Heading south on the East Coast of Australia. Questions.

[GILow]

One for the Aussie cruisers…

So, if I have the right end of the stick, I understand that heading south on the east coast of Australia from northern Queensland, you don’t really want to leave before September or October?

If that is the case, what sort of percentage of the time is it possible to sail south, vs needing to anchor and wait for weather windows? This would be on a reasonably seaworthy 40 foot sailing boat, capable of sailing with the wind forward of the beam.

Matt

[Wotname]

Depends a bit on your final destination and your interpretation of northern Queensland and the East Coast of Oz.

Cairns to Brisbane?
Whitsundays to Sydney?
Cooktown to Eden or even Hobart?

You can (and many have) sailed against the trades inside the reef. It is tiresome but possible. Depending on the season (i.e. your luck), the winter trades can abate enough over night allowing for a late night/early morning departure motoring and sailing during the day as the strength develops with the addition of the afternoon sea breeze. You stop when you have had enough bashing and wait to see what happens that or the next night. There are plenty of safe enough anchorages inside the reef even if they aren't calm.

Disclaimer - my info is based on the QLD weather patterns from 40 years ago, things may have changed...

[GILow]

Well, I was thinking Townsville to Adelaide actually.

But I know the Bass Strait bit pretty well now, so I guess Townsville to Eden is the bit that I’m unsure of.

I’d plan to leave later in the year, when things are as favourable as possible. So no time pressure, work with the winds.

[chrisr]

we are not in the area any more but spent some years going up and down the aussie east coast

north of say bundaberg expect SE 15-20k...day in / day out, in the april to say august band. from september you start to see some weakening and variety but SE is still prevailing so you really need to grab the opportunity / miles when you see a window.

i recall being holed up in mackay for weeks waiting for favourable wind, which didn't come until a cyclone passed south and changed the weather pattern. sailed from macky under a storm warning (next up from a gale warning) but wind direction favourable so i was going !

anyway, as wotname mentioned, wind opportunities are often at night

aim to be south of bundy by start of cyclone season (november)

once you get to bundy / hervey bay the worst is over. go inside fraser island n over wide bay bar. quick bash to moreton bay...inside passage to southport.

after southport it's easy...start to see NElys again, plus the good ole EAC current to help.

enjoy !

cheers,

[clownfishsydney]

In my two trips to FNQ, we headed back from Townsville (to Sydney) in the first week of September. Had winds behind us for most of the time.

[GILow]

So combining all of this I’m getting October as the best time to leave and expect a good trip south from Brisbane onwards. So, pushing but not making a chore of it, four weeks from Townsville to Eden would be possible?

[picklesandjesse]

Originally Posted by GILow

So combining all of this I’m getting October as the best time to leave and expect a good trip south from Brisbane onwards. So, pushing but not making a chore of it, four weeks from Townsville to Eden would be possible?

If you're in Townsville you should be able to leave in early Sept or late this month. Four weeks is plenty. NE seabreezes have started down here in northern NSW as of this coming week.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by picklesandjesse

If you're in Townsville you should be able to leave in early Sept or late this month. Four weeks is plenty. NE seabreezes have started down here in northern NSW as of this coming week.

I see what you mean, I just had a look at Predict Wind and it's like someone has thrown a switch later this week.

[chrisr]

it all depends on the winds. could easily take 4 weeks to get from townsville to mackay

rule one of cruising : don't have a timetable
rule two : see rule one

cheers,

[BobFord]

I ponder this question each year. Sept has some opportunities but Oct, Nov is my choice ,Dec perhaps best. From Cape Moreton you may well gain a lift from current. See BOM's current forecasts. Night travel but motor sailing is an option most months but can be hard work.Have you researched standing offshore away from the limitations of the GBR ?

[JPA Cate]

Hi, Matt, we've not been farther north than Lizard.

That said, early morning departure on the offshore tack. The wind goes light before the sea breezes kick in, for about an hour, then use the NE sea breeze to go on the inshore tack. There's a lot of E in your course for a while, but that makes a pretty comfortable sail.

If it is really strong from the SE, we would wait, but the only place we've ever waited long was Eden, and that was looking at crossing to Tassie (or at least to Babel Is.). It's a long way from Townsville to Adelaide. Had you considered the great silver bird?

However, chrisr got it right in that we always use the nights, too, if we have a favorable wind, and even 25-30 can be pretty comfy, when you're broad reaching. Don't know if someone has told you about the southerly busters. They are vigorous southerly changes, often presaged by little white ripples on the water where they "shouldn't" be. They can be vigorous (45 kn. or so). The white ripples are telling you to shorten sail. The sky will be darkening, to a really dark grey, and fast (for weather). If you aren't tuned into what the weather is doing, you could be surprised, but if a frontal passage is forecast, you should not be "surprised."

You should have no problems, as long as you plan day hops (for good rest) and to jump on any favourable weather to get as far as you can. Also, take advantage of the open roadstead anchorages as needed. PM me if you'd like me to send you the names of the places we've stopped. All but one are in Lucas' books.

Ann

[catsketcher]

It depends

We had friends who left the Whitsundays one week before us who had tailwinds the whole way whilst we left in early November and had headwinds.

I don't think it is at all possible to know for certain when the northerlies will kick in, the one thing that is certain is that the further south you get, the more likely you are to get northerlies (as sea breezes). So basically if you get a northerly - go, go go! Don't stop until it turns south, do an overnighter or two if the wind is up.

If you are far north, the you can tack pretty easily into the southerlies (but they blow harder further north) by heading out to the reef and sailing in their lee. We did this to get south from Lizard.

But after seven trips experience I would not make a deadline to get south. You will probably be fine but if a ridge forms up the coast you may find yourself stuck at Shaw or Magnetic waiting for days upon days for the trades to die down. Put effort into getting your timeline flexible, research more about where you can leave the boat, or change the dates of things, it aint fun to bash into reinforced trades. That being said - we have never waited at Shaw or Percy - we just keep cruising until the weather looks good and then we put pedal to the metal when conditions let us make hay. And don't turn your nose up at easterlies, and be like a racer in choosing places to hide out for a day or two. We had a nice time on the wind last cruise - from the Whitsundays all the way to Island Head - but when the wind was south west we headed southeastm and when the wind was southeast we headed southwest - and ended up south.

[GILow]

Some great additions here, thank you all.

I hadn't considered going outside the reef. I will look into that but I may be solo for some parts of the journey so the idea of short coastal hops has appeal, particularly in the busier areas.

I do need to do some research on the EAC. I know it is there but I don't have a feel for what kind of difference it would make.

Certainly not going to try to push too hard. If I do this trip one of the non negotiable bits is that I don't want to bash the boat to bits. Or myself for that matter. But I do need to try to estimate the total travel time best I can because it will involve putting a lot of stuff in my life on hold for the duration.

[chrisr]

Originally Posted by GILow

Some great additions here, thank you all.

I hadn't considered going outside the reef. I will look into that but I may be solo for some parts of the journey so the idea of short coastal hops has appeal, particularly in the busier areas.

I do need to do some research on the EAC. I know it is there but I don't have a feel for what kind of difference it would make.

Certainly not going to try to push too hard. If I do this trip one of the non negotiable bits is that I don't want to bash the boat to bits. Or myself for that matter. But I do need to try to estimate the total travel time best I can because it will involve putting a lot of stuff in my life on hold for the duration.

there's a lot of stuff about the current on the BOM website, but very simplistically : 10 nm offshore...3-4kts

it's gold !

cheers,

[Moana Bella]

We sailed from Cairns to Mooloolaba last year in late October/early November.
And we had a deadline, due to work comittments.
So naturally the old rule of thumb held true - no matter where you are going, or what time of year, the wind is always on the nose. We bashed into the wind motor-sailing all the way. So I would have to say lack of a deadline trumps time of year every time.
One thing we did have going for us - most of the time was the East Australian Current. Ran South at 1-2 knots most of the time.
Although, week before last, we sailed north from Bundy to Keppel, and had 2 knots of current with us, then 1 knot against, followed by 1 knot with us. Must have been one of the "eddies" they talk about. Kinda made me feel I was less confused when we kept forgetting to put the paddle wheel back in.
But you are right about one thing - you don't want to leave anywhere north of Bundy until October, because it is awesome up there, until the lightning storms start around end October/early November. Spectacular to watch, but makes one worry about that big metal stick overhead.
Inside Fraser is much calmer than outside, and lots of places to anchor, but takes longer because you need to move on the rising tide through Sheridan Flats, then wait for ebbing or slack high at wide bay bar - and that's a place you don't want to go with a timetable.
Happy travels.