Sailing Adelaide to Sydney

[ATS]

I'm one of three co-owners, together with three crew, so six POB, soon to commence delivery of our newly purchased Beneteau first 45' (2008) from Adelaide to Sydney. We plan to leave Adelaide on Saturday 29 February.

We are new to the boat and, while some of us have sailed between Sydney - Hobart and Melbourne - Sydney, are not familiar with the coast Adelaide - Melbourne and can't claim to have a lot of experience Melbourne - Sydney.

Our plan is to stop in at Portland, Apollo Bay, Wilsons Promontory and Eden and then perhaps again on the south coast of NSW before destination Pittwater north of Sydney.

We are also looking to maybe pick up/drop off some of the crew along the way if we can locate a convenient drop off location.

We'd be grateful for any tips about good places to pull in along our route from anyone with any experience of this part of the world.

Also, we're planning to do the trip in seven to eight days. Anyone got any view about whether that's realistic or are we being overly ambitious?

[Wotname]

Welcome aboard CF, ATS.

I have only one tip - Port Fairy is way way nicer than Portland.

[Searles]

Have done this trip many times ,firstly double your time frame ,it's a 1k mile trip ,at least three different weather patterns usually ,Portland is a full service port,which may be handy ,nothing at the prom except shelter vhf verry poor close in ,go through to Eden ,once again full service .best time I know of was 5 days 5 hrs 10 mins ,set by 83 ft anaconda 11 full crewed under sail,DONOT ,go close in along the coorong ,strong on shore set ,stay off at least 5miles Safe sailing

[ATS]

many thanks for the advice

[clownfishsydney]

Jervis Bay is a good stop before Sydney. You can easily do JB to Sydney, or if speed down a little, Port Hacking and next day to Pittwater. Eden to JB is an overnighter, or d a long day to Batemans Bay and then short day to JB.

You can log on with NSW Marine Rescue from Lakes Entrance to Pittwater. If doing in steps, log on and off each day. MR Eden's number is (02) 6496 2167 or you can actually log on with Coast Guard Wilsons Prom or Coast Guard Paynesville and they will log you onto the NSW system. Only need to give your details once. There is also an app you can use from mobile phone. Find on various app stores. Make sure you log as a transit if you use the app.

[chrisr]

there are quite few decent little stops on the NSW south coast, starting with eden

however best first step is to beg borrow or steal (or as a last resort buy) a copy of alan lucas's excellent Cruising the NSW Coast. tells you pretty much everything you need to know.

good luck and happy voyaging. did a few miles in a bene 45 back in the day. not a bad boat for a mono...

your time allowance seems a bit ambitious to me..could easily spend a week waiting for weather here and there.

cheers,

[agwmarpil]

Wirrina and Cape Jaffa are also stop offs if needed. Spend some time working out tides and times to go through Backstairs Passage! If you get it wrong you will go no where. Look out for lobster pots on the SE coast - there can be many! Sometimes its easier to stay further out to sea. Port Fairy definitely worth a stop.
Enjoy!

[Cheeks]

Hi there, all I can add is that you can drop crew off at Port Welshpool (close to Wilsons Prom) as there is a bus direct to Melbourne.

Fair winds

[Oceanride007]

Hastings in WesternPort would be a good crew change location, just a little diversion but OK train connections to Melb and Marina.

[lockie]

For excellent info on the Bass Strait/Victorian sector from Port McDonnell right round to Eden, buy a copy of the "Cruising Victoria" book published by the Cruising Yacht Association of Victoria (from Boat Books or from CYAV via their website). Since you will need to enter a couple of Victorian ports this small investment will make the experience much more relaxing and safe.

You'll be able to resell it on Gumtree if you don't need it after the delivery, so it won't cost you much.

Cheers, Graeme

[oceanshoretiga]

The weather was mentioned once in regard to having to wait for the weather. I guess my point is that if the weather is right, keep sailing day and night. My understanding, too, is that westerly winds are more likely a bit later, March April. If getting the boat to Pittwater is the key objective, don't stop too often but if 'seeing the sights/sites' is a key objective then call in a lot. With lots of port calls, the sailing times double, easily. I've only sailed these waters once and that was a delivery of a 49' Sydney Hobart boat from Pittwater to Fremantle in February. We stopped only once for a minor repair in Portland. Easy to get into at night with a good plotter but the fog was eerie. We took 12 days to get to Freo so probably 5 to Portland with 4 crew on autopilot. Delivery cruising not racing. So, 7-8 days with no stops is ambitious in my view and with stops, how long is a piece of string?

If you've not sailed this boat much, may I suggest an overnight 100+nm sail first to test everything. I've just done a 150nm as part of qualifying for the Fremantle to Bali Rally and even with a long history with my boat, we still found a couple of problems, some of which were crew not knowing all the protocols with lazy sheets, furler lines, etc., which led to a serious chafe. My crew of 2 have sailed on my boat before and all of us are experienced offshore sailors. So, such a sail is about the boat and about the crew.

All that said, have a good time and enjoy the Full Moon on the 10th of March; be sure to be at sea that night!

[Skipa]

All good advice ... especially the 2 books mentioned. They will prove invaluable. Can I just add 2 ports of call - Refuge Cove on Eastern side of Wilsons Prom, very beautiful and protected but little or no mobile & vhf. I prefer Bermagui to Eden as it is "easier" for provisions etc. As everything is there at the port. Eden has cruise ships plus many fishing trawlers (so little dock space) and there's a big hill and long walk between port and town.
Finally, I think your timing is a bit on the quick side! Allow least 10 days with minimal stops for weather ... if it's "on the nose" ... wait and remember gentlemen don't sail to windward!

[JPA Cate]

I'm not familiar with drop off points east of Eden, but Eden has a daily bus to Canberra, and from there, one can train or fly wherever one needs to get back to. Arrive early for the bus and sit in front, for the best views along the way. Some of the ride is quite pretty.

Once you've turned the corner at Cape Howe, there are many places where you can duck in if the northerlies and current are too strong. Usually, you try to stay inshore and out of the current as much as possible, when you are northbound.

Enjoy your new boat.

Ann

[RogerLloyd]

Cruising in Victoria
A few thoughts:-
Portland - Open in all weathers and states of tides. YC very helpful.
Port Fairy - Very nice but entrance can be difficult in wrong conditions. Watch depth.
Apollo Bay - Not good in strong Easterly winds. Check depth. Sand tends to get moved across transit line and a more southerly approach may be better. Watch depth. Lifejacket.
Port Phillip Heads - Times of slack water are published on web. These are about 3 hours after high and low water. Best to come in just after slack becomes flood, and come out just after slack turns to ebb. However beware ebb with strong SW wind or large swell. Four Fingers West or Western Channel best. Call Point Lonsdale VHF before entry. Queenscliff marina available. Lifejacket.
Islands W of Wilsons Promontory, e.g. Great Glennie might be useful anchorage in W winds.
Refuge Cove - Good anchorage but avoid in strong E winds.
Lakes Entrance - Again times of slack current are published on internet. They are approx 3 hours after high and low water. Best to come in on slack becoming flood. Transit line changes according to moving sandbanks. Avoid in strong on-shore winds. Check depth. Lifejacket.
SE Corner VIC / NSW near Gabo Island - Often rough water.
East Australian Current is Southbound at up to 4 knots, but less inshore and perhaps some reverse eddies close inshore.
Also beware East Coast Lows, which often develop quickly off the SE Corner of Australia.
Much more info in pilot books. There is also pilot book "Cruising Victoria".
The area is subject to more than one swell.

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by Oceanride007

Hastings in WesternPort would be a good crew change location, just a little diversion but OK train connections to Melb and Marina.

Western port Bay, If it helps, Plenty of places to stop and rest out of the wind and waves,
Hastings is on the left,
You wont go under the Bridge at San Remo,