Hello gang

We are bringing Rhiannon down from Lake Macquarie to her new mooring on the Hawkesbury. This is our first coastal trip as skippers and are looking for any advice from those who have done this trip before.

In February we sailed from LM to Port Stephens under supervision so we are not incompetent just cautious.

So load us up with all the knowledge you can think of that we (and others) can use.

cheers from Queequeg and Ishmael

I was going to suggest a cruise up the St. Lawrence Seaway and then down the East coast into Brooklyn, but that wouldn't be of much use to you

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AshleyM said...
I was going to suggest a cruise up the St. Lawrence Seaway and then down the East coast into Brooklyn, but that wouldn't be of much use to you

It might be for me. I am off to Canada this week to visit my son who lives in Toronto.
As to the question. That bit of coast is pretty free of hard obstacles if you stay a mile offshore. There are reefs inshore as you approach Broken Bay but a mile out will keep you clear. They are on the charts.
If you get to Broken Bay at night the Barrenjoey light isn't the easiest one to see and there are few lights from shore when past Killcare. Use a chart plotter and don't be complacent. It is a wide entry but on a black night it doesn't look that big.

Unfortunately you are a few months too early for me. It looks like Galini will be moving to Sydney during the December/January holidays.

I've done the trip in reverse about 12 months ago, best advice I can give is don't be afraid to push out to the 12nm mark from the baseline. It reduces the reflected wave energy from the cliffs you encounter at some points along the way. Also take the time before hand to sit down with a paper chart and generate a proper passage plan, with speed/time/distance calculations, courses, etc.

Other than that, choose a nice day and go for it, you've got good radio coverage from Marine Rescue all the way along the coast (make sure you log on and log off). It's a good sail.

I looked at buying Rhiannon a couple of years ago - a nice boat.

If you can get out the Channel you shouldn't have any trouble going down to Pittwater. Just try to get the right weather.

Did that trip three years ago when we bought our boat from LM.
Two things spring to mind if it's your first passage; if you don't want to end up sailing at night, get the 6am Swansea bridge and motor sail if you are doing anything under 5 knots with sails alone. Choose the right wind direction, this is probably the most important. A westerly can be good as you don't get much swell. Even a WSW ok if boat goes well to windward and obviously anything with north in it is best. Easterly good and ESE if necessary.
One other thing; do you get sea sick, if so take something before you head off. Good luck, it will be very rewarding and fun.

SeaLady on the Top Hat web site is moving in the opposite direction. Maybe you could arrange a mooring swap? Crewing on each other's trip?

Thank you to all, excellent advice from everyone. 0600 is an early call but if I can get the crew to shake their hangovers..

She has taken a fair bit to get her seaworthy but if she sails as well at sea as she does on the Lake it will be a lovely trip. New Raymarine A78 chart plotter with Lowrance Link 8 radio for AIS and DSC plus paper charts.

Do it all the time and the boat still floats. In decent weather there is not much you can run into once you are out to sea.

Only drama I have had is navigating Swansea bar and the bridge on a run out tide.

If you on one of the courtesy moorings the Bridgemaster will ask you let go beforehe opens the bridge. Be careful of how fast that tide runs. It is too easy to end up under the bridge!!! Usual thing with hour notice for the daily opening times via Marine Rescue VHF.

Likewise the run out tide can be a drama on the bar. With the tide running under it, all you need is the slightest swell from the east to north east and it can become amazingly rough. Conversely, it is amazing how calm it can be on the last of the run in to high tide on a decent southerly swell.

Oh, before you leave make sure your flares are in date. After the tragedy on Stockton Beach the Maritime are mandatorially issuing the $250 fine. Easy to get caught out when they only last three years!!!!

Personally if the weather is good I stay fairly close to the coast. Only place that can be a bit of a worry are the shoals south of Norah Head, but they need big southerly conditions to get nasty.

I also prefer to go in a good NW - NE wind. Conditions are a lot rougher in an easterly.

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surfershaneA said..

If you on one of the courtesy moorings the Bridgemaster will ask you let go before he opens the bridge. Be careful of how fast that tide runs. It is too easy to end up under the bridge!!! Usual thing with hour notice for the daily opening times via Marine Rescue VHF.

Know all about that Shane, my advise is once you have dropped the mooring is to keep upstream of the moorings until you get the green light.

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surfershaneA said...
Personally if the weather is good I stay fairly close to the coast. Only place that can be a bit of a worry are the shoals south of Norah Head, but they need big southerly conditions to get nasty.

I also prefer to go in a good NW - NE wind. Conditions are a lot rougher in an easterly.

Although I said stay a mile out I was giving a good safety factor. I also stay close in to view the scenery. Just keep clear of the reefs near Maitland Bay. They are pretty close in.

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MorningBird said...

surfershaneA said...
Personally if the weather is good I stay fairly close to the coast. Only place that can be a bit of a worry are the shoals south of Norah Head, but they need big southerly conditions to get nasty.

I also prefer to go in a good NW - NE wind. Conditions are a lot rougher in an easterly.

Although I said stay a mile out I was giving a good safety factor. I also stay close in to view the scenery. Just keep clear of the reefs near Maitland Bay. They are pretty close in.

On anything other than an offshore I would be well more than a mile out. Need a decent margin for autopilot and equipment failure or worst case scenario, rescue.

It is nice though on a morning offshore to hang in close and check out the scenery. The trip goes fast when you do. Only thing to watch out for is the odd fish trap float.

Also great fun surfing down in a brisk NE! Not that far that you can end up frustrated or exhausted.

In all its a nice quick trip you can easily cover in daylight hours. Though it is beautiful to sail up the Hawkesbury on sunset.

I'd be looking for a high tide at first light (or just before, 2.5hr over-run at the Swansea Bridge), when you want to go.. Also that way you'll be coming into Broken Bay on the flood for a nice little boost & less chance of choppiness around West Head, its not very bad but can get a bit rock & rolly there.
Anything with North in the wind will be good.
A good option is to go through the bridge on the afternoon before (on a slack tide if your not experienced with the tides near the bridge), allow half an hour from the Drop Off to get to the bridge opening, don't worry about picking up a mooring on the lake side of the bridge, just go round in circles while waiting if early, Then pick up a mooring on the ocean side & spend the night there, you can then get going as early as you like with the tide trickling in.
I prefer to go out wide when going South, for sea room & to take advantage of any current if there is any
Nice yacht!, Enjoy.

There is no such place as Toronto in Lake Macquarie. As all lake locals know, there is only "Trono". This could become important if you try to get a cab to the mooring.

As SurferShane says, give the bridge a bit of space if you're waiting near it. The sound and sight of boats whose skippers misjudged the speed of the tide and ended up snagging the bridge is not pleasant. Years ago someone ended up jammed across it so the traffic was stopped until the boat could be freed, which meant waiting for the slack tide. The locals were not pleased....just to rub it in, the TV news interviewed the uncomfortable crew as they sat watching the boat grind against the bridge piers. Even the locals get caught out, and once when we were heading out for the annual race to Pittwater an East Coast 31 ended up going through the bridge backwards, with the stays going "zing, pop!" as they caught on the bridge beams one by one.

If for some reason you end up coming back in to the Swansea Channel after dark, take it slowly - the channel can be confusing (or that may just be me).

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Chris 249 said..
There is no such place as Toronto in Lake Macquarie. As all lake locals know, there is only "Trono". This could become important if you try to get a cab to the mooring.

As SurferShane says, give the bridge a bit of space if you're waiting near it. The sound and sight of boats whose skippers misjudged the speed of the tide and ended up snagging the bridge is not pleasant. Years ago someone ended up jammed across it so the traffic was stopped until the boat could be freed, which meant waiting for the slack tide. The locals were not pleased....just to rub it in, the TV news interviewed the uncomfortable crew as they sat watching the boat grind against the bridge piers. Even the locals get caught out, and once when we were heading out for the annual race to Pittwater an East Coast 31 ended up going through the bridge backwards, with the stays going "zing, pop!" as they caught on the bridge beams one by one.

If for some reason you end up coming back in to the Swansea Channel after dark, take it slowly - the channel can be confusing (or that may just be me).

Chris, you are a fountain of knowledge.

When I bought my boat, the owner had "recently" replaced the mast and rigging because it had lost the mast over the starboard side. There is still some marks on the boat where it came down. He was reluctant to explain how the mast broke.

My East Coast 31 was bought from Lake Macquarie!!!

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EC31 said..

Chris 249 said..
There is no such place as Toronto in Lake Macquarie. As all lake locals know, there is only "Trono". This could become important if you try to get a cab to the mooring.

As SurferShane says, give the bridge a bit of space if you're waiting near it. The sound and sight of boats whose skippers misjudged the speed of the tide and ended up snagging the bridge is not pleasant. Years ago someone ended up jammed across it so the traffic was stopped until the boat could be freed, which meant waiting for the slack tide. The locals were not pleased....just to rub it in, the TV news interviewed the uncomfortable crew as they sat watching the boat grind against the bridge piers. Even the locals get caught out, and once when we were heading out for the annual race to Pittwater an East Coast 31 ended up going through the bridge backwards, with the stays going "zing, pop!" as they caught on the bridge beams one by one.

If for some reason you end up coming back in to the Swansea Channel after dark, take it slowly - the channel can be confusing (or that may just be me).

Chris, you are a fountain of knowledge.

When I bought my boat, the owner had "recently" replaced the mast and rigging because it had lost the mast over the starboard side. There is still some marks on the boat where it came down. He was reluctant to explain how the mast broke.

My East Coast 31 was bought from Lake Macquarie!!!

You'll be able to sleep tonight now EC31!!!

Dead right about "Trono" too Chris - I'm a member of RMYC Trono & have my boat just across the lake at Bolton Point.

Take everyone's advice above about the tide/bridge & BlueMoon is right on the money, done it a few times I'd say.
I haven't gone down the channel for a few years but am keen now (that I have sails) to see if the depth is there after the dredging.