Anchoring in Sydney

[Hammer]

Sydney Harbour at regular times is a wonderful place to be, but during New Years Eve...it's a whole new level. An experienced not to be missed by cruisers.

Sydney Harbour during New Years eve is a spectacular place to be at.

Here's just an example of what you can experience...

[TopperHarley]

My experience with farm cove is that even on a relatively quiet week day, the wash from everything in the harbour comes through and bounces off the the three seawalls.

This causes a very uncomfortable chop that caused even the experienced boaties amongst us to be come queezy !

We persisted for a while as the spot was so beautiful, however after about an hr we couldnt take it any more and moved on !

[Boracay]

Well, since this is a fireworks photo competition I've attached my entry.

I'm claiming extra points as the picture (if I remember correctly) was taken from Farm Cove.

The wash was annoying but not soul destroying and did die down after 7:00pm (from memory). We were anchored well in and could have gone in further if we had not wanted to see the fireworks. The holding felt good and some parts are probably more affected than others.

Probably not the best place in the world to do ones laundry.

[xanadu]

There are two designated International Anchorages and two others worth particular note, and then a myriad bays, bites and roadsteads to rest awhile in (al)most perfect security.

Blackwattle Bay is the main International Anchorage
33 52 20.688 S 151 11 08.337 E
Close to the Sydney CBD and supermarket within walking distance.
Ok for checking out what Sydney city has to offer and seems reasonably calm anchorage.
However typically inconsiderate Catamaran skippers anchor in this spot when there are two anchorages to the West (the far western one is ideally suited only to shallow draft vessels such as Catamarans) this would free up Blackwattle bay for more cruisers on Monohulls. Noting some come in from interstate late at night only to find nowhere to anchor.

However this spot is ok for a small shop but choice of supermarkets is limited and not ideal for provisioning. The best place to provision we found was actually Manly which has an ALDI supermarket on the main wharf as well as a Coles and Coin Op laundry a short walk up Pittwater Road.

You can anchor up in Quarantine Bay or on the Western side of the wharf and dinghy in to the wharf and tie up on the Eastern side of the wharf and leave your dinghy on the beach tied to the shore.
We did note that policing of speed limits around Manly was fairly lapse around the New Years Period with numerous high speed boats racing through the anchorage and large pleasure boats exceeding the 4 knot limit despite many people on paddleboards and swimmers being in the vicinity.

The other International Anchorage and if you have a dog or children on board you may like to stay here. Balls Head 33 50 42.147 S 151 11 50.552 E.
The anchorage has an ALDI supermarket approx 2.5kms walk to North Sydney, a train station close by will take you two stops to Sydney Central and there is a park, free BBQ, freshwater available and a playground for children and a small beach..
A small bay however very protected and quiet with little wash from ferries and pleasure cruisers.

[DtM]

Some nice anchorages up Middle Harbour where you generally avoid the beam on slop that can make the main harbour a bit tedious (in my view).


That said we had a great 4 days in Rose Bay over Christmas. Easy shopping and a beach to walk the dog.

[Buzzman]

The RMS maps are too parge too upload even in PDF fomrat, but if anyone wants them I can email them or provide a link, if you can't download them yourself.

Further to the above, the Sydney Fish Market in Blackwattle Bay has easy access to the Light rail that goes form Leichardt to Central Station via Darling Harbour and the Casino. Cross the carpark and under the overhead roadway flyover to reach the station. 5min walk.

From Central Station, take the next available train for the City Loop (either direction) and get off at Town Hall, which has a Woolworths grocery supermarket acessible from the main concourse of the station. 1min walk.

From the anchorage area in Blackwattle Bay, dinghy to the steps on breakwater or ramp at the Boathouse Restaurant, and walk up the hill (Forth St) to Glebe Pt Rd. Excellent botle shop on the corner, bakery, pub cafe and green grocery to the left.

Catch bus down Glebe Pt Rd (south-east) to Broadway and huge Mall with supermarkets and specialty stores. I'd get a cab/taxi back though, down Bay St and round the waterfront to the bottom of Forth St. About $10, but saves the legs and arms carrying groceries.

Boathouse Rest is pricey, but all along Glebe Pt Rd are loads of less expensive restaurants and cafes, most famously Badde Manors down near Broadway. But there are literally dozens of cafes along this strip for those with a cappuccino addiction.

Also worth a visit is the Glebe Markets (mostly goods but some produce) held every Saturday in the grounds of Glebe Public School on Glebe Pt Rd.

Another excellent destination is Paddys market, the green grocery and general market in the Haymarket, 5 min walk from Central or Town Hall, every Saturday. Cheap veggies, bargains etc.

[dirkdig]

Had a lot of fun exploring from Blackwattle bay top spot and easy access to everywhere


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Buzzman]

I've uploaded the Roads and Maritime maps for NSW to Dropbox, if anyone would like a copy they are in PDF format here:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ilbrediw6...wJDJC1kYa?dl=0

The ones for Sydney Harbour might not be immediately clear to a non-Sydneysider, they are:
9D port jackson - middle harbour
9D port jackson - east
9G parramatta river
9G port jackson - west

The last named shows everything west of the bridge, including the Blackwattle Bay anchorages, Fish Markets etc. Pretty sure you can motor into Darling Harbour and use the small boat dock at the foot of King St, south of the Pyrmont Bridge, but this is dinghy only trerritory as the bridge, while a marvel of 19thC swing bridge engineering, is too low for anything but daysailers to get their masts under.

For those non-Aussies looking at the maps for the first time, the numbering system is north-south, so 1A is the Queensland/NSW border, while 13A depicts the coastal border between NSW/Victoria in the south, with Gabo Island clearly shown. Gabo is one of the WX 'markers' along the coast and is the point at which the Sydney/Hobart fleet veers away from the coast heading south to Tasmania across Bass St. So if you've watched the race on TV you'll have heard the name 'Gabo Island'.

9A pittwater to cowan creek shows the main anchorage for sailors travelling the coast at Refuge and America Bay which are safe in anything but a nor-wester, and even then aren't too bad. Except at weekends in our summer (November to March) as they fill up with locals pretty early on Friday arvo - but mid-week it's always quiet.
It also shows the two 'remote bushland' marinas of Cowan Creek and Bobbin Head, if you needed a quiet marina for a day or two, and both have some engineering facilities if required.

On 9A Pittwater-main you can see the anchorages and the marinas around Newport and Church Point, with RMYC (Royal Motor Yacht Club-Pittwater) probably the friendliest, with plenty of visitor berths, excellent showers and laundry facilities, a nice bistro (not too exxy), haul-out and engineering facilities.
I admit to partisanship over RMYC, as my great-great-grandfather was the founding Commodore back in the twenties, but it is a well-managed marina/club.
Multihulls are especially welcomed, as they have quite a fleet of multis who exercise their rigs in a twilight race series during the summer. I've been out on a friend's 47' Spindrift a few times and they are great people.

But if you are on a tight budget, and anchor out off Church Point, there is a bus from there a cuppla kms to Mona Vale shopping centre, which has supermarkets etc, and a glance through the local Yellow Pages will show there are loads of marine-related businesses in the Mona Vale area, so stainless work, awnings and sunshades, rigging and so on can all be readily accessed for repairs etc.

And if you happen along the coast, 4B Macleay-back shows the Trial Bay anchorage, which is a refuge in a southerly blow. Anyone wanting a look around the local area and wishes to anchor here, or just inside the river mouth near The Boatshed and Boat ramp, PM me some time before and I will be able to collect you and show you round, provided I'm at home, that is.....

[JPA Cate]

Nice post, Buzzman!

As it happens, we just the other day sailed past Trial Bay. Had planned to stop, but conditions were so nice we pressed onward to Coffs, where we spent the usual uncomfortable night rolling about. Ahh, the price of a schedule...

Maybe next time?

Jim, using Ann's computer and lying Iluka... off again in the morning if the bar settles down.

[Buzzman]

Dang! I was even at home, and the guest room was empty!

Next time, then....