Thursday 21 March 2013

Forster Tuncurry


After leaving Pitwater we headed into Newcastle for the night....very nice marina and the loooong hot showers were very welcome.
The next morning after a leisurely start in mild southerlies we eventually reached the end of Stockton Beach....like Moreton and Fraser Islands, the beaches seem to go on for ever. As the weather was headed in the same direction, we decided to bypass Port Stephens and anchored overnight at Broughton Island in Coal Shaft Bay, on the south side of the island. We were expecting norther lies to come up during the night - they didn't - so spent a rolly night with the remnants of a southerly swell.
Coal Shaft Bay, Broughton Island


Cathy enjoying day 2!

2 days later and we are are holed up in a delightful little place called Forster Tuncurry, actually two towns either side of a small (very) natural cove at the entrance to the Wallis Lakes. The entrance has a bar, but permanent leads show the correct path through a narrow breakwater into an even narrower channel.
We are currently anchored in 2 metres of water listening to the sound of 35 knots passing over us. The only issue we have is that this area has a huge quantity of fresh water exiting the entrance to the harbour and on an ebb tide we have wind against tide so makes the boat do crazy things...not nice in a narrow channel with a 7 metre high bridge close by.
This is the first time I have secured a second anchor to our chain to minimise the pivot circle...sand bar on one side, bridge on the other and a rock wall on the third...talk about a sleepless night ! 
Based on weather predictions, we may leave here on Saturday morning and push on to Coffs Harbour.


2 comments:

  1. Can you guys hurry up and get to Brisbane already?
    Love you lots :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good to see you have made Manly Pete and Cath, been going great guns. How much diesel have you used... How does it feel to be back in the old berth ?

    Dave L

    ReplyDelete