Sea-farer Alan Langdon says he does not want to go back to New Zealand with his daughter Que, despite the wishes of the 6-year-old's mother.
Que Langdon and her father, Alan. Photo: Courtesy of ABC News, photographed by Greg Nelson
The pair set sail from Kawhia on 17 December, but never arrived at the Bay of Islands as intended, prompting an extensive search-and-rescue operation.
Que's mother Ariane Wyler hired a child recovery specialist to track them down, fearing she would never see her daughter again.
The pair turned up in Ulladulla in New South Wales on Wednesday.
Mr Langdon told the ABC a broken rudder and bad weather made things difficult, so heading to Australia was the safest choice.
"The wind wouldn't allow us, basically. Once we were in a position with no rudder, we didn't have as many options. We waited for the fine weather, and that didn't come, and at that stage we were getting pushed south and out. And at the stage I didn't realise that sailing with one rudder was difficult as it was."
Mr Langdon said Australia was now home for the pair.
He insisted that he and his daughter were in no danger during their 27-day crossing to Australia.
Mr Langdon said Que was always safe.
"She's spent lots of time at sea, and I don't see that as being in any danger. We were never in danger, I didn't fall overboard."
Listen to Alan Langdon describe his journey in this video from the ABC:
A NZ yachtsman and his 6yo daughter have drifted into the NSW South Coast after being missing for three weeks pic.twitter.com/laHj6oXm33
— ABC News 24 (@ABCNews24) January 12, 2017
Kelcey Chandler, a flatmate and friend of Que's mother, said Ms Wyler had spent months trying to secure a legal custody arrangement for her daughter.
Ms Chandler said she met Ms Wyler through a shared interest in sailing, and Ms Wyler moved into a room in her house.
"She wanted a place that was big enough to bring up her daughter, should she find her daughter. At the time, she had on and off contact with her ex-husband, and he was in Australia, some place."
Ms Chandler said Ms Wyler had been in her home country of Switzerland caring for her mother, and worked as a caregiver in Golden Bay.
- ABC / RNZ
