Off they go....

One of the world's major ocean races, the Sydney to Hobart yacht race gets underway from Sydney Harbour every Boxing Day at 1pm.

Here are the yachts tacking about 10 minutes before the starting gun as seen down harbour from my apartment.

The same moment on the television coverage.

(Channel 7)

The moment of the starting gun.

The same moment on the television coverage.

(Channel 7)

The race is over 628 nautical miles. Depending on weather conditions and the capacity of the yacht the first across the finishing line might only take a couple of days but it is not unusual for the slowest of the competitors to reach the finish after January 1st.

This is the 70th race of this annual event.