Eastern Australian Current

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Or, don't sail at night. There are plenty of places to anchor for the night, we always do the Sydney to Gold coast trip in day hops. The only bit that's a stretch is Yamba to the Gold coast, which is 100 miles, we allow 12 hours for that.

And, if you're traveling on a southerly, you can overnight in Byron Bay, and continue on in the morning. If the breeze stays strong, it will even be comfortable in a mono, however, it can get rolly. If it does, then it's an early departure, doing as the wx gods wish.....

Ann

[clownfishsydney]

Originally Posted by arsenelupiga

did you travel that close at night or day hops only ?

Both.

[sapient sue]

JonF

You have plenty of good replies above - just to say that we sail up the east coast every year and the trick is to stay as close inshore as you feel safe with what Nav aids you have onboard. The racers say if you can't hear the surf you are too far out. Our first trip it took us over 24 hrs to motor sail around Cape Byron, our friends told us not to be mean and turn the engine on - we already had it on. I might add we now have a new bigger engine. The open roadsteads make good anchorages in the winter westerlies so you can break up the journey to anchor at night. Use the current models they provide an inkling of back eddies and the like.
Best wishes - Sue

[theway]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Or, don't sail at night. There are plenty of places to anchor for the night, we always do the Sydney to Gold coast trip in day hops. The only bit that's a stretch is Yamba to the Gold coast, which is 100 miles, we allow 12 hours for that.

Wow, 100 miles in 12hrs or less... I’d need 24...
;-)

I’m at Port Macquarie now, going north in the morning. Hoping to get to Trial Bay, then Coffs the following day. Then Yamba, then Byron, then Tweeds... those are comfortable day hops with a 27ft waterline.

Coming up yesterday I did notice a pretty big hit once I round point tacking... lost about a knot. I’m usually a mile off, but will stay closer until free of the current.

(Thanks you OP and the contributors, helpful)

[Warby12]

We're setting off north in a couple of days from Sydney for Brisbane so this thread is very nice to find.

One thing I don't understand is the use of southerlies. Obviously westerlies are the very best to take as they flatten the swell and you can keep inshore.
Southerly winds make the waves stand up against the south going current but southerly winds go in the right direction!

So my question is what is the strongest southerly wind that can be used that does not create nasty waves?

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Warby12

We're setting off north in a couple of days from Sydney for Brisbane so this thread is very nice to find.

One thing I don't understand is the use of southerlies. Obviously westerlies are the very best to take as they flatten the swell and you can keep inshore.
Southerly winds make the waves stand up against the south going current but southerly winds go in the right direction!

So my question is what is the strongest southerly wind that can be used that does not create nasty waves?

I don't think you can put a simple number on this. Do remember that the current is a variable and complex entity, with eddies and swirls galore... constantly changing. As a generality, if you stay closer in towards shore, you are out of the main south setting stream, and you don't get any big wind against current issues.

Do study the CSIRO current charts posted daily on the BOM web site. Run the animated loops and watch how the eddies vary day to day, and how generally the inshore currents are much slower than those further out. Plan your day's sail accordingly. It is often possible to experience favorable currents, and what a treat that is!

Jim

[Warby12]

Ok, thanks Jim! I have seen those animations and they give me a headache trying to imagine taking advantage, balanced against wind and tide considerations Southerlies are soooo common as you know.

Well done on sticking the winter out in Tassie! I always complained about QLD heat but after a couple of years in Sydney, I'm almost ready for it again (almost).

[chrisr]

been up and down this section of coast more times than i care to remember - both racing & cruising.

the current is nearly always a problem when going north. conventional wisdom is hug the bricks...scallop in between headlands...stay as close as you dare (when racing we have spoken to guys on surfboards, but i don't do this when cruising...)

despite this, some days the current is right on to the rocks and you just cannot get out of it. you just have to persevere

do recall in one southport race, one of our competitors went right out wide and did really well, but whether this was due to less current or more wind is debatable. either way, it's a high risk strategy due to the extra distance

these days there are several websites giving pretty up to date current info (eg IDYOC300 product of Oceanography) but knowing it's there doesn't help that much does it ?

if you're planning on heading south again later, just keep thinking about riding that current back south !

cheers,

[chrisr]

oh, should mention : the EAC is not a steady stream. it is a series of clockwise eddies, all moving southward, VERY roughly along about the old 100 fathom line

if you are on the '9 o'clock' side of the eddy, you have some northward flow, which sort of partially counteracts the overall southward movement of the eddy. on the otherhand, at the '3 o'clock' position, you have both acting together, and this is where you can get 3-4kts

cheers,

[clownfishsydney]

I sailed north in a 30 knot southerly (was supposed to be only 20 knots) and it was manageable but uncomfortable. Current was less than a knot from memory. This was from Ballina. Once we rounded Cape Byron it was much better as the wind was more across the land and we were out of the current totally.

As others have said, you stick as close to the land as possible, at least in daylight.

[Warby12]

Ok, thanks guys! Should be an interesting trip. If we stick close to the coast during the day, at least there will be plenty to look at, (including furious chart and plotter checking!) Might be more enjoyable, staying on ones toes the whole time. Won't brave it at night though or if we get tired.
(I wish we'd appreciated it more on the way down haha
Thanks again

[bobbybean]

as the other say, stick close to shore and just day hop. I did this last year in a similar size boat. syd/pit->newcastle/port stephens->cowdy head/haven->port maq/arakoon ->coffs->yamba->byron->southport.
Plenty to stop off along the way and see. I never noticed more than about 3knots for short periods but different boats are affected differently.

[bobnlesley]

A piece of advice I was given, but as yet have been unable to test out, is to navigate it by mobile phone ; If you're going north and lose the signal then you're too far out, move back inshore and if going south and you come into signal range, move out to get the best of the current.

[arsenelupiga]

when we went north 1 st time, sailed on schedule and had 25 kn southerly. Current was ~3 kn against us. Back then i did not care about current so we probably were in strongest current against us. Now i know better.

Remember surfing on waves, rush of water, look at speed and it was 6-7 kn SOG.

Current against tide was not an issue. Although around Ballina was worst and we done it at night so could not see size or steepness.

Oh yes, we had to increase sensitivity of AP due to waves surfing to avoid chance of boat coming broadside.