Pt Stephans spring 2011

[storm petrel]

Weather permitting, Storm Petrel and her motley crew are still considering a run up to Port Stephens in the Sept/Oct school holidays. Any Tophatters have local knowledge of PS? Do they have a yacht club/marina that would put us up?

Shaun from your experience, would you recommend a stopover at Newcastle or Swansea, or do you think it is better to spend a night at sea, if we cannot make to PS in a day from Pittwater(we were thinking about leaving at about 4am, preferably on the back of a southerly).

Cheers,
Mark

[TimothyH]

Hi Mark

When we sailed Leoden down from Yambah we stopped for a few days in Port Stephens, the marinas were expensive, but Fame Cove opposite Soldiers Point was a beautiful sheltered anchorage and would be a good spot for a gathering. When continuing to Broken Bay it took 9 hours to Lakes Entrance (Swansea,) we picked up one of about four courtesy moorings near the bridge - there didn't seem to be a suitable anchorage. The rest of the journey took another 9 hours so that would be 18 in total.

Hope this helps with your planning.

We were intending to go South in the next holiday, but there is always a possibility of changing direction.

We have often looked for your big red kite when sailing around Lion Island or out past Barrenjoey, oh well, one day (we fly a white and green radial cut, looks like a big pajama top but works well!)

Cheers
Tim
Mooney Mooney Creek

[Dolphin]

G'Day Mark,
Here is a reply from D'Albora marineas at Nelson Bay. Hope it answers some questions.

"Dear Greg,

Thank you for your enquiry regarding Casual berthing here at d’Albora Marinas Nelson Bay.

d’Albora Marinas Nelson Bay is a world class 200 berth marina located in the heart of Port Stephens at Nelson Bay with a host of facilities at your disposal all within an easy 2 hour drive from Sydney.

All of our fully secured marina berths have power, water and Foxtel available with 24 hour fuel access and Dockmasters always ready to assist with berthing your vessel during the day, seven days a week.

The cost to berth your 25’ vessel here during September 2011 school holidays will be $65.00 per day or $270.00 per week.

Our rates do vary throughout the year.

Please contact our office if you would like to proceed with a booking & we will send you the appropriate forms.

Kind Regards,

Deirdre Holbert | Administration

d'Albora Marinas - Nelson Bay

P: 612 4984 1333 F: 612 4984 1390

E: dholbert@dalboramarinas.com.au W: www.dalboramarinas.com.au "

[Dolphin]

Mark. Pt 2.
From my very limited experience I would recommend a stopover at Swansea enroute to Pt Stephens. Its about 8 to 10 hours from Broken Bay to Swansea Heads.There are only 2 courtesy moorings east of the bridge and they are for boats waiting for the bridge. There are 2 moorings on the west side also.
You need to consider the tide as it is a barred entrance ( a coal seam) and it is not recommended in an established NorEaster. You should enter on the top half of the tide, rising or falling.
The return trip is easily done, Pt S to Broken Bay, in one go as you have the East Aust current with you.
Newcastle is about 12Nm past Swansea Heads and may be a better alternative as an all weather port, but it has a lot of commercial traffic. Newcastle City marina is there for berthing. I have no experience with it.

Contact Marine Rescue Swansea they will be able to help more than me I feel. 0249 713 498.

Hope it helps, Greg.

[storm petrel]

Thanks Tim and Greg,

I like the idea of a Marina berth because then we wouldn't need to bring a dinghy and $65 a night is not too expensive if you only stay a night or two (and it means you don't have to sleep with one eye on the anchor). With only 2 courtesy berths at Swansea and none on the East side of the bridge, Newcastle might be a better stopover. Does anyone have experience with Newcastle Yacht Club?

cheers,
Mark
Storm Petrel

[Shaun]

Gday Mark,
I would be the last person to ask about a sail from Broken Bay to PS….lol, refresh your memory about my “Reality is different from imagination” maiden voyage in the voyages section.
Anyway, from my very limited experience…personally I would do an overnighter direct to PS(with the option of stopping into Newcastle if needed, I would avoid Swansea mainly because of the tides that can roar through there& shortage of a decent anchorage E of the bridge(I could be wrong), If you have to leave Pretty on an ebb then you will most likely get assistance from the last of the incoming tide into Swansea, Swansea bar should be ok in that scenario….but I have never been across the bar, so I don’t know what im talking about.
Newcastle is an easy entry port, the channel is very wide & you won’t cause a nuisance to the commercial traffic unless you do something stupid which you wouldn’t.
The NCYC (I think it is) is nice & from memory a berth was $40 per night, they have a restaurant but no pub style bar, or at least I didn’t see one, restaurant looked expensive, but a nice pub & meals across the road.
No need to book a berth I would of thought, just turn up if you need to. the first one or two fingers of the marina that you come to are usually the ones they put the passing yachts at.
If I found myself in a rip roaring Sth’erly I would bypass Newcastle & keep going to PS again as the Stockton Bight seemingly goes on forever & would virtually be a close haul from Newcastle to PS in a E SE’erly.

I liked Shoal Bay in PS for ease of access & public moorings, but having since seen around the corner Nelson Bay, Soldiers Point etc from land its even nicer.
I think there is a small marina at Tea Gardens??
Im sure the D’Albora marina is very nice, someone told me it’s Australia’s most expensive.

cheers
Shaun

ps Im sure you already have "Robs passage planner" if not a search on the internet will find it

[storm petrel]

Hi Shaun,

Thanks for the honest advice. At this stage we are hoping to go in the Sept/Oct school holidays but if I don't get a chance to antifoul Storm Petrel first and/or if a good weather window doesn't appear we will probably leave it until the Christmas break.

Cheers,
Mark