It's happening - the Great Around Australia Ocean Race and Rally

7:55 AM Wed 8 Jul 2009 GMT

'It just had to be invented' .

Cruising rallies are growing in popularity round the world, so that almost anywhere the cruising sailor wants to go it's possible to join an organised rally, enriching the voyage for the participants, and adding much local knowledge to ease the passage-making.

Now there's a new one, one of the most interesting rallies every to be created - the 2011 Around Australia Ocean Race and Rally.

Australia's cruising grounds are some of the most unspoiled and spectacular in the world, and yet, because Australians are known to be sailing-mad, the facilities and local knowledge of the coastal areas is excellent.

Like the Around the World Rallies, cruising sailors will be able to join for the whole journey, or just choose a leg which suits their own cruising plans. The simple key to the planned Downunder circumnavigation is that the organisers have chosen the best season for each of the legs, ensuring that participants have the most enjoyable journey possible, weather-wise.

Just one of the stops - Sailing the Buccaneer-Archipelago - .. .

There will be several starting-ports around Australia where the rally can be joined, and the full rally is expected to take one year to complete. Relaxed round world cruisers, of which there are around 400 who reach Australia each year, can decide to take an extra year to do the rally, or merely join for specific legs.

While skippers must at all time retain responsibility for their yachts, the safety regulations, specially designed for cruising yachts and Australia's conditions, will be stringent, and there will be a number of seminars and briefings in the months leading up to the departure from each of the departure ports, to include local information about the segment. Webinars will also be held online for those who wish.

Horizontal waterfalls - to be negotiated by dinghy at slack tide only, but what a sight! - .. .

Along the way, the journey will be enhanced by the welcome that is planned by local organisations who will greet the yachts. Apart from the marvelous remote destinations, the rally will visit all six of the coastline capitals of Australia, and have plenty of time to explore the coastal plains and outback of the regions visited. Organised meeting points where there are good yachting facilities will give yachts a chance to make repairs and service their vessels.

A program of regular scheds on HF radio will keep all boats in touch with each other on a twice a day basis, with watching periods at other times, and there will be a range of light-hearted (hopefully light-hearted) competitions, from fishing to photography, to enrich the journey.

If you are a keen cruising sailor, the Inaugural 2011 Around Australia Yacht Race and Rally could be one of the most spectacular experiences of your life.

The remote - and then the buzz - .. .

However, so that the best facilities possible are provided at the 'organised meeting points', entry will be limited from each starting-port. To ensure that you are kept informed of the details and do not miss out, register your interest by sending a fully refundable $100 deposit. You will then be put on the mailing list for all future information.

While exact departure dates are still being finalised, the weather patterns will dictate the times that the rally will depart:

Boats starting on the west coast of Australia are planned to depart in either the 4th week October or 1st week of February. From the south eastern States the departure will be in the fourth week of February; from the East coast, the first week of April; from the 'Coral Coast' of Queensland the first week of May, and from North Queensland, the fourth week of July.

More information can be obtained from the Ocean Events Pty Ltd website: www.sailaroundaustralia.com.au or email them at info@sailaroundaustralia.com.au

Register now! You might be sorry if you don't - you'll surely never be sorry if you do!

by Nancy Knudsen