Gave the marina notice we are out at the end of the month. Planning to go North again for winter, then head to Tassie for Summer.
Curious if any other Seabreezers have plans they would like to share or places recommended to see, anchorages to avoid etc.
I think I have already said it on Seabreeze but I am probably the only bloke who would avoid Tassie altogether. We found it difficult to relax with all the weather changes and sadly not very gregarious. So our trip was a let down. We went a long way to get two wonderful days with wildlife.
My main gripe with Tassie is that it is not really a place where a boat gets you extra access to anywhere barring Port Davey. Everywhere we went there was already some bloke in a van on shore to talk to. That is fine for them, but they could then go to Mt Field, or to Mt Wellington, or Cradle or anywhere inland. We were tied to the boat and could never get inland properly. I still have to go back to the Haartz mountains which border the Dentrecasteu. I watched them for weeks as we sailed around and never could climb them. Of course we could put the boat on a mooring or marina and hire a car. We did that once and had heaps of fun - much more than if we stayed with the boat. Tassie's jewells are accessible to anyone with a car - a boat reduces access to them.
Whereas in Queensland - if you aint got a boat you got nothing. It starts at Southport and a boat allows access to Queenslands jewells with great offshore islands and the reef. I would go crazy visiting Queensland without my boat. We have spent a year (when you add up all the trips) just mooching around the Whitsundays, and can easily spend 10 days at a time on islands like Keppel and Hinchinbrook. So my advice is sail Queensland and take the campervan (and maybe some kayaks on top) to Tassie.
cheers
Phil
"Not very gregarious" - ouch. On numerous trips down to Tassie since the early 80s two Hobarts I found the locals very outgoing and approachable. Of course a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then, and a ship into a bridge before then......imho the Taswegians have had the rough end of the stick on way too many occasions since then...........For sure I get it regarding the accessibility of the jewels............marine berth and car hire would be straightforward in most places?. With Cammd's yacht - 45ft if I recall right - is space available for 2 folding e bikes? Guess charging needs to be sorted.....
For sure the Whitsundays sparkle - unless you are there when they get smashed and never recover..........South Molle in 1979 was Utopia..........
www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02-15/south-molle-island-waits-on-damaged-jetty-fix-abandoned-resort/106329774
I've applied for my boat to be in the AWBF so that's one reason to go if accepted.
I did a tour around tassie years ago on my GS and loved it so keen to go and see more. Having the boat makes staying for months affordable. Probably will put her in a marina and do some inland exploring while we are there. My girlfriend hasn't been yet so she is very keen.
Also
We have some ambitions to do some more remote higher latitudes in future so Tassie seems like a good place to see if we like that type of cruising and want to do more.
In the meantime its getting cold in Brisbane so time to head North.
I don't know your boat Cam and what is a GS? A great skiff, a good sailor, a Grand Soleil?
We went in December/Jan for two years and left our boat there over the rest of the season. I hear March is the gun time to go. But as I love bushwalking almost as much as sailing, Tassie is great with a camper and way too much of a super tease by boat. But I reckon you have to be very flexible with how you plan when driving. We try not to book anything and mooch around depending on the weather - driving from one coast to the other over a couple of days is very easy and allows you to get out of the bad weather - whereas - on the boat you just gotta take it. So we have had great times since we left the boat and took the camper. We check Windy and basically plan around the rain a few days out. Tassie is so small that this is absolutley achievable. It means you can't do the big walks like the Overland track easily as these require booking months out. But you can do all the side walks - on the Overland track we did Pine Valley which we didn't do when we did the Overland, then there is all the stuff around Cradle, same with the 3 capes - we did almost all of it using our tent and great camping sites and booked the night before. On a boat, you may be able to walk some of Freycinet and Schouten and do bits of the Three Capes walk and climb Mt Wellington but you can't do Mt Field, Cradle, Haartz, or anything else.
Of course if bushwalking is not your thing then a boat could be great - I just could not take any more of never getting to the bush and having to sit on the boat. Socially it is nothing like Keppel or Airlie, the locals are bringing out their own friends and don't need to meet you but we did meet a few lovely people in Kettering.
I'm on my way north at the moment but we're in Port Stephens for the next week or so by the looks of things.
Select to expand quoteLazzz said..
I'm on my way north at the moment but we're in Port Stephens for the next week or so by the looks of things.
How far north are you heading.
Select to expand quotecammd said..
How far north are you heading.
Plan is Whitsundays - but plans have been known to change!!
Select to expand quoteLazzz said..cammd said..
How far north are you heading.
Plan is Whitsundays - but plans have been known to change!!
Nice
I plan to go Pittwater to Whitsundays and back this season but still not sure re. the exact dates
Select to expand quoteKankama said..
I think I have already said it on Seabreeze but I am probably the only bloke who would avoid Tassie altogether. We found it difficult to relax with all the weather changes and sadly not very gregarious. So our trip was a let down. We went a long way to get two wonderful days with wildlife.
My main gripe with Tassie is that it is not really a place where a boat gets you extra access to anywhere barring Port Davey. Everywhere we went there was already some bloke in a van on shore to talk to. That is fine for them, but they could then go to Mt Field, or to Mt Wellington, or Cradle or anywhere inland. We were tied to the boat and could never get inland properly. I still have to go back to the Haartz mountains which border the Dentrecasteu. I watched them for weeks as we sailed around and never could climb them. Of course we could put the boat on a mooring or marina and hire a car. We did that once and had heaps of fun - much more than if we stayed with the boat. Tassie's jewells are accessible to anyone with a car - a boat reduces access to them.
Whereas in Queensland - if you aint got a boat you got nothing. It starts at Southport and a boat allows access to Queenslands jewells with great offshore islands and the reef. I would go crazy visiting Queensland without my boat. We have spent a year (when you add up all the trips) just mooching around the Whitsundays, and can easily spend 10 days at a time on islands like Keppel and Hinchinbrook. So my advice is sail Queensland and take the campervan (and maybe some kayaks on top) to Tassie.
cheers
Phil
Port Davey is almost reason enough to sail to Tassie. You could spend weeks there, especially if you're into bushwalking!
Many parts of Macquarie Harbour are best accessed with a boat too.
For the first time, I plan to sail the Kimberley region this winter.
I'll be sailing south though, since my boat is already in Darwin.
Select to expand quotescruzin said..
For the first time, I plan to sail the Kimberley region this winter.
I'll be sailing south though, since my boat is already in Darwin.
What an awesome place to visit. Will you take it back to Darwin or keep going South in the Spring
Select to expand quotescruzin said..
For the first time, I plan to sail the Kimberley region this winter.
I'll be sailing south though, since my boat is already in Darwin.
Didn't you sail up the west coast of WA? did you sail straight through to Kimberly's on your way to Darwin?
The Kimberly's are amazing and well worth the effort. King George Falls was just a trickle when I sail through there in 2017, but having worked in the region, I have seen them thundering over. Still, I was hoping for a bit more.
Sign up to the Kimberly Coast Cruising Yacht Club. I can remember what it cost but it wasn't expensive. Lots of good information and local knowledge from Ross and co..
Select to expand quotesydserge said..
I plan to go Pittwater to Whitsundays and back this season but still not sure re. the exact dates
There is a few boats I think leaving for the Whitsundays from Brisbane on the 4th July if you want to tag along!
Select to expand quoteshaggybaxter said..sydserge said..
I plan to go Pittwater to Whitsundays and back this season but still not sure re. the exact dates
There is a few boats I think leaving for the Whitsundays from Brisbane on the 4th July if you want to tag along!
I have to wait until the 6th of July now to put my son on the bus to HMAS Cerberus
Select to expand quotescruzin said..Kankama said..
I think I have already said it on Seabreeze but I am probably the only bloke who would avoid Tassie altogether. We found it difficult to relax with all the weather changes and sadly not very gregarious. So our trip was a let down. We went a long way to get two wonderful days with wildlife.
My main gripe with Tassie is that it is not really a place where a boat gets you extra access to anywhere barring Port Davey. Everywhere we went there was already some bloke in a van on shore to talk to. That is fine for them, but they could then go to Mt Field, or to Mt Wellington, or Cradle or anywhere inland. We were tied to the boat and could never get inland properly. I still have to go back to the Haartz mountains which border the Dentrecasteu. I watched them for weeks as we sailed around and never could climb them. Of course we could put the boat on a mooring or marina and hire a car. We did that once and had heaps of fun - much more than if we stayed with the boat. Tassie's jewells are accessible to anyone with a car - a boat reduces access to them.
Whereas in Queensland - if you aint got a boat you got nothing. It starts at Southport and a boat allows access to Queenslands jewells with great offshore islands and the reef. I would go crazy visiting Queensland without my boat. We have spent a year (when you add up all the trips) just mooching around the Whitsundays, and can easily spend 10 days at a time on islands like Keppel and Hinchinbrook. So my advice is sail Queensland and take the campervan (and maybe some kayaks on top) to Tassie.
cheers
Phil
Port Davey is almost reason enough to sail to Tassie. You could spend weeks there, especially if you're into bushwalking!
Many parts of Macquarie Harbour are best accessed with a boat too.
Yep - we waited for a window to get to Port Davey but it didn't work out for us. As for Macquarie Harbour, on a car trip we took the Mirage kayaks along to the ferry and got them and us transported to the Gordon on the river cruise. We then spent days kayaking around. I made it up to the Franklin against the flow which was fun in a sea kayak.
It certainly is a personal thing - I found sailing Tassie so disappointing because I was being tempted by the bush that I could not reach from the boat. The water is in no way as tempting when looking from the headlands, especially if you have a kayak and tent.
