Checking In

[Trivial Pursuit]

Our first post on the Forum.

M and I are about to set off on our most ambitious cruise so far (working up slowly to the big one?). We will leave Port Stephens (NSW Australia) this weekend (weather permitting) and turn left intending to coast hop as far as the Whitsunday Islands on the Coral Coast. Our cat is quick and reasonably comfortable but not overly capacious so we will need to tie up for supplies and a proper shower every few days.

Apart from all the usual essentials we are armed with Alan Lucas' excellent guides to the NSW coast and the Coral Coast. We also have the Qld Beacon to Beacon Guide (and the Magic Miles of course).

For the first part of the trip at least we will be in company with a couple of good friends on their cat.

If any forum members are (or have recently been) on their way up the East coast of Oz we would appreciate any advice you may have on anything and everthing to do with the trip north - entrance bars, the EAC, marinas, anchorages etc- all the stuff that hasn't got into Alan's books yet.

Cap'n Scruffy and the crew of T.P.

[Istioploos]

Welcome to Cruiser Log. Please take a look to our Cruiser's Guide wiki, even better contribute your knowledge.

[Lexx]

Hi TP,

I don't much enjoy the NSW coast so tend to avoid it these days. The Queensland coast is fantastic for cruising with some very good anchorages and the ability to day sail while coast hopping your way north. The Beacon to Beacon is an excellent road map of the area it covers and I have used it a great deal. This coupled with Alan Lucus' Coral Coast book is all you need really aside from your charts, plotter etc.

Most marinas will charge you a fortune being you are in a cat. Laughs I know I used to have one. I could write for hours giving you hints and tips for the trip as I have done the Queensland coast a few times now. I will give you a few pointers and hopefully a few others will add to it.

Tweed heads is pretty good for having a rest and resupplying, showers etc. There is a bar and the usual bar cautions apply. Approach a little from the northeast and hold close on the northern wall of the entrance. Once inside you will pass Jack Evans Boat harbour on your starboard side, I don't know why its called a boat harbour because its not really suitable for most yachts. Keep it in mind though as you can dinghy into it and leave your dinghy near the paddle boat hire place ... they will even keep an eye on it for you. Across the road is Centro Tweed, a shopping mall where you can buy almost anything with supermarkets and specialty shops.

Now going up the tweed river take the starboard reach when you come to the fork in the river. Not far past that point you have good holding either side in 3 to 5 metres of water. You will see catamarans and house boats directly ahead then a public and pump out wharf where you can get water, with monohulls beyond that. You cn also anchor near the moored multihulls. Across the road from the pump out wharf is a caravan park with showers and laundry facilities they make available for a small cost.

A little further on is Boyds Bay and the Ivory Tavern Marina that has really cheap lunches and showers as well. The fuel wharf, (diesel only), is further on into the inlet past the marina.

I could probably give you more as I stayed in the Tweed for some months doing repairs and its a good place to rest up a little, but thats enough to go on with for now.

I found following the above mentioned publications to be a very good guide north from the Tweed.

Hope you have an enjoyable and safe trip. Should you ever get up to Port Douglas then look me up as this is my home now till I replenish my cruising kitty for my planned asia trip.

Lexx

[Trivial Pursuit]

Thanks Lexx

The Tweed sounds like a good alternative to the Seaway for a bit of R & R.

TP

[Lexx]

There is nothing wrong with the Gold Coast Seaway and the entrance is easier for sure ... its just too commercial for me and I found the Tweed which is only 15 miles south to be quieter and more relaxing for me ... oh and make sure you chain up your dinghy anywhere on the seaway and Tweed ,,, seems they go missing regularly.

Lexx