Hello all, I'm currently moored on the Southern side of Macleay Island waiting for the tide to rise. I've just sailed from Sydney, and up the inside from the Southport Broadwater, and I'm on my way to Scarborough Marina. Because I've never sailed the 'Bay' before, I'd like to know if, and where, my vessel, with a 2m draft, will be likely to ground at lowper tides. I am absolutely following the passages set out by Beacon to Beacon, but can I sail at lower tides along these passages? I grounded a dozen times (at high and near to high tide), coming up the inside from Southport and want to know if that's going to happen across the Bay. Many thanks for any replies. Regards, Almckone.
I live at Scarborough, from Macleay to Scargorough you will have no problems if you follow the Beacon to Beacon. Come from Peel Island and go between Mud and St Halina Islands and head directly to the Scarborough blinker at the end of reef point, keeping the blinker to port then head to the outer leads to Scarbouough. do not come inside the line between the blinker and the leads as there are a couple of rocks the you could hit on a low tide. You can get into Scarborough with 2m at any tide. It can be a bit shallow as you first come into the harbour, but Is only soft mud which you can uusually push through.
Thanks Jode5, that helps a lot. Just don't want to end up stranded and have to wait for a full tidal range to get free. Much appreciated. almckone.
That's our backyard (live at Cleveland). As Jode says, follow Beacon to Beacon pretty carefully. The trickiest part is the first bit, between your current position at Macleay, and the point where you clear Peel Island. You want to go West around Peel. Here's the way we do it:
From Macleay, follow the B2B route 24 on charts 121 and 120: head west through the channel (with Karragarra to Port) and then divert SW to negotiate the Ws. This is just a matter of clearing the 6 or 8 beacons appropriately, but beware as you leave the last one, you don't turn north too early - make it a wide turn. Sometimes it's a bit hectic through here with lots of ferry traffic. Then track NW, past the Weinam Bay marina entrance, and turn NE - now onto chart 118, and route 26. Keep going past Coochiemudlo (Coochie to the locals), now on route 28, and then to route 30 NW again. Be careful as you pass Banana Banks to stbd, there are only a couple of beacons, and there a few shallow spots not well marked. The best path is to the West of the main marked bank, and fairly close to it - maybe just a bit E of B2B's route 30. From Banana Bank, keep going NW following route 30 and 32 between Peel and Cleveland (wave as you go past).
By now you're on chart 113. Keep going north, it's all pretty clear from now on. You'll probably be west of Hope Banks, but even though marked it's not shallow enough to be a problem anyway (WAGS races use the Hope beacon as a turning point). See Jode's notes about approaching Scarborough.
Enjoy the trip! I wouldn't be leaving Macleay until maybe tomorrow afternoon or Saturday. You're in a good spot now for the change from strong northerlies this afternoon, to strong southerlies tomorrow. There aren't too many good anchorages once you get into Moreton Bay.
Thanks QLDCruiser, I waited for almost three hours into the rising tide (around 1300), and got stuck three times on the West side of Macleay (Route 22 ....... So that's where I'm going wrong!!!!,). Anyway, I turned around and came back to where I was moored to wait for another opportunity. I was going to try and make a leg to either Peel Island or Waterloo Bay, and camp overnight before waiting for the next high tide to make a run to Scarborough. I'll have to check but I'm hopeful that there's a Spring high tide soon. Next time I'll follow your advice and take Route 24. If I follow yours and Jode5's advice, and that of B2B, and if I only travel 3 hours into and 3 hours after high tide, am I likely to hit bottom anywhere to Scarborough? Many thanks for your help. almckone.
The Ws, SW of Macleay / Karragarra, are the last tricky bit, after that you should be able to do it all at any tide re depth - however, going north the falling tide will help your SOG by a knot or two.
BTW, I've just looked at the index in B2B and what I've been calling route numbers are actually distances (from not-sure-where!!). So I may have given you ambiguous directions. Just to make it clear, I'm recommending West from Macleay till you clear the Macleay/Karragarra channel, then a short SW leg to the Ws, then NW past Weinam Ck, then NE past Snipe Island and Coochie, then past Banana Banks and on N past Peel and Cleveland.
South side of Peel, Horseshoe Bay, is a good anchorage in a northerly, but very exposed to the south. North side of Peel, in the Lazarette Gutter, is OK in a southerly but there's not a lot of room. The other good southerly anchorage is at Myora, on Stradbroke NE of Peel, but that's a fair bit out of your way.
Good luck!
