After an action packed two weeks with James, we had a few days back at Manly to recover, sort out the boat and provision for our return journey north.
On Friday 19th January 2024, we set off. Whilst we were actually quite sad to leave Sydney, we knew that the time had come for the next part of the adventure.
Having already sailed down this part of the coast, we knew the places that we wanted to revisit. As on the way south, we spent several weeks heading north, waiting in anchorages between the periods of favourable wind. Passages were usually about 100nm which were great distances for overnight sails.
Our first passage was 116nm (28 hours) to Port Stephens. Leaving Port Jackson, we had an amazing sail. The sun was shining, the wind was ENE Force 4 (11 – 16 knots) and Escapade sailed up the coast at a steady 6 knots.
Unfortunately, 16 hours (about 85nm) into the passage, the wind moved around and became northerly. We could no longer sail the direct route and started to tack. Frustratingly, we then made limited head way towards our destination. The last 30nm took another 12 hours!!
Port Stephens is a huge harbour area, its shoreline boasting numerous beautiful beaches. There are several public mooring buoys and plenty of places to anchor. We spent a week in the area, mainly anchored in Salamander Bay. From here, we had good access ashore to a supermarket and bus route. It was also a great place for following the coast along to Port Nelson, Shoal Bay and Tomaree Summit. A long walk, but definitely worth the views.
We were still anchored in Salamander Bay on Australia Day. Celebrated on 26th January, it marks the landing of the First Fleet in 1788. It is an official public holiday and we headed ashore to join in the local celebrations. The people of Port Nelson were holding a family day out to celebrate all things Australian. There were local craft stalls, various food vans, a dance performance and live music. There was also a citizenship ceremony for new citizens to make the pledge of commitment and a classic car display. It was an interesting mix of entertainment!
From Port Stephens, it was another 100nm (24hours) to Port Macquarie. The winds were light, so we motored most of the way. However, the light winds did bring one benefit – the favourable conditions for a quick overnight stop at Broughton Island.
We had a very short stay at Port Macquarie: just a couple of nights to provision, do some laundry and get a gas refill. Then we were off again; this time to Coffs Harbour. It should have been a fairly short trip of 70nm, but this stretch of coast has a strong southerly flowing current. The wind was Force 3 (7-10 knots), but, at one point, we had 3 knots of current against us. It was a slow passage, taking us 23 hours of slow motoring to get to Coffs Harbour.
Coffs Harbour is one of the few entrances on this part of the east coast which does not have a bar entrance. It is a large circular bay and it easy to enter at almost every tide/wind state. There is a small marina here, but the large bay has plenty of room for anchoring. This, along with the easy access to the shore and buses to town and the large shopping mall would make it a perfect place to chill for a while. Unfortunately, the open bay is prone to incoming swell and this makes life onboard very uncomfortable.
In spite of the swell, we were here for a week waiting for the wind to turn more southerly, so we could make our next passage to Yamba. It was definitely worth the wait though as, when we eventually left, we had a great sail. Winds of Force 5 (17 – 21 knots) from S/SE and Escapade was racing along, sailing at speeds up to 7 knots. As we neared the end of the passage, we even had to furl away some sail to slow down; we didn’t want to arrive at the entry bar before slack water. Even so, after 12 hours, we had sailed 70nm and were still a couple of hours early. We called the Volunteer Marine Rescue service on the VHF and when he described the condition as ´like a washing machine´, we decided it would be prudent to wait a little longer. An hour later, we finally braved the entrance. It was still lively, with Escapade surfing a few waves into the river.
Not stopping at Yamba, we continued up river. After a long day and a bouncy bar crossing, we were looking forward to the start of our Clarence River pub crawl. The first stop was scheduled to be the Harwood Hotel with live music, pub food and cold beer. However, as usual with boating life, things rarely go to plan. A few miles from our planned anchorage, we had an overheating engine. Unable to sail due to there being no wind, we anchored a few miles from the pub. So near, but so far!
The following morning, Martin set to work. It was looking like a blockage on the intake. A quick back flush and things seemed to be better. Making the most of things being in pieces, Martin changed the impeller and a couple seals. All was good as new and we finally made it to the pub, albeit a day later than expected.
The tiny village of Harwood is quite isolated and, in its early days, the only access across the river was by ferry. In 1966, a two lane steel truss bridge was built. The bridge carried the Pacific Highway over the Clarence River until 2019 when is was superseded by a new 4 lane 1.5km concrete bridge. The new bridge is only 20m away from the old and, quite surprisingly, it was decided to keep both.
After two nights at Harwood, we continued up river. The old Harwood Bridge is too low for us to sail under, so we had to book a slot for it to be opened for us. It was fascinating to see the middle section being lifted to allow us to continue onwards to Maclean. When we arrived, there was space on the public pontoon. This was right next to the main street with its gift shops, cafes, supermarket, and butchers for haggis sausage.
Having visited Maclean on our journey south, we were keen to experience different parts of the town. On one afternoon, we took a walk to the Maclean Lookout. From here we had an amazing view of the Clarence River all the way back to Harwood and Yamba.
A hidden gem of Maclean is the Bicentennial Museum and Stone Cottage. Manned by volunteers, it is only open three times per week and we were fortunate to be in town during one of them. The museum began in 1969 with the acquisition of the stone cottage. Built in 1879, using sandstone quarried from the local site, the five rooms (music room, parlour, 2 bedrooms and kitchen) are furnished in the style of the period.
In 1988, a grant was secured to add the purpose built museum. Inside this is full of artefacts, large and small, displayed in replica areas including a school room and hospital ward. It was an interesting insight into the life of the early Australian settlers.
Or next stop, was Lawrence, a pleasant 10nm further up river. On route, we had to give way to the cable ferry and pass under some power cables. The sign said that they are 22m high. Escapade has an airdraft of 21m, so we approached them cautiously. It was a little nerve wracking, as it is very difficult to judge the height until the boat is directly underneath.
Anchoring at Lawrence was so peaceful and still. It was the perfect place for a few days boat jobs and, of course, another pub.
This time the local was The Lawrence Tavern; a family run business in a country setting. It is described as ‘an old country pub with wonderful character’ – old being relative for Australia (1840). It didn’t disappoint with a bar displaying memorabilia including at least 100 old hats, a relaxing outdoor dining area and delicious food.
Our final stop on the river was at Ulmarra, 10nm up river from Lawrence. This was another peaceful anchorage with another riverside hotel: The Ulmarra Hotel. The hotel was originally founded in the late 1800s and the current building dates from 1912. It has expansive gardens and, of course, river views. We had a superb evening catching up with some rally friends. Great food and amazing company.
From Ulmarra, it was time for our final passage north. Retracing our steps, we went past Lawrence, under the Harwood Bridge and back to Yamba. Then out into the sea for the journey to the Gold Coast. The weather gods blessed us with ENE winds of Force 3 (7-10 knots) and we had a steady sail. 27 hours (140nm) later, we arrived safely at Gold Coast City Marina, our home for the next three months.
Nice 👍 – love to read about your adventures 😃, enjoy your next ones.
You too!
The photos of Indonesia look stunning. We are excited to see that Kai has not lost his touch for catching fish.
x
An interesting time on the Clarence river! Good luck at your mooring and for your NZ trip. 🤗
Hi,
It was a lovely time. So very different from the other places we have visited.
All is good here at the marina and we are busy preparing for NZ – fly on 29th!
Enjoying following your travels too.
Amazing read. Gorgeous photo at Port Macquarie. Love the hats on the wall. Enjoy xx
Hi,
It has been fascinating spending some time in the less well known towns on the coast and experiencing some real Aussie life.