A plywood yacht abandoned in raging seas on its way to New Zealand appears to have completed the voyage then sailed back to Australia - without anyone on board.
The "ghost ship" was recovered on Monday on the south coast of New South Wales by the Batemans Bay coastal patrol.
Tasmanian Bruce Wilson, 53, jumped overboard into huge seas on Easter Sunday rather than continue his solo voyage to New Zealand.
His 10-metre yacht Deseado rolled through 360 degrees about 220km off Bicheno, off Tasmania's east coast.
In seas 8m high and an 80km/h wind, Mr Wilson activated an emergency beacon which alerted New Zealand search and rescue officials, and resulted in a Tasmanian rescue helicopter evacuating him.
To have arrived off Batemans Bay, the boat must have been carried by currents that go from Tasmania, to New Zealand, then back to NSW, patrol divisional commander Rob Bowmaker said.
"'It's probably been thousands of kilometres - it's a huge loop," he told the Hobart Mercury newspaper.
"It actually shows what a great little boat it is.
"It's a nice boat. He [Mr Wilson] is really happy; over the moon," said Mr Bowmaker, who estimated the Deseado was worth about $100,000.
- NZPA
