Scenes From The Sydney To Hobart Start

Get into race mode. 

Race Preparations

Leave everything that is not essential behind on the dock.  

 Flaking The Sails

Regretting past mistakes or worrying about future outcomes won’t help the teams participating in this race.

Ragamuffin 100

Live in the moment.  

Be

This is the mindset required to survive and possibly win it all.

Chutzpah

And so it goes in life.

Readying Concubine

We don’t know what the outcome will be or even how long we will remain ‘in the race’. 

Copy-1170786

The secret to success and maintaining sanity under pressure is to show up, stay present, give it all you’ve got and savor the experience. 

At The Start

Be

Rambler

Here

Comanche and Maserati

Now

Whisper Like The Wind

Submitted For The Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: Now

52 comments Scenes From The Sydney To Hobart Start

Fabulous photos. What a thrill to see it all.

? Thank you Ann! Was a thrill indeed #bucketlist! And luckily we had a friend with a motor boat who adeptly navigated us through the well orchestrated chaos. SY Amandla remained safely on the dock….although I think she would have loved to have participated in the race. Maybe next year ⛵️

Yes, maybe next year!

What a great subject for the now photo challenge. Unfortunately I missed watching the start this year but your photos look amazing. Sorry we didn’t put on better conditions for you. Hope it all goes well, which boat are you on?

Lively is a good description of the conditions at the start. ‘Turbulent’ is apt for what’s followed. Lucky for me, my first start was viewed from a friend’s motor yacht Kingfisher). But who knows, maybe SY Amandla and her crew can sail in the 2016 Sydney To Hobart Race…hopefully the weather will be kinder.

Wow.Wish I was there now 🙂 Participating I mean…

It’s been an amazing race! But given the weather, I’m glad my participation was limited to watching the start. It’s been full on for the crews this year with a quarter of the fleet already retired.

Liesbet says:

Your combination of words and photos are right on, Lisa. Well-said and well-photographed. And may your moments be cherished, exciting and well-lived!

? Liesbet! And back at you on many well lived moments to come ✨

Barbara McFadden says:

Be.
Here.
Now.
Indeed, you are!

Happy New Year!
As always, thanks for sharing your adventures!

? Thank you for hanging out here with me virtually Barbara. Looks like you had a great Christmas (and I hear it was a warm one). Hoping 2016 is your best year yet! ?

Most definitely in the here and… 🙂 🙂 Fabulous footage, Lisa! I can feel the adrenalin 🙂

Adrenalin indeed Jo! And the racers will need to operate at that adrenalin level for days. I am delighted that you found my footage to be fabulous 🙂

Wow those are some huge boats! I bet it was amazing to watch. Sounds like you are enjoying Sydney. I love that city.

Sydney is definitely ‘my city’ right now Nicole. I am truly loving it here. Never a dull moment. And I’ve been dreaming of watching the Sydney to Hobart start for years. Now I am dreaming of ‘being in the race’ someday (although it looks pretty scary). Do I dare?!?!? Probably wiser to just stick to cruising 🙂

Awesome pics! Thanks for sharing 🙂

Mark & Cindy
s/v Cream Puff

Thank you Mark and Cindy! I am certain you would have enjoyed being here. Thank goodness we were on the starting line on a friend’s motor boat rather than attempting to see it on SY Amandla. It was (organized) chaos out there. Our friend navigated the choppy, boat filled waters beautifully so we could enjoy the view and take lots of snaps.

There couldn’t be better interpretation of Now than what you did, Lisa it’s a perfect marriage of photos and captions that are still echoing in my mind and will continue as I begin the new year, for they are inspiring and wise. Thank you!
Wishing you a continued journey full of learning, happiness, purpose, and enjoyment.
Hugs and love.
Lucile

It is I who envy your eloquence Lucile. You so often are able to articulate beautifully what I feel inside. And don’t get me going on your photography. Thank you so much for your lovely compliments and for your friendship in 2015. Looking forward to sharing adventures together again virtually in 2016. Big Hug! Lisa

This is a wonderful series of images-and the text was terrific! Great interpretation of the challenge Lisa! Definitely words that Hubble lives by?

OMG Meg, your comment made me bust a gut. We can indeed all learn from Hubble, the master of ‘in the moment’. Thank you so much for your lovely compliment on the post.

Great action shots! I have had the privilege of observing a few races from a friend’s yacht. It is always exciting but I can’t for the life of me figure out who is winning or losing. I guess as long as the competitors and the judges know, that is what counts. Me, I prefer to enjoy the water and sun and have a beer or two while others are “enjoying” the stress.

When I am racing (in ‘beer can’ races that are MUCH less demanding than the Sydney to Hobart) I have no idea who is winning or losing either, but I do have fun. While the competitive, thrills seeker side of me has dreams of participating in a Sydney to Hobart race someday (beyond the start line) the cruiser side of me is totally with you in regards to sun, water, and beer 🙂

Exciting, wonderful photos, Lisa! Great take on the wpc theme. Happy new year in a few days! ?

Thank you Terri! I hope you are having a brilliant vacation. From the glimpses on Instagram, I know you are.

prior2001 says:

Hi- I can’t leave comments from the readers and I miss dropping a note ! So anyhow – I love the sails all lined up. nautical beauty – and will be back to get Progress reports!
Also – good recipe for success (tru dat) – ❤️❤️ttys –
Xxoo

Thanks Yvette! Delighted to hear from you! The first boat has just come in at Hobart (Team Comanche) and I can hear the crowds whooping it up next door here in Sydney at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia. Exciting times. Hope you are having an enjoyable holiday season!

Fabulous photos, and what an amazing thing to experience. I’d like to be there now!

I am absolutely delighted that you liked the images. It was a crazy start to a wild race. Only 1 boat has made it to the finish line so far and 1/4 of the fleet had to retire early.

[…] Scenes From The Sydney To Hobart Start […]

Those pictures were just great. So lively I even got motion sickness. LOL! Love it.

? You are absolutely lovely as always Eva! I’m glad that you hung on for the ride ⛵️

Lisa these are amazing photos and I still can not get over the lean of the boats. Makes me want to gasp at the sight! Wonderful life analogies.

It was a particularly windy start which caused the heeling. When we cruise, we have less sail up so remain more balanced. Thank you for your visit and kind compliments. Have a Happy New Year ?

Fascinating line of photos, excellent captured… 🙂

All the best Happy New Year wishes for you and yours from here… 🙂

I am so happy that you liked the photos Drake. It was quite and exciting race start and I feel lucky to have been able to photograph it. Hoping that 2016 is your best year to date. Looking forward to hanging out with you virtually next year.

Love the shots, love the narration. It looked like a jam packed sailing day, and I read and heard about it on the news – so unpredictable sailing a sport can be. It looked like you were very close to the action and the boats 🙂 It looked like a very nice day and I hope you didn’t get sunburnt 🙂

Ahoy there Mabel. I do not know why my blog is holding your comments hostage. I think she is jealous that you have a Mr Wobbles and she doesn’t. Anyhow….it WAS an amazing day. A very skilled friend took me and The Captain out into the chaotic waters in his motorboat and gave us ringside seats from the starting line to the Sydney Heads. ‘Twas beautiful to behold. And this year was especially lively as you likely heard on the news. I wore lots of sunscreen and it was relatively overcast so I avoided a sunburn. Tomorrow we are headed out to anchor off the Zoo in hopes of getting a good view of the fireworks. Fingers crossed. I hope you have a lovely New Years Eve and a brilliant 2016. Look forward to hanging out with you virtually in the New Year.

Other blogs’ Spam Folders seem to be capturing my comments too. So I don’t think it’s because someone is fighting over Mr Wobbles 😉

Amazing to have ringside seats, right in front of the action. Once in a lifetime kind of thing, and right up what you love doing too. Have a good time tomorrow, and Mr Wobbles wishes you luck in capturing a few decent shots of the pyro in the sky 🙂

Bizarre about the spam folders but it is nice to receive a tweet from you notifying me of your comments ?.

We’ve found a lovely spot with a great view in Athol Bay…but it’s early yet and the super yachts may still arrive and block our view. But no matter, I’m in Sydney, it’s an end to another great year, and there is so much to look forward to in 2016. Wish you and Mr Wobbles were here to celebrate with us, but I am certain you will have a brilliant NYE in Melbourne. All the best to you. Look forward to hanging out virtually (and maybe meeting in person) in 2016 ?

Amazing images, Lisa! What a wonderful occasion. (Why can’t I get my hair to stand on end like that?) 😀

? Totally! Delighted you liked the images

liferedesign101 says:

Such fun and excitement! The early pictures, with the sun, make me long for summer- we haven’t seen the sun in several weeks and hardly at all in December. I predict that you will be involved in this race yourself one day! Happy New Year!

Would LOVE to do the race Michele! Everything is possible. Sending a little summer sunshine your way and wishing you a healthy, happy, and fruitful 2016!

Hahaha, Chutzpah!! 😀 😀 Fucking brilliant!

Love that boat?. Hope you had a great New Year

Superb images, and I can see it was intense too! 🙂

? It was beautifully orchestrated chaos Indah. Luckily, we were able to view the start from a friend’s boat rather than our beloved Amandla. Allowed me to focus on photography rather than keeping Anandla out if harm’s way. Thank you for your kind compliment on the images ⛵️

[…] Lisa, to meet the woman who is sailing the World One Ocean at a Time and capturing the world with such beautiful images left us heart-warmed. Your humble and loving […]

This event must have been a highlight for you. 🙂 Great shots.

I was just talking to a friend about it this evening and said the race start was my number one experience in Sydney ⛵️

PS. Thank you for your compliment on the images ?

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