Cruising Guide to Port Hacking

A view of Port Hacking looking to the east with Lilli Pilli in the foreground. Maianbar Shoals and Deeban Spit are evident with Bate Bay in the far background Cruising Guide to Port Hacking Last Updated in December 2018 Port Hacking Cruising Division Index Description Page Number Destination Summary ..........................................................................................................................4 History of Port Hacking, NSW .............................................................................................................7 About Port Hacking .............................................................................................................................9 The Story of Trim ...............................................................................................................................10 The adventures of Trim ........................................................................................................... 10 Shipwrecked and imprisoned .................................................................................................. 11 Mapping of Australia ................................................................................................................ 11 Cruising contact system ....................................................................................................................12 Clubs, Marinas and Fuel ...................................................................................................................13 Royal Motor Yacht Club - Port Hacking ................................................................................... 13 Cronulla Sailing Club Ltd ......................................................................................................... 13 Yowie Bay Marina .................................................................................................................... 13 Port Hacking Open Sailing Club .............................................................................................. 13 Cronulla Marina ....................................................................................................................... 14 Dolans Bay Marina Pty Ltd ...................................................................................................... 14 Burraneer Bay Marina ............................................................................................................. 14 The Channels of the Port (January 2018) .........................................................................................15 Map of Port Hacking ..........................................................................................................................17 Radio coverage frequencies repeaters etc ........................................................................................17 Volunteer Marine Rescue – NSW Bases ..........................................................................................19 Important Telephone Numbers - All Emergencies only Phone 000 ..................................................22 Trim: The True Story of a Remarkable Cat .......................................................................................23 The Curranulla story ..........................................................................................................................25 Beaufort Wind Scale ..........................................................................................................................30 Anchorages .......................................................................................................................................32 Boat Harbour ........................................................................................................................... 32 The Boatshed Cafe at La Perouse .......................................................................................... 34 Wattamolla (Providential Cove) ............................................................................................... 35 Whale Watching ...................................................................................................................... 41 Jibbon Beach ........................................................................................................................... 47 Bundeena - Horderns and Gunyah Beach .............................................................................. 49 Gunnamatta Bay ...................................................................................................................... 54 Salmon Haul ............................................................................................................................ 55 Wildflowers of Cabbage Tree Creek ........................................................................................ 55 Deeban Spit, and the Sand spit ............................................................................................... 58 Rathane and Gogerly’s Point ................................................................................................... 62 South West Arm and gooseberry Bay ..................................................................................... 64 Upper Reaches of SW Arm and Winifred Falls ....................................................................... 66 Anice Falls ............................................................................................................................... 68 Caruthers Bay and Darks Bay ................................................................................................. 71 Farnell Bight ............................................................................................................................ 72 Audley Weir in the Royal National Park ................................................................................... 74 Grays Point and the Wildflowers of Muddy Creek ................................................................... 78 Rules of Cruising (In progress) ..........................................................................................................81 Cruising hints (In progress) ...............................................................................................................82 Aquabelle’s Cruise to Port Hacking – by Paul Greenhalgh ...............................................................86 Lake Macquarie a rough guide by Greg Cooke ..............................................................................92 Cruising destinations South of the Port .............................................................................................95 Favourite Recipes on Board ..............................................................................................................96 Date: December 2015 Broadwater Yacht Club Page 3 of 98 Port Hacking Cruising Group Destination Summary 01 Sep 2010 (Edited summary) The greater Sydney region holds some of the best waterways in the world and none better than the creeks and rivers that make up Port Hacking, reports Matthew Smeal. To have such variety within a small area makes this area unique. Pittwater to the north and moving southwards, Sydney Harbour, Botany Bay and Port Hacking all have their similarities yet are vastly different; offering visiting cruisers plenty of choice. Botany Bay, with its industry and airport, would never be considered a tranquil cruising ground. Sydney Harbour has some beautiful areas, quite apt for the most beautiful harbour in the world, but it is still a major port in Australia’s largest city. Pittwater is the general ‘go to’ cruising ground for Sydney sailors and visitors alike, but meanwhile, at the southern end, lies Port Hacking, often referred to as ‘Sydney’s forgotten waterway’, as the locals, will tell you. ‘I think it’s one of the best waterways on the New South Wales coast,’ said Bruce McKay. ‘There’s clean water, it’s sheltered, there’s friendly boat owners and, because it’s smaller, there’s more camaraderie ‘everybody knows each other.’ There are also plenty of facilities in the area with services at Cronulla Marina and the very sheltered Burraneer Bay Marina and shop. History Called ‘Deeban’ by the local Aboriginal people, Port Hacking was named by Matthew Flinders and George Bass in 1796. They named it after hunter Henry Hacking who told them about the area and the river in particular. Like Pittwater, Port Hacking is also bordered by national park, in this case, the Royal National Park. Similarly, this greatly contributes to the area’s charm and appeal as large areas are thankfully, undeveloped. Port Hacking offers cruisers a fantastic destination: close to amenities and the city, but still with a fabulous waterway to explore. ‘Jibbon Beach is a popular northwest facing beach. There are Royal Motor Yacht Club moorings and public moorings but it’s mainly an anchorage,’ said Bruce McKay. There’s also Northwest and Southwest Arm. They are great anchorages with high sides sheltering them from the wind. And the sailing: Bate Bay is great for sailing, quite safe. It offers some of the best protected coastal sailing along the New South Wales coast with deep water and excellent breezes. Up in the Broadwater, it’s like the Whitsunday’s. Navigation The area can get a little difficult due to the shifting sandbanks. ‘Unfortunately, parts of Port Hacking can be tricky to navigate due to the shallow channels and the reluctance of the authorities to dredge the area, This currently only effects boats

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