Before the long circumnavigation, Malua made a Pacific cruise in 2004. The route took her across the Tasman Sea to New Zealand, then north with an island rally to Tonga, Fiji and Vanuatu before returning to Bundaberg in Australia.

Tasman Sea and New Zealand

The Tasman crossing began with three days of difficult weather and showed how well Malua could handle a rough passage. New Zealand offered a very different kind of cruising, with many local boats and visiting yachts sharing the popular summer anchorages.

Tonga, Fiji and Vanuatu

We left New Zealand as part of a rally bound for Tonga and met boats we would encounter again among the islands. The voyage continued through Fiji and Vanuatu, with both sailing and time ashore before Malua returned to Australia.

Continue to the Mediterranean years or explore all voyages.

Read the voyage in order

Photographs and route