Summer Cruising Brisbane and Sydney

[Fore and Aft]

The Gold Coast is hosting the Commonwealth games in April.
Boat works is highly recommended by my customers.

Cheers

[RaymondR]

Originally Posted by theway

Anyone have experience as to which phone data service works best up north around the reef and beyond?... My readings say Telstra then Optus.

I have Optus now and has worked everywhere just fine except in the smaller creeks of broken bay... and it was nice to not have the phone

I use Telstra for my phone and Optus for my data. The reasons for the split are now lost somewhere in the mists of time however on a recent cruise across the top and down the coast to the Great Sandy Straits I noticed that they both worked well wherever I could get reception.

[clownfishsydney]

In Sydney Harbour Rose Bay is one of the worst anchorages for calm water. Try Store Beach/Quarantine Bay near Manly, Middle Harbour or Roselle. Can also come down to our home waters of Port Hacking where there are a few excellent spots. Botany Bay is also nice for a few days.

[theway]

Originally Posted by clownfishsydney

In Sydney Harbour Rose Bay is one of the worst anchorages for calm water. Try Store Beach/Quarantine Bay near Manly, Middle Harbour or Roselle. Can also come down to our home waters of Port Hacking where there are a few excellent spots. Botany Bay is also nice for a few days.

Thanks a bunch, it’s a million times better during the weekdays it seems, but I’ll definitely need somewhere more calm if I plan to make it through another weekend.

[44'cruisingcat]

Ferry (and other powerboat) wakes can get pretty bad at quarantine bay and store bay.

Surprisingly, right next to the ferry wharf at Manly is much more calm, because the ferries are going much slower as they approach. There are public moorings, but also plenty of room for anchoring. Easy access to shops too, there's an Aldi in the ferry wharf.

We also liked anchoring in the Clontarf / Castle rock area, popular on weekends, but quite free of wakes.

Middle harbour is very nice, but there are far more boats than there are public moorings...

Our Sydney strategy ended up with us usually anchored in Blackwattle or Roselle bay on weekends, taking advantage of the easy access to public transport (on Sundays with an opal pass you can ride buses, trains, rivercats and ferries all day for just $2.00!).

We'd venture out into the harbour on weekdays when it's a bit less chaotic.

[theway]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Ferry (and other powerboat) wakes can get pretty bad at quarantine bay and store bay.

Surprisingly, right next to the ferry wharf at Manly is much more calm, because the ferries are going much slower as they approach. There are public moorings, but also plenty of room for anchoring. Easy access to shops too, there's an Aldi in the ferry wharf.

We also liked anchoring in the Clontarf / Castle rock area, popular on weekends, but quite free of wakes.

Middle harbour is very nice, but there are far more boats than there are public moorings...

Our Sydney strategy ended up with us usually anchored in Blackwattle or Roselle bay on weekends, taking advantage of the easy access to public transport (on Sundays with an opal pass you can ride buses, trains, rivercats and ferries all day for just $2.00!).

We'd venture out into the harbour on weekdays when it's a bit less chaotic.

That seems to be the quest... avoid ferry wake and party boats. The funny thing is that the calmest anchorages I’ve probably ever seen in my life were just 10 miles north in broken bay, and now this.

Once this hurricane passes I’ll make a move from rose bay. Ill map out all the spots mentioned and see what’s fitting. I plan to get to manly at some point, I’ve had a few recommendations for it.

And the opal pass sounds like a fun day.

Thanks for sharing.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by theway

Anyone have experience as to which phone data service works best up north around the reef and beyond?... My readings say Telstra then Optus.

I have Optus now and has worked everywhere just fine except in the smaller creeks of broken bay... and it was nice to not have the phone

Telstra has the best coverage, and also the highest prices! We're now on Boost mobile, which uses all of Telstra's network, but has far more reasonably priced plans.

You can buy Boost sim cards in supermarkets.

[catsketcher]

I will put a couple of votes in.

One - get under the Spit bridge and up to Bantry and Castle Cove (called Figtree on Google maps). Nice spots and there are good walking tracks close by the water. Upper Middle Harbour can get very peaceful during the week.

If you make it back to Broken Bay remember to get off the boat and do the walks from Americas Bay to Coasters Retreat and more from Jerusalem Bay. Do some walking around Dangar Island and ask the locals about the pools at the top of the cliffs opposite. I lived in the 80s on a waterfront in Sydney and it was great to learn how to sail in a washing machine with lots of traffic. I taught sailing there too - fun but I found upper Middle Harbour nice and calm. I don't visit much nowadays.

Now I live on Lake Macquarie which is a bit off the track for some and that is fine by me. Huge and very easy to sail in but with a sandbar that you may have some trouble with.

Get down to Port Hacking and walk around the second oldest national park in the world - the Royal national park. Anchor off Jibbon beach and the tracks start right on shore. Watch out for a sandbank or two. We bumped up a rudder (we draw 1 metre rudder down) when we went straight from one beacon to another - flat water so not worries.

I am not a big fan of cruising further south. If you can, rent a car and get off the boat. Everything you can cruise south t Eden, you can see by car and more besides so south is great but it is great to get into the escarpment too and visit all the great beaches and mountains you have to let slide by on a yacht.

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Telstra has the best coverage, and also the highest prices! We're now on Boost mobile, which uses all of Telstra's network, but has far more reasonably priced plans.

You can buy Boost sim cards in supermarkets.

Try the prepaid from aldi, I use it for text and it is the cheapest that I could find. Uses the telstra network as well I believe.

[Wanderlust]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

Try the prepaid from aldi, I use it for text and it is the cheapest that I could find. Uses the telstra network as well I believe.

Aldi coverage is based on Telstra's wholesale network, which does not include as much as the retail Telstra network.

However, I have used Aldi up and down the east coast and rarely found coverage problems. If using one of the value packs you can also make free Aldi to Aldi calls. Use Telstra if coverage is your main priority, otherwise Aldi provides almost as good for a lot less (unlimited for $15 month). I think Boost uses the full Telstra network and sits in the middle re pricing.

You could also get a long expiry Telstra SIM and save it for when Aldi coverage fails.

[Jim Cate]

Austin, if you have use for free calls to th USA, than's one of Boost's perks... also NZ, UK, Camada and some Asian countries that I don't ever call. Oh...of course,unlimited calls within Oz. Not the cheapest, but a good compromise for us.

Jim

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by theway

Anyone have experience as to which phone data service works best up north around the reef and beyond?... My readings say Telstra then Optus.

I have Optus now and has worked everywhere just fine except in the smaller creeks of broken bay... and it was nice to not have the phone

Out wide Telstra gets better reception but saying that we have had optus in places where Telstra is dead.
That being the case we use Telstra (aldi) prepaid 365 day expiry for where optus doesn't work.
For main calling, text and data we use Jennee which is an optus reseller.
They do mammoth packs of unlimited text and calls plus 30gb data for $45/ mth with a one month contract.
They are also a not for profit company if that sways you at all.

Do check your phone bands as Telstra and Optus use different bands, but new unlocked smartphones are as little as $45.


https://www.jeenee.org.au/products/sim-packs/

[theway]

Originally Posted by catsketcher

I will put a couple of votes in.



One - get under the Spit bridge and up to Bantry and Castle Cove (called Figtree on Google maps). Nice spots and there are good walking tracks close by the water. Upper Middle Harbour can get very peaceful during the week.



If you make it back to Broken Bay remember to get off the boat and do the walks from Americas Bay to Coasters Retreat and more from Jerusalem Bay. Do some walking around Dangar Island and ask the locals about the pools at the top of the cliffs opposite. I lived in the 80s on a waterfront in Sydney and it was great to learn how to sail in a washing machine with lots of traffic. I taught sailing there too - fun but I found upper Middle Harbour nice and calm. I don't visit much nowadays.



Now I live on Lake Macquarie which is a bit off the track for some and that is fine by me. Huge and very easy to sail in but with a sandbar that you may have some trouble with.



Get down to Port Hacking and walk around the second oldest national park in the world - the Royal national park. Anchor off Jibbon beach and the tracks start right on shore. Watch out for a sandbank or two. We bumped up a rudder (we draw 1 metre rudder down) when we went straight from one beacon to another - flat water so not worries.



I am not a big fan of cruising further south. If you can, rent a car and get off the boat. Everything you can cruise south t Eden, you can see by car and more besides so south is great but it is great to get into the escarpment too and visit all the great beaches and mountains you have to let slide by on a yacht.

I definitely plan to visit middle harbor and manly before leaving.

I did get off in broken bay and walked over to the basin from America Bay, also visited the west head lookout.

I’ll give danger Island a visit when/if I return.

I’ll probably stop at Lake Macquarie

I doubt I’ll go any further south... I’m kind of tired and a bit overwhelmed by land life at the moment.

[theway]

Thanks all for the phone info...

I might just pick up a Telstra card in addition to my Optus when I get further north and see which one works best going around the north

The Optus I have has international and has worked pretty well. Main concern up north will be data for weather.

[Mossy Man]

Jim is right. Third party liability insurance is required in most marinas but not to 10 bars (Oz for millions so remember if you come here) I have my 67 yo yacht moored in Mosman Bay and have 2 bars of 3pl.

Don’t know why you would bother with a marina if your are travelling through and stay awhile. Plenty of spots to stay on the hook and near public wharves, restaurants, bus links etc. You could lose yourself for a summer just in Pittwater / Hawkesberry River.

There are a few friendly liveaboard marinas in and around the city too that are not too expensive.

Tassy in summer is outstanding. Expect serious thunderstorms and bogans north of Coffs Harbour in summer. Plenty to explore on the NSW, VIC and TAS coast.