Cruising Broken Bay - Near Sydney, Australia

[Boracay]

We are looking to cruise Broken Bay, just to the north of Sydney, for a few days in January.

This is a very popular destination during holidays so I am wondering if any members have any tips.

Good places to anchor, places to avoid, quiet places - that sort of thing.

[surfingminniwinni]

We have cruised there during winter months & its relatively quite, Refuge Cove & Cowan Creek area's are great, it was nice & quite. January I've heard, becomes quite crowded.
But its worth the effort to go, maybe some Pittwater residents can give you more detailed information & Lucas has some great info as well. Enjoy.

Cheers,

[Sandyh]

One myth would be that at the anchorages you won't need a tender; simply step from the deck to deck!

Not true, there's room for all but it IS busy. Holding is usually in mud. Avoid the tidal sands and their fringe sea-grasses at the back of the bays and inlets. You need to watch the onset of the Southerly changes which come to alleviate the heat of the summer days. Some of the bays are quite exposed to the wind whistling through.

While Cowan Creek has plenty of spots, be aware that it tends to be quite deep until close to the shore; swing room can be a problem. Tidal range is largest with Spring tides in January, but not excessive.

Google the NSW Maritime website for recreational maps of the are in pdf files. These show where the free 24-hour [in your dreams!] moorings are and are a good guide for planning.

Cheers

[Boracay]

I checked out Bantry Bay (Middle Harbour, Sydney, Oz) on the weekend and all the public moorings were occupied. How does one get a public mooring?

Bantry bay is very deep in the middle (I'm told it was dredged to allow the ammunition boats to come in) so the only decent anchoring is right where the public moorings are.

[efrank]

I have spent many pleasant days over the years in Castle Lagoon which is around a blind the corner in a bay just before you reach Cottage Point.
If you cannot locate it on the charts I will find more details.
Perfect in all wind conditions and a good holding bottom.
It is quite a small keyhole shaped bay so does fill up. There are some public moorings and or you can tie up to the shore as there is depth nearly all the way round.Becareful of the south eastern corner where a little beach appears at low tide.
Cottage Point is a short outboard ride away for provisioning.
I am giving away a great secret spot.
Have a wonderful time
Cheers..Eric

[Jim Cate]

Yep, the holiday season in Broken Bay is pretty crowded, but it can be enjoyable if you don't mind the mobs. The public moorings, in theory, are to be occupied for only 24 hours. Reality is that they are often hogged, and one shouldn't count on being able to use them. But, there are countless spots where one can anchor. Often a bit deep (15+ metres) in places, but usually good holding mud on the bottom. When all else fails, Refuge/America bays will provide a safe anchorage. These bays contain several hundred club moorings, and local practice is that anyone can use them, but be prepared to be booted off by their real owners at any moment. The good news is that there is a LOT of room to anchor, 4-5 metre depths, and almost no one anchcors there, even in the mad season. There will be lots of company to enjoy/hate or whatever!.

Once the holidays are over,it quickly reverts to being deserted (almost) during the week, and only a bit crowded on the weekends. A fantastic place considering its proximity to Sydney... those buggers don't realize how lucky they are to have it!

Cheers from
Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II lying Gladstone, Qld Oz

[Boracay]

Castle Lagoon is not marked on my Waterways Authority chart but I found it in an online Club Sail Chartering Guide.

It does look very nice.

What time would one need to arrive to get a spot in January (not Christmass/New Year)?

[ausieman]

I often overnight in that area as it's only 3 or 4 hours easy sail from Sydney and outside of holiday periods it's very peacful. I sailed there about 2 weeks ago and saw 15 whales and numerous dolphins during the trip. Past experience has shown that the best time to arrive in the Cowan Creek with any chance of securing a public mooring for at least one night is Sunday afternoon with the next best being Friday lunch time. This is due to the large houseboat hire fleet based at Brooklyn. People tend to hire the houseboats for a weekend (the most common) or what is called midweek. Weekend hire means a lot of the fleet vacate the moorings in order to return to Brooklyn just after lunch and the midweek hirers need to return by about friday lunch time. From memory Cowan Creek is about 20 to 25 feet deep from where it meets the Hawkesbury River up to about Jerusulam Bay where it quickly drops to around 60 feet and gets to around 80 feet further up. Another thing worth remembering if you decide to enter Pittwater is that it also has a relatively shallow enterance and entry should be made along the western side but I'm sure you would have checked your charts prior to heading that way.

[MarkJ]

Castle Lagoon Oh man, its beautiful!!!!!!



Anywhere along Cowan creek is wonderful! Smiths creeks is terrific!

Refuge and Americas Bays are full of moorings and full of people but the waterfall is. well, tres sensational! (See chic in photo below)

As with all areas over summer I think it all gets pretty full but use the anchor and then you don't have to worry. There is plenty of anchor space as there is so much room in between the moorings.
Just go up there and explore and it all comes quite simple

Free water at AkunaBay and free visitors mooring there to go to their showers (Don't pay for the Mens shower as there is one unlocked there anyway). Shop there is expensive.

Cottage Point Kiosk has WiFi internet for $6 per day on Tomizone - you have to pay by credit card. Its good.

Free garbage barge in RefugeBay

Cheap shop at near Cowan Railway Station. Anchor in Pinta bay in Jerusalem Bay and dink to head of Jerusalem bay, find walking track go left and 1 hour walk to station, then turn right and shop is 300m on left

[Boracay]

I see that the Cottage Point Kiosk (thanks Mark) has WiFi access but what about Internet Cafes?
I don't have a laptop (or any computer on the boat).

With Sydney's weather the way it is at the moment (a series of troughs every few days) it is really helpful in planning to get a longer range forecast.

I have been using Seabreeze.

[Boracay]

Thanks to all for your help.

Some comments:- The trip up was rougher than I appreciate.
Day 1 - Castle Lagoon is very nice. We scored a public mooring, and it looked like a strong argument was going on as to who got it when we left.
Day 2 - We motored across to Pinta Bay where we scored another public mooring. Very quiet and peaceful.
Day 3 _ Motored down to Bobbin Head, then back up to Brooklyn (checked out water depth in area marked "Oyster Leases" - very shallow) where we used a public mooring as we had a seafood lunch (Expensive fish and chips, but nice), then over to America Bay where (you guessed it) we got a public mooring.
Day 4 - Left extra early to see if the weather would be any better. It was, and we had a good trip back to Sydney.

Photos : Stress testing the davits in Castle Lagoon, Morning in Pinta Bay, Boracay at Brooklyn, Leaving America Bay.

Thanks to Coastal Patrol (esp. Ken) who kept watch over us.

[shadow]

Looks like you and your partner had great fun!! Wish we were around to assist in your journey up there!! Would still love to see her on the water with her sails up!! So I assume the public moorings are truly free?? And how often did the coast guard come around asking for information and what did they ask?? Just curious as I hope to cruise that area sometime soon when we get our yacht.

[MarkJ]

I didn't lie to ya, did I? Some lovely places

Mark

[Boracay]

In answer to Shadow's questions:-

"So I assume the public moorings are truly free?"
Yes, but 24 hour occupancy only. And the damage to one's boat and ego wrought by aggressive houseboat jockeys driven by a crew wanting a good spot for the night might be incalculable.
In Castle lagoon I saw tenders from nearby anchored boats dash to a pubic mooring as soon as it was vacated to claim it.

"And how often did the coast guard come around asking for information and what did they ask?"
I only saw the National Parks boat once, in Castle Lagoon. We had just left in the tender to go to Cottage Point for an ice cream (expensive) when they came in and took interest in the stern of Boracay. I started back to have a chat but they moved off, obviously not feeling social. We had been on the mooring for 21.5 hours at that stage.

The holding in general looks to be good so I don't know what everyone goes on about. It may have something to do with oversized powerboats with undersized anchors, "bullets" (gusts funnelling down long narrow valleys) and deep centres to the good spots. The first mate was not ecstatic about my anchoring technique, despite spending a few sheckels on a small Manson Supreme and a little extra chain.

I didn't get much of the opportunity to try out the Supreme. Initial impressions are that it takes more time to "bite" than the old plough with extra lead in the tip, but that having bitten holding may be better.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Boracay

. We had been on the mooring for 21.5 hours at that stage.

.

Yes, but Boracay is just talking about now, in the Christmas holidays. When we were there till early December you could take your pick of moorings for as long as you like. We would get one by Friday midday as the weekends get a it more busy but the 24 hours wasn't enforced and there wasnt preasure on them to quit as there were not that many boats there.

School holidays / weekends, its like getting a anchoring spot within cooee of Store Bay. Like anchoring in a sardine can. But weekdays, even mid december we were the only boat there!

Mark
PS Anchorage at Surfers Paradise (we arrived yysterday arvo) is PACKED! LOL We will launch Lil Dink this am and go explore!