Former federal Liberal Party deputy leader and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop started the Sydney Hobart race on the 66-foot Wild Oats X and as planned she disembarked well inside the first hour.
Ms Bishop wearing a yellow safety vest plunged into the ocean off the back of the supermaxi at Bondi Beach as the Sydney to Hobart fleet continued on their journey south.
She was in the water for less than a minute before she was successfully picked up.
Earlier in the day Ms Bishop, who is the ambassador for the 13 all-female crew could be seen giving a thumbs up on board Wild Oats X as the yachts lined up for the start of the 74th edition of the race.
Julie Bishop on board Wild Oats X before the start of the 74th annual Sydney to Hobart yacht race in Sydney. Source: AAP
While Ms Bishop had been practising the jump she was "excited and nervous all at the same time" as the moment approached.
"When we were planning this, we weren't sure of the weather conditions. If the weather turned bad, then I'd be a liability on the boat," Ms Bishop told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Wild Oats X is racing under the team name of 'Ocean Respect Racing' in partnership with 11th Hour Racing, an international organisation that promotes sustainability through sport.
The state of the oceans is a cause Ms Bishop is passionate about and acutely aware of saying ahead of her jump "hopefully I avoid all the other vessels, and sharks, and fish, and jellyfish, and plastic bottles and swimmers."
