?Moving to Lake Macquarie?

[Dolphin]

This might help Di.

[SeaLady]

OK OK... I also ran aground in Port Hacking and nearly going into Brisbane Waters.
Those tricky channel markers

A few years ago I was dating a man who foolishly sold his Top Hat and bought a big boat from Lake Macquarie.
They had to have another motor boat going around and around in circles, making waves to have them bounce through.
That thought terrified me. I obviously was sensibly in my own bed fast asleep as all this happened at 1am!!!

Notice I am no longer dating this man.
1. He was foolish to sell his Top Hat
2. He wanted me to sail on his huge boat where everything was so big and heavy that even he could not raise the main solo. Sheesh.

A woman must have her standards

I spoke with Lake Macquarie Marine Rescue today and got a lot of info.
Apparently it can run at 4 knots. Really depends on the day.

[SeaLady]

Shaun,

When you say - "Go across the bar" Do you mean the Drop Off?

[bearmcnally]

Di .......................................don't worry it's a walk in the park . I'll come and meet you at the bridge and we can round aground together

Cheers Bear

PS I'll get Greg and we'll make a day off it ( a nice white goes well with sand)

[Dolphin]

Di, here is the camera overlooking the bar from the Marine Rescue base at Swansea Heads..
You may find a boat coming in or out to give you more of an idea of the run up to the bridge.
You wont see much at night.

http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/maritime/usin ... ansea.html

[Shaun]

Shaun,

When you say - "Go across the bar" Do you mean the Drop Off?

No, "the bar" is where every other "bar" on the coast is...where the inlet/estuary/river meets the sea.
The "Drop Off" is pretty much in the lake, as shown on the cool aerial photo Greg posted above.

[SeaLady]

Thank you everyone.
One week today for the removalist truck.

Then pick the time to sail Sea Lady up.

I will report back when the sailing day is chosen.

[Troppo]

Di, here is the camera overlooking the bar from the Marine Rescue base at Swansea Heads..
You may find a boat coming in or out to give you more of an idea of the run up to the bridge.
You wont see much at night.

http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/maritime/usin ... ansea.html

Wow, beautiful morning at Swansea (Mon 7:30 am). With surf at 3-4 feet, swell at 1 metre and wind at 4 knots, it not only sounds awesome it uses imperial, metric and marine (?) standards of measurement. NSW government website so I guess they are being inclusive.

I guess it would get boring for the video operator, having to turn the camera back and forth like that day in day out. Could be worse. Could be a desk job where papers get shuffled back and forth day in day out. : )

Have fun Di!

troppo

[SeaLady]

I drove up today to do a few errands, had lunch at Toronto Motor Yacht club and drove around the lake.

Driving and daydreaming.
Lucky I am female and can multi task. lol

Looking forward to joining you all in paradise.
7 more sleeps to be there on land.

A few more than that to be on the water.

[Miker]

You'll be fine Diana, especially with Sonia and Dave on board.

Like Shaun and Phil, I've been in twice, both times on my own. First time was a doddle, 3 metre south east swell and a 25 knot south east "breeze" maxed out speed on the log was 11.4 knots. Averaged over 6. Took me about 7.5 hours from my mooring in Careel Bay to the courtesy bouy. I think I made the 1.30pm Bridge and was having a meet and greet at the Wangi Workers by 3.30 or so. Took my over 10 hours to get home on that trip. The wind died out around the Entrance, and then it rained solid until I got to the mooring.

Second time was a bit slower up, as the wind was more east and lighter. The swell was about the same. When I got around Moon Island to start the motor, the choke pull fell off into the water. To get the engine started, I had to take the cowling off. The engine is over the back of the transom. I didn't worry about trying to put the cover back on once it started, but it was a tense few minutes. On leaving, the worst I had was a little cavitation into the NE Swell over the actual shallow bit of the bar near the last lead. That return trip I went with Mark and Shaun. Mark had crew and ran me down around The Entrance, and Shaun went via New Zealand, well at least out of sight of land.

They're right, go in the daylight. It's a lovely trip and if you leave early on the right day, you'll be in the lake for afternoon tea with Greg and Bear.