Suzie Christensen: sailor and CEO of the stunning Lord Howe Island

03/11/22 • 41 min

Meet Suzie Christensen; sailor and CEO of the stunning Lord Howe Island. On my 4th visit to Lord Howe Island in 5 years I managed to catch up with the newly appointed island CEO for a chat about island life. Suzie shares her early experience on fitting into her new role after moving from Queensland, Australia to the tropical island paradise, 300nm off Australia’s East Coast.

We chat about the history, economy, wildlife, how the nutrient rich Lord Howe Island Rise creates healthy dolphins, the impact on native bird population since rodents were removed and some of the highlights for visiting sailors.

Find out more about podcast content and sailing opportunities: https://www.oceansailingpodcast.com

Find out more about podcast content and sailing opportunities: https://www.oceansailingpodcast.com

Previous Episode

Matt Harvey completes 4,200nm Tahiti to Sydney passage

We catch up with Matt Harvey on the challenge of flying 32 hours to Tahiti, to pick up a rookie crew and prepare to deliver his new yacht ‘Salt Lines’ to Sydney, Australia to join Ocean Sailing Expeditions. Salt Lines (originally John Laing), had been parked up for 2 years in Tahiti due to COVID-19. Matt’s challenge was to fly in, prepare the vessel for departure and sail non-stop to Sydney on a journey full of the challenges that come with sailing a vessel you have just purchased and are still getting to know.

Matt discuss the hurdles faced on arrival in Tahiti, the battle with the heat, the mammoth effort required to bring Salt Lines home and the upgrades and refits planned.

Find out more about podcast content and sailing opportunities: https://www.oceansailingpodcast.com

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Derek Shields - Building a yacht out of a 1,000 year old Huon Pine log

Imagine discovering a log that had just floated down a Tasmanian River in a storm and building an ocean going yacht out of it. Not just any log, but a rare Huon Pine log, felled 40 years earlier from a tree estimated at 1,000 years old. Thats what Derek Shields set out to do, with no background in boat building. After years sailing on other peoples yachts, he had found a John Muir design in 1982 and he decided to build it.

3 years and thousands of hours later, ‘Sagan’ was launched. Following Sagan’s launch, Derek set off on an adventure that took him up the east coast of Australia and across the Indian Ocean to Africa where he spent 10 months travelling through 17 different countries by road. Derek’s shares his sailing story in the tranquil setting of the Gordon River It's an amazing tale of setbacks and perseverance.

Find out more about podcast content and sailing opportunities: https://www.oceansailingpodcast.com