Off Course...and Loving it

Had Tony Farrington not become ill, he and wife Esmae might never have spent six months each year sailing the world.

Words by Lyn Barnes  Photographs by Kieran Scott

They’re a new breed, these swallows, flocking to picturesque spots around the country for the summer months then flitting back overseas when it suits. They’re people who live every moment of their lives to the max.

Tony and Esmae Farrington have been back and forth for 10 years, coming home to their summer nest on the Kerikeri Inlet and putting their 51’ Shannon ketch, Antares II, into dry dock somewhere on the other side of the world. Esmae returns to selling real estate and Tony locks himself away to write his next book.

Life changed unexpectedly for the Farringtons in 1995. Tony, a former journalist and broadcaster who founded the public relations firm Consultus in 1980, and Esmae were planning their first offshore voyage to Australia when he took ill with ME (these days more commonly called CFS or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and shingles. The 14-hour days and pressure he had put on himself to write his first book Rescue in the Pacific, while continuing to manage a rapidly growing PR company, finally caught up with the 51-year-old. Esmae had to find a crew and sail the boat to Brisbane as planned, but without Tony.

After six months’ recuperation and following his doctor’s advice they decided to sell the business. “I don’t think he meant for me to go sailing six months of the year though,” says Tony.

His dream was to sail the world; Esmae went along with it, never thinking they would ever do so. There was always an excuse, usually ‘when we’ve got enough money’. “But you never have enough and just keep working and working unless something happens that makes you stop and think,” says Tony.

“Now people envy our lifestyle but they can’t extract themselves,” adds Esmae. “One day they might make the decision and live their dream.”

The couple finally sailed north from Brisbane, through the Great Barrier Reef and Whitsunday Islands. A regatta across the top of Australia then a rally to Indonesia tempted them to go further afield. With their daughter Justine and her fiancé Justin Rae among the crew, they cruised through the Flores Islands, stopped off in Bali and then on to Singapore.

At that time Tony still needed to fly home occasionally for meetings of the Consultus board. Gradually the couple began to stay away more and more, enjoying journeys with children or friends. They returned to New Zealand in the northern winter unless Tony was researching a book in the United States or they were travelling elsewhere. They rented out the family home in Wellington, sold the Auckland penthouse and made Kerikeri their base.

The plan at that point was to continue the voyage to the Mediterranean. But on the way they discovered a tropical island in Malaysia and fell in love with it. Rebak off Langkawi was to be their piece of paradise on and off for five years.

In nine years they visited nine Muslim countries and developed a great affection for the Muslim people. Although they did have some frightening experiences there were funny ones too. It was from Tony’s three-weekly letters to his mother that his new book evolved. A friend commented that Tony must keep the letters coming because he enjoyed them so much. Tony had no idea the emails were being circulated.

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