New to Southern Moreton Bay, QLD

[Annierose]

Hi my name is Annie, I have just moved to Macleay Island (an island in the Southern Moreton Bay) my son just purchased a 16 ft silverling with a 90 hp motor, we want to boat across from Macleay Island to the Tangalooma Wrecks (which is on South Moreton Island) is there someone who can help us with the best navigation route to do this trip leaving from Macleay and an approx. on distance for this trip? thanks

[Alan Mighty]

Welcome to Cruisers Forum, Annie.

You might like to start by downloading the Maritime Safety Queensland 'Beacon to Beacon' files, in pdf format, of:


Southern Moreton Bay (including Macleay Island) (an 8.7 MB download); and


Northern Moreton Bay (including Moreton Island) (a 5.9 MB download).




The MSQ marine charts - the nautical charts on large sheets of paper - of Moreton Bay are becoming scarce. If you talk to your local chandlery store you might be lucky enough to find a copy.

[2Wind]

Macleay Island To Tangalooma.pdf

Annie,
Please open the attachment.....

Given your very shallow draft, and vessel size, I'd suggest this route.
Moreton Bay can get pretty choppy potentially becoming unsuitable for your boat with winds over 15kts. Further, you would be well advised to ensure the forecast is SE to NE making this route very protected. In such conditions the passage inside the South Passage Bar from Amity to Reader's Point is never worse than a minor swell. The dangerous part is much further out to the east, It will be shallow crossing into Day's Gutter at Reader's Point as will parts of Day's Gutter to Blue Hole, but then again, you draw next to nothing so just don't go two hours either side of the bottom of the tide. At worst, your power tilt might come in handy.

It's a nice trip. Enjoy.

[Triwander]

Hi Annie Morton Bay is a boaties paradise on a good day, but can be a nasty bit of work if your out there at the wrong time. Even the area between Maclay and peel can cause grief especially in a 16ft run about Can I suggest peel island (horseshoe bay) until you are familiar with boat and the area.

[Simi 60]

Days gutter and surrounding area is off the plane.
Give some thought to the turtle and dugong population.

[Dave_S]

I'd. Recommend buying a $99 Android tablet from Harvey Norman and download Navionics from Google Play. Pretty accurate around Moreton bay. You can download it on smart phones to for about $15.

Anything near low tide, Stay west of Kooringal and Crab
island, the go slow area is a very large area around the bar

There are 3 yellow marker bouy's to mark the go slow area all the length of Moreton Is between mud island and Tangalooma point - stay west of these.

[Annierose]

Thank you all for your valuable comments, charts and advise. Sounds scary for a beginner lol!! But will prepare and attempt this once confident and up to speed with all the backup support to travel with. I'm fairly sure it will be a great little trip, I'm sure I will be hooked at the wrecks and pray that we don't become one.

PS the distance would mean I would have to take extra fuel as the boat only has inbuilt 60 litres. Also is mooring at the wrecks achievable?

[Dave_S]

There is no mooring at the wrecks, you can hire a mooring from Tangalooma but they are a long way from the wrecks. You can anchor, no problem, the barge comes and goes from the North end, just past the wrecks so give them room, their area is marked with yellow bouy's as well. Pick a nice calm day with Easterly breeze.

Have a look at the Navionics web site, it makes it all easy.

PS. I meant Crab Is not Mud Is in my first post.

Best snorkeling is when a low tide happens around the middle of a sunny day.

It can be hard to swim against the tide sometimes so wait for high or low tide when the current is weakest.

Originally Posted by Annierose

Thank you all for your valuable comments, charts and advise. Sounds scary for a beginner lol!! But will prepare and attempt this once confident and up to speed with all the backup support to travel with. I'm fairly sure it will be a great little trip, I'm sure I will be hooked at the wrecks and pray that we don't become one.

PS the distance would mean I would have to take extra fuel as the boat only has inbuilt 60 litres. Also is mooring at the wrecks achievable?

[mawtty]

Hi Annie,
My name is Tim and I live on Lamb Island.
Moreton Bay can be very dangerous.
Shallow water and exposed areas make it deadly in strong winds.
A small boat with such a powerful motor scares me.
if it is fine and calm it can travel beautifully but when it blows and the waves increase it is a nightmare. You can't plane across the water when the waves get above a meter. The boat has to be driven very slowly. This uses much more fuel and the engine doesn't like going slow. (it can carbon the spark plugs).
The shoals adjacent South passage are very dangerous for any boat and extend for miles into the bay. If it is overcast and visibility is poor a GPS is essential out there. Nothing visible to steer by..
Go to Peel on a fine day. Take time to explore the dangers. Have all the recommended safety gear ( the water police are not kind to foolish mariners).
Most importantly be very sure of the weather forecast, especially if there is a problem and they can't get back the same day. South Westerly changes are the main danger. No shelter for miles from the wrecks.

[Annierose]

Thanks Tim, looks like we are Island neighbours! Yes agree, I can see that Moreton is very unpredictable in nature, so have taken on board the feedback. My son is not a risk taker either so he will get to know the islands before venturing too far in his little run about.

[JPA Cate]

G'day, Annierose,

You can buy MOT charts that show depths and the restrictions on Moreton Bay; most chandleries carry them. Beacon to Beacon does not show depths.

Because of the marine park, people are expected to go slowly, to avoid cutting up the dugongs.

Swimming at the wrecks is rather crowded because of all the anchored boats, but the water's warm and nice.

You'll also want a tide table. Currents are stronger at spring tides, but even they have slack water times from about an hour before the highs and lows to an hour after, depending on where you are in the tidal cycle. Always swim upstream first.

Ann

[Annierose]

Thanks Ann, appreciate the info, will get these charts for sure! Cutting up dugongs is not part of the adventure