Has anyone Sailed the Channel at 1770

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Created by

Bilabog > 9 months ago, 22 Apr 2009

Bilabog

NSW

211 posts

22 Apr 2009 11:03pm

Has anyone tried speed sailing at 1770 Central Queensland in the channel where the Round Hill creek runs out to the ocean?

I use to live up there back in the 80's before I started windsurfing.
There is a big long sand bank protecting the channel. I would say it would work on West to NE winds.

Gestalt

QLD

14722 posts

22 Apr 2009 11:45pm

i wanted to try some small wave sailing on the bank.

nice spot.

i figure sep/oct with the northerlies being the best. i don't believe the place will work in a SE

In the SE winds you could sail in Bustard Bay up the beach to Bustard Head. There are 2 creeks and sand bars up the beach to Bustard Head you could do small wave sailing on. I don't think anyone has ever sailed up there !

Looking at the Google Earth overlay the NE winds would be perfect for speed runs inside the river on the flat water. That photo is taken at high tide! The sand bank shelters the channel better between mid & low tide. I've seen really big waves braking alot further out just past the tip of the Headland on the outer sand bank at Mid to Low tide. When the SE swells comes in between Sandy Cap ( Frazier Island ) and the southern tip of the Barrier Reef.

Gestalt

QLD

14722 posts

23 Apr 2009 10:40pm

very nice.

looks like the NW would be a good wind out at the mouth. a question would be whether the hills lift the wind to high at the bank.

i really want to go there. last year i almost headed up there after the burrum visit, the back beach looks good too and march is the swell and wind season.

nice spot.

Bilabog

NSW

211 posts

23 Apr 2009 11:11pm

Hi Gestalt,

I use to own land at Agnes Water from 1988 to 2001. I use to go down there every weekend from Gladstone where I lived. I've seen the NE winds 20 knots plus in the river there many times. The hills on the Headland didn't affect the winds strength if anything I think it made it stronger to what i remember. I never windsurfed then only dreamed about it. I use to surf Agnes Point and the Springs point in the SE swells. It's a great place to have a holiday. The road now is sealed all the way from the Bruce Highway from about 2000

. Back in the 80's it was 75 kms off dirt road plus no power back then.

sailpilot

QLD

787 posts

23 Apr 2009 11:22pm

NIce pics Bolabog, looks good. Actually I was looking through Noel Patricks 'Curtis Coast' book yesterday and I reackon there lots of potential spots around. What about all those channels in Gladstone Harbour? Surely there's a smooth run to be had there too. Also the Kolan River Mouth North of Bundy???

Too many spots

....not enough holidays

sausage

QLD

4873 posts

23 Apr 2009 11:43pm

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sailpilot said...

NIce pics Bolabog, looks good. Actually I was looking through Noel Patricks 'Curtis Coast' book yesterday and I reackon there lots of potential spots around. What about all those channels in Gladstone Harbour? Surely there's a smooth run to be had there too. Also the Kolan River Mouth North of Bundy???

Too many spots

....not enough holidays

None in effin Yeppoon though.
Actually stayed in 1770 last year and sailed off the eastern beach in marginal SE. Looked at the channel but absolutely protected in a SE. trouble is with NE is they're not as frequent anymore (up here in ya spoon anyway)

Bilabog

NSW

211 posts

24 Apr 2009 12:37am

Hi sailpilot,
There would be some good channels in Gladstone harbour but you would need a boat to get to them. The tide in the Harbour is really strong and if the wind died or you broke some gear you would be in alot of trouble. Plus the ships going in and out all the time of the Harbour.I use to race in the sailing club there on a 45 Foot Tri. The currents run really fast out between Curtis Is & Facing Is. There would be some good spots Near south end. You can catch a ferry over there.May be get the Ferry to Quion Island and sail from there. You can stay on the Island. They have a beach on the Island where they use to hire Hobbie Cats & old one design sailboards.
I haven't been to Kolan River Mouth.
I think if you check out google earth you can see some good spots between Turkey Beach & Pancake Creek ( Just North of Bustard Head) You would need a boat to get in there. You can drive through private properties but need a 4WD plus a good map. To get to the beaches.
What Sausage is saying is right about the SE winds. They don't get into the river up at 1770 . I think some guys up there sail on the Awoonga Dam at Benaraby & Tanium Sand. I don't know what winds would be best? Here is a picture of Quion Island in Gladstone harbour where the resort is.You could get speed runs both sides of the Island in NE & SE Winds >

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....not enough holidays

seahorse

QLD

133 posts

24 Apr 2009 10:30am

Spent 6 months living in Gladstone / Tannum Sands and sailed the dam a few times in Westerlies - might be OK for a nautical mile - I used to slide down the concrete boat ramp to get in the water - don't know what it's like in other wind directions

Gestalt

QLD

14722 posts

24 Apr 2009 3:46pm

you know the closer i look up that way the more there seems to be....

anyone for speed sailing one day wave sailing the next?

Bilabog

NSW

211 posts

24 Apr 2009 8:57pm

I think Lady Musgrave Island would be better. You are allowed to camp on the Island ( 50 People Max at a time camping on the Island.) Have to get a permit to camp there plus its about $3.50 per Night per person. It has a big Lagoon about 2 kms long shelter by reef all the way around it. You be perfect in any wind direction. You can catch a Boat from 1770 which takes about 45 mins to get there depending on the weather conditions.

Select to expand quote

Gestalt said...

you know the closer i look up that way the more there seems to be....

anyone for speed sailing one day wave sailing the next?

Gestalt

QLD

14722 posts

24 Apr 2009 9:01pm

OMG!!!!

awesome,

Bilabog

NSW

211 posts

24 Apr 2009 9:19pm

Cam Mcleod

QLD

68 posts

24 Apr 2009 9:40pm

Amazing photos !!
Had a dive holiday on Lady Elliot IS Feb 1985-remember the wind blowing all week & talk on the Island Then re Sailboarding Lady Musgrave -looks amazing on that aerial photo...
Must be dozens of similar looking spots off the FNQ coast -any one for 6/12 of Speed Run exploration ??!!

Bilabog

NSW

211 posts

24 Apr 2009 10:28pm

Cam,
I think later this year I might head up to 1770 & go try sailing at Lady Musgrave Island & 1770. As soon as someone sails in that Lagoon and post good sessions people will start going there to sail. There is about 3 or more Lagoons like that one in the Bunker Island croup! Here is a picture of the Lagoon at One Tree Island south of Heron Island

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Cam Mcleod said...

Amazing photos !!
Had a dive holiday on Lady Elliot IS Feb 1985-remember the wind blowing all week & talk on the Island Then re Sailboarding Lady Musgrave -looks amazing on that aerial photo...
Must be dozens of similar looking spots off the FNQ coast -any one for 6/12 of Speed Run exploration ??!!

Bilabog

NSW

211 posts

26 Apr 2009 11:38pm

1770 channel

vando

QLD

3418 posts

26 Apr 2009 11:50pm

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Bilabog said...

1770 channel

Geeze that looks nice

Bilabog

NSW

211 posts

27 Apr 2009 7:59pm

Vando,check these photos out!

I found some more pictures of 1770 channel!

Bilabog

NSW

211 posts

27 Apr 2009 8:03pm

Bilabog

NSW

211 posts

27 Apr 2009 8:28pm

Bluedog76

243 posts

27 Apr 2009 9:12pm

I've sailed in the channel in a 20-25knot SEerly. I launched from the first point seaward of the boat ramp - I think this is NE of it. From memory it was a bit gusty around the edges but a fairly solid wind seemed to pump up the creek. I origonally tried to launch just north of the point but there was no wind and I looked like a dill trying to get to the wind on my 89l board.

I've stayed on Heron (in the bunker group) and having surveyed the lagoon - quite literally - I spent a one week field trip there while studying geology and saw much of the lagoon through the bottom of a glass bottom bucket, it would be pretty good for windsurfing. You would want to watch out for bommies and coral heads though.

The channel into the island may even be good in either a SE or NEerly. There is a bund wall on either side (along with a couple of sunken wrecks) designed to keep the water in at low tide (after the stuffed the reef up by digging a channel that drains the water off at low tide exposing the reef). This would be a good speed strip at low tide perhaps

Bilabog

NSW

211 posts

28 Apr 2009 7:09pm

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Hi Greg,
I know where you lauched from. Out near the Head Land would be to protected in the SE winds. I think the further you go up Round Hill creek the better it would be in the SE winds because there is less hills to stop wind. I use to go there every weekend when I lived in Gladstone back inthe 80's & 90"s. I remember the NE winds pumping in there over the sand bars into the channel.I never Windsurfed then. I only surfed down at Agnes Waters, Workmans Beach & the Springs.
Did you have a good sail that day in the SE winds?
I use to scuba dive out at Masthead and Heron Is. I think heron would be in the channel the best for the speed sailing. We use to do drift dives along the NE reef of Heron. The tide runs pretty fast along the edge of the reef.We would dift about 1 Km in 20 minutes. Heron Lagoon as I remember like you said had a lot of coral heads in it. I reck Lady Musgrave would be the best Bunker Island Lagoon to sail in.
If there is no wind you could do some snorkellng than sail the days there was wind.
Would be a good holiday.

Bluedog76

243 posts

28 Apr 2009 5:41pm

The sailing wasn't too bad that day excpet I was pretty overpowered. I rigged a 6.2m and used all of my 63kg at the time to hold it down. There was another guy out that day as well on a 5.5.

1770 is a nice place to kick back. i imagnine the sailing in a NE would be pretty good.

Bilabog

NSW

211 posts

28 Apr 2009 7:45pm

The Channel at Heron Island!

Bilabog

NSW

211 posts

16 May 2009 4:33pm

AusMoz

QLD

1510 posts

17 May 2009 6:09pm

Going down in a few weeks time, i will sus it all out!!!

There is some good accomadation there as well with storage ( pets allowed too)

GCMOZ

Bilabog

NSW

211 posts

19 May 2009 11:18pm

Here are some pictures

from the 1770 camping grounds web site.
Lots of information on that site.

www.1770campinggrounds.com

Nice place to stay right on the water

GCMOZ don't

forget to let us know how your trip went.

AusMoz

QLD

1510 posts

20 May 2009 9:57pm

Shall do !!!

AusMoz

QLD

1510 posts

7 Jun 2009 10:11pm

Scoped it out today!!!

SE - Go for the open beach
Westerly-NE - Go for the chanels but only half to full tide. Was very low tide and zig zag between the banks.

Want to try it when the NE is blowing!!!

As for a speed run - has to be the perfect alignments(wind, tide and coiincide with my days off)

Damm nice place though!!! When i go again i will take the waveboard and the freeride board

GCMOZ

alvadave

QLD

75 posts

8 Jun 2009 1:53pm

Middle Creek has a good set up for speed and wave sailing and handles all wind directions but is a bit of a mission, about 45 min from Agnes on dirt track and once you get there it is fair way to lug your gear as the camping area and car park is in the lee of a hill. The kite guys have been known to go up by jet ski. Wreck rock is the pick for wave sailing when its s/se. Martin Cooper from Gladstone sailed from Tannum to Agnes back in the day, not a bad downwinder.

Gestalt

QLD

14722 posts

9 Jun 2009 9:43pm

i think it's time to move to 1770.

view from bustard head looking south to 1770

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