BruceK
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Doriana recently cruised in company, 22nm up the coast to Broken Bay and the associated Hawkesbury river." Navigation": exit Sydney Heads into the Pacific, turn left to the North, avoid Long Reef (a well charted "long reef" at 90 degrees to the coast), turn left at Barrenjoey headland to enter Broken Bay.
Sea state going up was 2-4m swells, 1m wind waves. We made the trip in between 2 quite nasty weather systems. The swell, largely due to an expiring cyclone in the Pacific centered on Lord Howe Island, curtailed most beach and shore activity with warnings issued. Doriana coped fine, there was a good period,10 seconds+, between swells.
The first night was spent on an SEM (someone else`s mooring)at Coasters Retreat aka "The Basin" at the National Park. After that we moored or anchored in various bays inside the National Park area. Typically these are relatively narrow fingers of water named after creeks feeding into them,almost fjord like, often 15-20 metres deep, with a rocky steeply rising treed shore, so a National Parks provided mooring is a plus. Sea eagles and hawks are often seen, also turtles, and stingrays are in the shallows. Several bays have fresh waterfalls for showering. Large fast monitor lizards,often 1 M + long are seen onshore.
After the Basin,we spent nights,and days, at Refuge Bay, Pinta Bay (off Jerusalem Bay), Snapper Rock Bay (off Smiths Creek), Castle Lagoon (off Yeomans Bay) where we anchored on the faithful Sarca, Akuna Bay, on the Marina, and last night back at The Basin. There were other boats around, but we had Pinta Bay, and Snapper Bay (so nice we stayed 2 nights) to ourselves. Both shallow to sand flats to explore at low tide, fresh water could be had from a stream in Snapper. Dinner for 8, with plenty of wine, alternated between 4 boats.
The return trip saw calm conditions. Unusually, we sighted a shark cruising north. We logged on, and off, with Marine Rescue Sydney for the run up and back.
Key to the photos:
1. Boats at Coasters Retreat/ the Basin
2. Entering Smiths Creek (opens out to port)
3.Doriana moored in Snapper Rock Bay
4. Exiting Smiths Creek
5. Ugliest boat seen all week
6. Looking shoreward return trip
Photos will be uploaded in 2 sets of 3.
Sea state going up was 2-4m swells, 1m wind waves. We made the trip in between 2 quite nasty weather systems. The swell, largely due to an expiring cyclone in the Pacific centered on Lord Howe Island, curtailed most beach and shore activity with warnings issued. Doriana coped fine, there was a good period,10 seconds+, between swells.
The first night was spent on an SEM (someone else`s mooring)at Coasters Retreat aka "The Basin" at the National Park. After that we moored or anchored in various bays inside the National Park area. Typically these are relatively narrow fingers of water named after creeks feeding into them,almost fjord like, often 15-20 metres deep, with a rocky steeply rising treed shore, so a National Parks provided mooring is a plus. Sea eagles and hawks are often seen, also turtles, and stingrays are in the shallows. Several bays have fresh waterfalls for showering. Large fast monitor lizards,often 1 M + long are seen onshore.
After the Basin,we spent nights,and days, at Refuge Bay, Pinta Bay (off Jerusalem Bay), Snapper Rock Bay (off Smiths Creek), Castle Lagoon (off Yeomans Bay) where we anchored on the faithful Sarca, Akuna Bay, on the Marina, and last night back at The Basin. There were other boats around, but we had Pinta Bay, and Snapper Bay (so nice we stayed 2 nights) to ourselves. Both shallow to sand flats to explore at low tide, fresh water could be had from a stream in Snapper. Dinner for 8, with plenty of wine, alternated between 4 boats.
The return trip saw calm conditions. Unusually, we sighted a shark cruising north. We logged on, and off, with Marine Rescue Sydney for the run up and back.
Key to the photos:
1. Boats at Coasters Retreat/ the Basin
2. Entering Smiths Creek (opens out to port)
3.Doriana moored in Snapper Rock Bay
4. Exiting Smiths Creek
5. Ugliest boat seen all week
6. Looking shoreward return trip
Photos will be uploaded in 2 sets of 3.
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