Courtesy Moorings in Sydney Harbour

[Col on C29 Spindrift]

I've published Michael's article on the Compass Site in the 'Articles' section. You'll find it here.

https://sites.google.com/site/compassyachtgroup/articles/cruising/michael-s-public-moorings-of-sydney-harbour

[C30 Stargazer]

Hi Col,

My suggestions re moorings / anchorages west of the Sydney Harbour Bridge..

West of the Sydney Harbour bridge there are very few courtesy moorings. In fact as far as I know, there is one - just tucked around the corner of Blues Point, at the SE end of Berrys Bay. It is in a very exposed position for wakes and Sou'westers.

Starting from the bridge working west on the northern side of the harbour -

Lavender Bay. No easy place to anchor - there is regular ferry traffic between Blues Point Wharf and Milsons Point (Luna Park) wharves which need space to turn. But it is very pretty at night and if you motor into the bay along the eastern shore (plenty of water) you pass Luna Park which is especially pretty lit up at night. At the head of the bay is an old wharf (Lavender Bay wharf. This is a good place to pick people up or drop off because it is relatively quiet. There are also a series of steps and poles off the boardwalk which you can tie alongside although at the moment they are being replaced.

The small bay at the end of Blues Point looks straight across under the bridge towards the Opera House but it is wake central and some of the wakes from tug boats are meters high...

Berrys Bay is lovely. But instead of rolling and pitching on the public mooring, I suggest visitors motor into the western part of the bay - near what was Woodley's Marina (closed now). It is always quiet in there - often like a mill pond - and there are moorings that seem to be almost always unused and the old wharf itself which is closed off. If anchoring be aware that there are several large motor cruisers which navigate into that part of the bay - so space needs to be left clear. There is a small beach there where there used to be a yachties çlub house'with a book exhange etc. Balls Head reserve which sits alongside the bay is a beautiful walk and there are BBQs and toilets there. Closer - there are new toilets and a café plus art installations and the old Coal Loader  just above the old Woodleys Boatshed. Worth a visit. Café is only open 10-3pm. The northern end of Berrys Bay is also usually very quiet. This is up past Noakes Boat yard and past the old South Steyne Manly Ferry which is moored there. Anchoring behind the South Steyne would be a lovely quiet spot with park land and sandstone cliffs near you. There is a small beach next to Noakes to land at, or some snadstone steps at the NW end of this bay next to the edge of Waverton playing fields. Noakes is busy though and there is some boat traffic in and out of course including at night.

A short walk (maybe 10 minutes) will see you at Waverton shops / railways station, where there are restaurants and a bottle shop amongst other facilities.

Around past Balls Head you enter Wollstonecraft Bay which has the Old Coal Loader (and an old light house supply ship the Cape Don) on your right as you enter. Ahead is the old coal loading jetty. Behind the jetty there is space but there is also a naval base here so watch out for the yellow buoys marking their space...

At the head of the bay to the East is a private Marina. To the west at the head of the bay is Berry Island reserve and this is also the anchorage for visiting (overseas) boats. I haven't spent a lot of time here but suspect it is fairly quiet. To the left of the bay when you entered is the Gore Cove Terminal for oil tankers. You can slip around past them (avoid if tugs are their as their wash can easily blast a yacht onto the rocks) into Gore Cove which is delightful, quiet and still. Good place to anchor with the one downside of the oil terminal (actually petrol these days) which runs 24x7 and is well lit.

Returning to the harbour and heading west again is Greenwich Baths - a small bay which is very exposed and rolly. There is a small swimming enclosure and a café that operates sometimes.

Around the next corner and you enter the Lane Cove River. It gets shallow up the river so watch the navigation marks. Plenty of places in this very quiet area to anchor. My favourite is below Woolwich just off the baths. Good mud holding, tight but possible. You can access the shore at the baths by ladder onto the baths or by beach. We use the ladder to keep the shoes dry... a short walk up the hill and you have restaurants and pub. There are cold water showers at the baths...

I have never been past Tambourine Bay - it gets shallow and the channel is tight...but if you have shallow draft or come in at high tide and are prepared to stay until next high, Burns Bay is very quiet and very pretty...

That's it for now. Washing up calls...

[shane]

Also, don't forget Mort Bay. Ferry's are episodic but come in slow. Mud and very good holding. Well sheltered and easy walk to pubs and Balmain for shopping. Also a quiet jetty (floating with rubber bumper) for picks ups and a toilet block 

Shane

[Maeling]

There's enough here for a great book or a trip up the Upper Harbour.  Watching the echo sounder and beacons, it is possible to get right up to the bridge over Lane Cove River (C29 4' 6" draft).  And going into Burns Bay, take a stern bearing on the Nav leads, it gets deeper.  Look at the size of the other boats and try to go up 1/2 - 3/4 tide rising and that you don't get Neaped.

Geoff Raebel