their friends (will only) study about in school.”

By sheer weight of numbers the family’s odyssey was nothing short of epic.

After selling his software business in California, the couple sailed to Mexico where they had some modifications done to their 1991 model Romack yacht — including the installation of two craft beer taps in the galley — before setting off for the South Pacific.

The Weathers' family voyage from San Diego via Mexico to Gwandalan. Source: supplied

“That was the `puddle jump’, the single longest stretch without land,” Mr Weathers said.

After 25 nights and 2921 nautical miles (5409km) at sea the family made it across the Equator to the atolls of French Polynesia where they spent months exploring islands, fishing and snorkelling as they sailed on to the Cook Islands, American Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, New Caledonia and eventually Brisbane before sailing down the East Coast to Lake Macquarie.

It was a dream journey more than 10 years in the making.

“We met scuba diving in Sydney,” Mr Weathers said.

“Not long after I said I always wanted to buy a boat and sail around the world and it was Heidi’s dream too.”

The Elandria in open sea as the Weathers family sailed from the US to Gwandalan. Picture: Doran Hannes

The couple bought the ketch 10 years ago but with work and the arrival of their first child Dylan — who celebrated his seventh birthday at Bora Bora — and Connor, four, it was not until early last year did they feel the timing was right.

With a name derived from an aboriginal word meaning “home by the sea” the ketch Elandria became their floating home for the next 10 months.

“Once you’re out there you’re kind of committed,” Mrs Weathers said.

Polliwogs no more. The Weathers celebrate crossing the equator, a big milestone for any sailor and the occasion is marked with cake and a gift to King Neptune.

With satellite communication for daily weather monitoring, emails and phone calls the couple set up a web page for their families back home in the US and Australia to track their progresswith their location updated hourly on a Google maps-like application.

While they had some thunderstorms and squalls they were able to avoid any major weather systems and life at sea for the young family, and their 17-year-old cat Remi, was surprisingly “normal”.

The Elandria under full spinnaker as the Weathers sailed from San Diego to Gwandalan. Picture: Doran Hannes

Every ship needs a cat and the Weathers had their 17-year-old moggy named Remi for their seafaring voyage. Picture: Doran Hannes

Mrs Weathers designed a menu system — Tuesday was tacos, Friday was pizza and movie night — and the couple supplemented their provisions with whatever fresh fish, fruit and vegetables they could source from the islands.

“It’s far more normal than you think,” Mr Weathers said.

“Take the 25-day crossing, you would think I’m going to have all the time in the world (but) you’re busy the whole time. You still have to cook three meals a day, you have to clean, you have to make our own (solar) power, our own water from a desalinator, there’s always something to keep you busy.”

The Weathers on one of the many exotic South Pacific islands they visited. Picture: Supplied

The couple would take turns at the helm on “watches” at night and the young boys would always wear life jackets and be tethered to the boat on a series of cables while above deck.

“The sea part is only a short part of it ... they say cruising is 90 per cent in port and 10 per cent at sea,” Mr Weathers said.

The family have moored off Mrs Weather’s grandmother’s house at Gwandalan and plan to settling down on the Coast for a while before the next big seafaring adventure.

The Elandria under sail crossing the Pacific Ocean. Picture: Doran Hannes