Jiang Lin’s Norwegian archipelago adventures

Jiang Lin is happiest when she’s sailing.

Most weekends she can be found at the helm of her yacht, JPK 10.30 Min River (the one with the maroon hull) either on Sydney Harbour or offshore.

Lin’s time spent on the water has paid off. Lin, who mostly sails double handed, became the first woman to claim the illustrious Tattersall Cup for Overall winner in the Rolex Sydney Hobart. She has also been crowned Female Ocean Race of the Year two years in a row at the Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore prizegiving.

But for this Q&A, which originally appeared in the Winter 2025 issue,  Offshore Magazine spoke to Lin on a different matter – cruising.

In June, Lin exchanged sleepless nights and days without a shower while offshore racing to experience the cruising life. She flew across the world and joined her friends on a new Garcia Exploration 45. For the next month, the four women lived the life on board the aluminium sailing yacht while cruising around Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago. Beluga whale sightings, avoiding icebergs, exploring fjords, and making Chinese dumplings on board the yacht were just several of the memorable moments from this adventure of a lifetime.

The trip

How did this trip come about?

Jiang: A couple of women who purchased this yacht are friends of mine. They plan to sail around the world in the next five years. The first leg of their journey was from France to Norway. I joined them in Tromsø, Northern Norway. We then sailed from Tromsø to Svalbard in early June.

The third woman on board for this trip, who has since become my friend, is a doctor who often works on exploration ships in remote places such as Antarctica, Greenland and Iceland.

We are just four woman who love being at sea.

Can you tell me a bit about the yacht? And (most importantly) did it have a hot shower?

The yacht is a brand-new Garcia Exploration 45 which my friend purchased in February. It is very comfortable to live on board. It has a deck saloon and two hot showers! It has all the luxury comfort that racing yachts lack. It is perfect for cruising, especially for high latitude sailing where you can encounter ice.

How far north did you sail?

We sailed to 79 degrees north at Ny-Ålesund [a small town in Oscar II Land in the west of the island of Spitsbergen, Svalbard] where a number of international polar research stations are based.

Did you see many other sailing yachts while you were there?

We only saw handful of private yachts. Svalbard is far, remote and there is a limited sailing season [due to the weather]. You also need to apply to the local government for permission to enter, so it involves quite a bit of planning to get there.

Highlights, challenges and the cruising diet

What were some of the highlights of the trip?

Apart from seeing the sun circle the sky for 24 hours, there were so many breath-taking glaciers and bird colonies, as well as the dramatic and fascinating landscapes that surround many of beautiful fjords.

What were some of the challenges you faced?

Navigating some of the fjords filled with floating ice or icebergs.

What did your diet look like? And where did you get your food from?

Before we departed for Svalbard, we stocked up on food in Tromsø and then stopped at Longyearbyen, which is the biggest settlement in Svalbard. We ate well and even had a chance to make Chinese dumplings one day when the weather was bad. So, we dropped anchor and had a dumpling making day.

Did you get off the boat much?

Yes, when we arrived at each destination we hiked to see glaciers, old whaling stations or bird colonies.

Conditions, marine life and northern hemisphere vs. southern hemisphere

What was the lowest temperature you experienced?

It was close to zero but manageable with the right clothing. It was the Arctic summertime, so not too cold.

Was there much wind?

For three days we were stuck at Ny-Ålesund as the wind was blowing over 40 knots. That is the beauty of the cruising – we can choose to stop and wait for the weather to ease before we continue.

Did you see much marine life?

Yes, we saw dolphins, seals and walruses. The most special moment was when we arrived at Recherchefjorden [a small fjord on the south side of Bellsund, Spitsbergen] around 8pm, and were greeted by Beluga whales. We kept quiet and watched for quite a while. Seeing them was one of highlights of the trip. 

How does cruising in the Northern Hemisphere differ to the Southern Hemisphere?

Seeing so many glaciers along the way was unique. The landscape and colour of mountains are also very different to what we see in Australia.

Would you recommend Svalbard as a cruising destination to others?

Yes, definitely. But you need to sail on an independent small yacht to experience the freedom of dropping anchor at a beautiful anchorage to enjoy the solitude and remoteness of a place. Big commercial cruise liners cannot give you that. 

Where would you like to cruise next?

South America and the Northwest Passage [the sea lane between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the Arctic Ocean], where I hope to join my friends again. It hasn’t been confirmed as to when I will next join them.

How was your polar plunge?

Polar plunging is stimulating! It is so cold in the water that after I got out, I felt warm standing in the open air with just a swimming costume on.

Offshore heard you did some sailing elsewhere in Europe while you were overseas. How was that?

I did not race in France this year, but I was lucky enough to sail with Jean Pierre Kelbert and Alexis Loison [co-skippers of the JPK 1050 Léon] a couple times in Brittany, France. I was the “third wheel” as they prepared and practised for the Rolex Fastnet Race.

It was a good opportunity to learn from the great. I am so happy they won Overall in this year’s Fastnet Race. What an achievement for a small boat to beat 400 other boats.

Cruising vs. racing

How do you enjoy the cruising life compared to racing?

It is completely different. With cruising, I enjoyed the relaxing element of it. You can stop whenever or wherever, and go fishing, polar plunging and hiking.

But at the same time, although sail racing can be stressful, it is also very fulfilling, especially if you have done well.

Although I like cruising, the joy of racing on Min River is unbelievable too. She has never let me down. Although Min River was launched just over two years ago, she has already achieved lots of great results in France, the UK and Australia, including:

•   Inaugural 2023 IRC Two-Handed European Championship (La Trinité – Cowes, 350nm) – fifth out of 80 yachts

•   2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race – second on IRC Division 5 and third on IRC Double Handed Division

•   2024 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race – first on IRC Division 3 and second on IRC Double Handed Division

•   Winner of the 2024/25 Audi Centre Blue Water Series on IRC in the Double Handed Division, IRC Division 3 and the Wild Rose Division.

•   Winner of the 2024/25 Audi Centre Blue Water Series on IRC in the Double Handed Division, IRC Division 3 and the Wild Rose Division.

•   Winner of the 2025/26 Audi Centre Blue Water Series on IRC in the Double Handed Division and the Wild Rose Pointscore.

Compared to the slow and relaxed cruising life, racing on Min River is fast, adrenaline pumping excitement. They are so different, but each has its beauty at different times and locations. I love both.