Get onboard this stylish Sydney sailing situation
We test drove an afternoon out on the harbour aboard a charter yacht to see whether it was as exciting and glamorous as it looks in the brochure.
It’s not every day you get to bond as a team atop a very sleek and expensive yacht skimming one of the world’s most beautiful harbours. But luckily for our team of hosts, we were able to combine team building and training with a recce of the luxury offering by our neighbours Sydney By Sail.
Left to right: Nicolas, Yumi, Michael, Thomas, Katharina, Lucy, Pao and Mary.
And we were in no way disappointed with the experience! (Ok so the weather wasn’t very kind to us at the start with a little bit of rain, but it made for a fun sea adventure! Our spirits were not dampened!)
We embarked in the early afternoon from their Darling Harbour pontoon by Pyrmont Bridge, just opposite our hotel, setting off along Barangaroo and then sailing underneath the spectacular Sydney Harbour Bridge.
With plenty of “oohs” and “ahhs”, we soaked up the amazing views of the city and its icons – the bridge from all angles, the Sydney Opera House, the unique harbour island of Fort Denison, the beautiful bays – before stopping at Athol Bay Beach, a hidden gem and popular swimming spot on the north side of the harbour by Taronga Zoo. (Sometimes you can hear the lions and elephants from there!).
Left to right: Lucy, Pao and Mary.
The sun split through the clouds as we zigzagged back, and everyone had a go at steering the boat and doing some manoeuvres.
We arrived back on land in the late afternoon, just in time for beer o’clock to rest and reward our sea legs.
Taking the helm: our hotel General Manager, Michael Sharp.
All agreed that a sail on Sydney Harbour is a wonderful and unique way to see the city and enjoy its natural beauty, while feeling pretty darn special onboard a luxury yacht.
Save on your sail
We’ve partnered with Sydney By Sail to offer our hotel guests 10% off sailing experiences, when booked via our hosts. Enquire with us directly or contact Sydney By Sail on (02) 9280 1110 or info@sydneybysail.com.
You can choose a shared experience, such as a Daily Sailing Trip three-hour experience from $190 per person, or an Introduction to Yachting two-day Learn to Sail course from $595 per person.
Or up the ante with a private charter, picking from a portfolio of different yacht models and durations, for groups between two and 15 guests.