The 66-year-old adventurers arrived back in Newcastle’s harbour after a circumnavigation of Australia on  yacht Once More Dear Friends.

Friends and family welcomed them back at Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club yesterday following the completion of a journey covering 13,100kilometres.

‘‘Coming into the harbour was just absolutely brilliant,’’ Mr English said.

‘‘We’ve had a chance to compare the place with a lot of others but we love it here.’’

The two mates departed on July 7 last year and although others joined in along the way they were the only ones to complete the whole stretch.

Mr English described it as ‘‘the trip of a lifetime’’ and said there was no better way to explore Australia.

‘‘We followed the paths of great navigators like Flinders and Cook. It was just a complete lesson in Australian history,’’ he said.

‘‘Visiting offshore islands, remote areas and isolated communities, I can’t imagine a better way of discovering just how big and diverse our country is.’’

It wasn’t all smooth sailing, however, with a large crocodile keeping the crew sleepless for one night.

Mr English said the amphibian took a liking to their yacht in the Kimberley, Western Australia.

‘‘We were in Beagle Bay, the only boat for miles, and a croc just came and settled at the foot of our yacht,’’ he said.