I've just bought a yacht which I need to sail it back from Sydney to Qld. I'm single handed on a 40ft 6ft draft boat.

I'm thinking Swansea is the logical first stop but some research says that a deep keel may run aground and with a low tide at 3/4pm then it's not going to be fun.

Coast guard website says they can't advise due to liability.

Any info? I'm rocking around at palm beach waiting for these strong northerlies to change.

Hi Wonderflux, are you planning on going under the bridge and into the lake or just picking up a mooring before the bridge?

Looking at Windy, if you got out wide early tomorrow morning you would get a quick run all the way to Qld

Just pick up a mooring before the bridge.

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Looking at Windy, if you got out wide early tomorrow morning you would get a quick run all the way to Qld

I was looking here on seabreeze. That forecast keeps getting stronger. I'll move around the hill this afternoon to avoid the front of the change. I'm sure the boat can handle it but 35 knots is a bit much for my first sail on this boat. Yes, it would be a rocket ship to qld.

Moorings outside of the bridge and the bar entrance is fine for 2m draft, naturally have the normal respect for the bar itself, and observe the leads.
After that you should get to Port Stephen's, or possibly Broughton Island. Then Camden haven, Trial Bay etc. I went into Crowdy Head, but you need a tide there.
safe travels
richard

I'm from Lake Mac with a 2.1 draft.

The tides are wrong for you to call into Lake Mac so keep going to Newcastle which is an all weather port. A PITA but your best option IMO.

As Stockie says there are buoys on the outside of the bridge but you still have to cross the bar - which is coal and the minimum depth on the line of the leads, is approx. 1.4 metres plus the tide height. Any sea/swell will of course reduce the depth in the troughs by approx. half the wave height.

I doubt you would get through the channel into the lake, even if you wait at the bridge for the high tide, but I haven't tried for a while until the channel is dredged.

FYI if you decide to come in:
The entrance into the channel has two sets of leads, plus some port lateral marks. There are no starboard markers. When approaching from the south the leads are visible as you round Moon Island. When approaching from the north, DO NOT cut the corner of the northern break wall, as yachts will surely run aground. Vessels are advised to keep an easterly position off Moon Island before turning to align the leads.
The leads are red triangles, lights blue at night, on a bearing of 255 degrees true. Moon Island light is a white /red sector light (Iso.WR.2s 12m 5M)
The worst bar condition tends to occur, when there is a wind and sea/swell from the NE, the tide is near low but still running out.
Moon Island and the bomboras to its south, give some protection to the bar from a southerly swell.
(In adverse conditions the skipper should consider going to Newcastle Harbour which is a safe deep water port in all conditions.)
It should be noted that a strong nor'easter generates a significant swell particularly when the tide is near low & still running out. This is less of a problem for keel boats aiming to cross the bar near high tide.
Local knowledge advises to approach the Lake entrance on a line about 2 boat lengths to the north of the line of the entrance leads, bearing 255.60. There is deeper water on this northern line. This also gives you more "wriggle room" as the bar shallows quickly to the south of the line of the entrance leads.

I would leave Monday morning.

Have a good trip :)

Which boat did you buy in Sydney? I have been watching the market closely for some time, so might be one I have seen. I just put a deposit on a boat in Lake Macquarie, subject to survey. So am interested in the comments as I will be coming out of the Swansea and heading south to Sydney.

Crealock 40. I thought covid would cause lots of boat sales but it turned out the opposite. Happy with this one but lots of work to do.

Thanks for that advice Lazzz. Monday probably smarter.

3 weeks of chainplate maintenance, 5 days of northerlies, then a huge southerly front. I'm itching to get moving.

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Wonderfulx said..
Crealock 40. I thought covid would cause lots of boat sales but it turned out the opposite. Happy with this one but lots of work to do.

Nice! I did see a Crealock 40 online. Looked like a nice boat.

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Wonderfulx said..
Crealock 40. I thought covid would cause lots of boat sales but it turned out the opposite. Happy with this one but lots of work to do.

A wonderful choice, Bill Crealock was a good scribbler that scribbled some really nice lines. A boat you can sail to anywhere in the world and then go again. They are also known as the Pacific Seacraft 40.

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Wonderfulx said..
Thanks for that advice Lazzz. Monday probably smarter.

3 weeks of chainplate maintenance, 5 days of northerlies, then a huge southerly front. I'm itching to get moving.

Thanks Lazzz, always having "smarter" plans then me

PS, Lazzz, have you booked a date to go north?

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Wonderfulx said..
Just pick up a mooring before the bridge.

Looking at Windy, if you got out wide early tomorrow morning you would get a quick run all the way to Qld

I was looking here on seabreeze. That forecast keeps getting stronger. I'll move around the hill this afternoon to avoid the front of the change. I'm sure the boat can handle it but 35 knots is a bit much for my first sail on this boat. Yes, it would be a rocket ship to qld.

Marine rescue will come out and guide you through.
No charge for this service.
Maximum draft is two metres or less but of course do your own research.

If you're just overnighting in Newcastle, if you take the north arm you can find spots to anchor and some moorings that appear to be official but little used.

I used to live on the Lake and had 2.1m draft in there a couple of years ago, and while the bar is one of the best on the coast the lights can be confusing at night and the information about the coal seam etc, as given above, is very good.

If you go to Port Stephens, be aware that since we put the boat there we renamed Shoal Bay as Roll Bay. It cops almost any swell and the tide will often ensure that a yacht is beam on to the swell.

The anchorage half-way along Cabbage Tree Island is much better much of the time (well, in a NE anyway), and the Broughton anchorages have been very good the few times we've been there. By the time you get into Roll Bay you'd be almost at the Broughtons where you can normally find a better anchorage and avoid the diversion.

Does anyone know how many public moorings are outside the bridge?

3 usually

As Swansea is only 40 nm from Broken Bay, you may find the 40ft'er what's to stretch her legs a bit, and as mentioned earlier tide times are a bit inconvenient for Swansea early this week.
id probably aim to do the 75 nm direct to Port Stephans, or the 85nm to North Bay on the Broughtons if your in a hurry. With Newy as a back up, though I wouldn't go into Newy if your predicted winds when you want to carry on are Easterly, as it'll be on the nose across Stockton Bight, which would be prudent to give a wide berth to with the forecast.
The best place to rest at PS is Fame Cove, that will be flatter than a billiard table this week, it doesn't cost anything to get there, other than maybe an hours sail from "Roll " Bay

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LooseChange said..

A wonderful choice, Bill Crealock was a good scribbler that scribbled some really nice lines. A boat you can sail to anywhere in the world and then go again. They are also known as the Pacific Seacraft 40.

It's actually a "Creala 40". Built in Asia. A bit beamier but the same design. Many fittings the same.

A smart plan to go into Newcastle. A ridiculously stupid plan to think the southerly front had come through by morning. I got flatten sideways in 35 knots with the boom in the water off Avoca.

Going along with 15 knots happily. Started bumping 20 knots but felt comfortable but within 5 mins it was 35. I didn't enjoy it. It was my first sail on this new boat.

I'm up in Stockton now and it's blowing hard but very thankful to be in a river on a mooring. I haven't even packed the sails or cleaned up all the crap thrown around the cabin. Had a hot shower and hid under the blanket.

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Wonderfulx said..
A smart plan to go into Newcastle. A ridiculously stupid plan to think the southerly front had come through by morning. I got flatten sideways in 35 knots with the boom in the water off Avoca.

Going along with 15 knots happily. Started bumping 20 knots but felt comfortable but within 5 mins it was 35. I didn't enjoy it. It was my first sail on this new boat.

I'm up in Stockton now and it's blowing hard but very thankful to be in a river on a mooring. I haven't even packed the sails or cleaned up all the crap thrown around the cabin. Had a hot shower and hid under the blanket.

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Wonderfulx said..
A smart plan to go into Newcastle. A ridiculously stupid plan to think the southerly front had come through by morning. I got flatten sideways in 35 knots with the boom in the water off Avoca.

Going along with 15 knots happily. Started bumping 20 knots but felt comfortable but within 5 mins it was 35. I didn't enjoy it. It was my first sail on this new boat.

I'm up in Stockton now and it's blowing hard but very thankful to be in a river on a mooring. I haven't even packed the sails or cleaned up all the crap thrown around the cabin. Had a hot shower and hid under the blanket.

It should be a "more pleasant" run up to Broughton today then. Pick up a mooring on the Nth side in Providence Bay - I wouldn't go into Esmerelda with this wind (Any other wind it's a beautiful anchorage).

Depends on how much of a hurry you are to get home!! Do you want to enjoy the trip & have a look around the anchorages on the way or just get it done??

You could probably get to Seal Rocks around into Sugarloaf Bay for the night.

Or call into Port Stephens, forget Shoal Bay and head around to Nelson Bay - there may be a mooring available. Go ashore & walk up to the pub etc, etc. Depends on your timeline!!

Or stay in Stockton and do a pub crawl there - all in walking distance!!

I did exactly that at Broughton Island. A bit rolly but beautiful. So much different from islands up north, I could walk barefoot around the island without pain of sharp rocks.

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Bundeenabuoy said..
Does anyone know how many public moorings are outside the bridge?

The NSW RMS provided charts show three moorings outside the bridge and two on the inside of the bridge. The chart also shows public wharves on both sides. Oh and it is also a no-anchoring area.

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Wonderfulx said..
I did exactly that at Broughton Island. A bit rolly but beautiful. So much different from islands up north, I could walk barefoot around the island without pain of sharp rocks.

Where has this marvellous New South Welsh weather found you now?,
cheers

I saw a post on Facebook today saying that opening times are restricted from ? date for a week because of bridge repairs etc.
Best check with Swansea MR for details.