Cruising Helmsman August 2018 14 NOTHING QUITE BEATS THE WEST COAST OF TASMANIA FOR BOTH ITS Sailing BEAUTY AND ITS DANGER. CHRISTINE DANGER TASMANIA the wild side SAILING the wild side of Tasmania, its west PASSAGE PLANNING coast, has been a long held goal: remote, rugged, less frequented, all aspects we value. But to Whether you talk to locals or check the wind cruise there safely, with a chance to see and explore roses, it seems the best time to go along the west pristine wilderness in all its moods, you need coast of Tasmania is from February to April. The time. You cannot be on a schedule. So although weather is a little more settled, the winds and we have often sailed to Tasmania, we had never seas calmer. DESTINATION been able to venture right along the West Coast, We were most interested in northeast not till we had retired and lived aboard. conditions since we were going south from So let us take you through some of the passage King Island and the Hunter Group. Off the west planning and practical aspects of a trip down and south east coast of Tasmania, during the the wild side, before showing you around its two winter and spring, winds in excess of 20 knots iconic destinations: Macquarie Harbour and occur over 30 per cent of the time and winds in Port Davey-Bathurst Harbour. excess of 35kn occur approximately 10% of the time. During summer and autumn however, on the way to Macquarie Harbour; on either 15 winds in excess of 35kn occur less than 4% side of Point Hibbs with Hibbs Pyramid at of the time. the northern end, behind Bird Island at the As it turns out, we did get the northeast southern end; and at Elliott Bay just past Low conditions to get down the coast but very Rocky Point. strong and persistent westerlies in excess of We chose Sandy Cape on the passage to 35kn in Macquarie Harbour and even more in Macquarie Harbour and Hibbs Pyramid Port Davey-Bathurst Harbour. In fact we had on the passage to Port Davey. All these are unseasonably strong winds and rainy weather. typical west coast anchorages, never totally So one important part of passage planning free of swell but quite comfortable for us on is to allow plenty of time, not only to sail there our catamaran. www.mysailing.com.au and explore but also the chance you will be Taking your time when a little voice inside weather bound. You can be stuck for several you might be whispering “get south as quickly weeks more than anticipated, waiting for an as possible”, has special rewards. The coast is appropriate weather window to move on. You beautiful, rugged and spectacular, the wildlife also need at least two weeks in each major active and it is amazing to be sailing at a good location to do these stunning wilderness pace in this often inhospitable seascape. areas justice. A sense of achievement and exhilaration fills But first, you have to get there. For us, this you. You cannot help but reflect on how lucky means finding ways of avoiding overnight sails. you are. We therefore look for safe ocean anchorages For all our Tasmanian wanders, we refer to along the way to break the journey. two cruising guides to help us map out our In the right conditions, you can anchor passages and select anchorages, these are: overnight along the daunting west coast. For ‘Cruising Tasmania’ by J. Brettingham-moore instance in an easterly breeze you can find and ‘Tasmanian anchorage guide’ published shelter at Ann Bay in the northwest corner of by the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania. They are Tasmania; at Kenneth Bay near Sandy Cape our bibles. The view towards Port Davey from Mt Stoke. Cruising Helmsman August 2018 PRACTICAL ASPECTS the season. This goes for clothing and bedding! 16 Merino or thermal layering will keep you Sailing to remote areas can mean limited VHF warm and dry quickly if your clothes get wet. weather reports and sporadic internet service to An outer shell, gloves, beanies are essential. download forecasts along the coast or in the two If you decide to go ashore for bushwalks, boots, main harbours. gaiters or waterproof pants can be life savers. Not For instance, once out of Strahan there is just in case of rain and rivulets underfoot, but no internet nor mobile phone service. In some also in case of mud; oh and leeches. anchorages in Macquarie Harbour you will be A walking pole is also handy to help with steep able to communicate with Tas Radio Hobart on climbs or descents in slippery terrain. One of the VHF or HF, but once up the Gordon River you our conclusions from this trip is that gumboots TASMANIA have to rely on HF, a satellite weather system or would actually have been more practical than at least carry an HF receiver as we do. walking boots in the soggy conditions we In Port Davey the only place with internet and enjoyed; plus a lot easier to clean once back phone coverage is at Melaleuca Inlet at the little at the dinghy or boat. aerodrome, but that is it. So you are reliant on Last but not least, do not venture down the HF, satellite weather or the goodness of people west coast without a well-provisioned boat. relaying forecasts. There is only one spot for reprovisioning along the way: the little IGA at Strahan. So food, drinks, sundries including the all-important loo “WE HAVE COME OUT FEELING INVIGORATED, paper, fuel, must all be gathered in sufficient DESTINATION CHALLENGED AND, MORE THAN ANYTHING, quantity to last for several weeks. We have a standard provisioning list that HAPPY TO BE SAILING WITHOUT A SCHEDULE.” keeps two people autonomous for six weeks or four people for three weeks as was the case for When westerlies blow on the west coast, they us this time. It is based on a full menu for a week come a long way across the Southern Ocean and got extended over time. It includes treats, and thus pack some punch. We have found that, since cruising is about pleasure, not pain. especially in Port Davey when strong winds pick We bake on board, make our own yoghurt and up with fierce gusts and swirling willy willies, it grow sprouts. We run a good size fridge and a 40 is safer to anchor along the shore and tie yourself litre freezer, mainly used for storing meat. back to trees or bushes with stern lines, rather We fish, not very successfully, plus forage than anchor out with large lengths of chain. for shells. Once tucked in you are secure and most winds For fresh water, we collect rainwater to top will fly over your mast, not through the rigging. up our tanks and run the washing machine. So we carry two 50 metre and two 40m ropes. We have a water maker, but it did not get used Tasmania and especially the west coast are on this voyage given we had ample rainwater not known for their balmy weather. So one supply. You can find fresh water in Macquarie needs to be equipped for all sorts of conditions, Harbour and Port Davey-Bathurst Harbour specifically for the cold and the wet, no matter but it is tannin stained. 17 www.mysailing.com.au MACQUARIE HARBOUR WANDERINGS Gordon. You can obtain these in Strahan, LEFT TO RIGHT: Crew When you think harbour, you may well have where Trevor operates the commercial friends enjoying a selfie on an image of a port with artificial structures yacht Stormbreaker. a Gordon River reflection. and jetties. But picture this: an enclosed We stayed at the Back Channel upon arrival Arrival at Bramble Cove, waterway six times the size of Sydney Harbour; at Risby Cove in Strahan, where there is very Port Davey. empty it out of people and townships and, limited jetty side mooring space available, at BELOW: Cape Sorrell, instead, fill it with rainforest wilderness right Betsy Bay and at Double Cove on the western near Macquarie Harbour, down to the water. shores, at Sarah Island, down Birchs Inlet at the the tallest lighthouse in The surrounding untamed forest and the southern end, at Kelly Basin on the eastern side. the southern hemisphere mighty Gordon River that flows through it All had their charm and attractions. and needed on this rugged make for an outstanding, otherworldly setting; We could not resist going twenty miles up the west coast. wonderful for cruising, with numerous isolated Gordon River, all the way to Sir John’s Falls. We anchorages. The only settlement is the village stopped in a few places along the way, enjoyed of Strahan with its fine old buildings dating breathtaking reflections, sunsets and sunrises back to the 1800s and the mining and timber as the mist enveloped us and the river. boom. The rest is grandeur, isolation and the But we have one word of warning: if strong jewel in the crown of Tasmania’s Western wind is forecast, great protection is offered in wilderness. There is no one around, it is so the Gordon; however, if rain is also forecast, big and breathtakingly beautiful. stay right away or be prepared for flooding Two charts prepared by Trevor Norton are and log hazards. When we were there, well worth the investment of $20 each as it the river rose by two metres and we saw gives detailed information about approaches hundreds of large tree trunks careering to anchorages and river details up the down the river.