Leg 60 Tuncurry to Camden Haven - Laurieton

Having misjudged the importance of accounting for 'over-run' on arrival at Tuncurry, we were not going to make that mistake again. We waited until the current would be slack but tide running-in so that (a) we could easily get off the jetty; (b) not be sent hurtling towards the bridge; and (c) have a smooth ride out across the bar. No point having a fright and not learning anything by it.

 The Bloke was happy to leave this jetty.

... and to avoid this hulk on the way out too.

Wired for sound and meaning business!

Our Life Jackets are always on in open water and they are compulsory when crossing a bar.

Waiving goodbye to the Forster-Tuncurry Marine Rescue.

This trip was only a short 15nm and we were able to get to the next bar at the Camden Haven River both in daylight and before the tidal run was adverse. Oh yeh, these River Ocean Bars have our full attention!

Luckily there are web-cams positioned on all the major NSW river bar crossings and they are very helpful and of course a huge boost to safety. We nervously referred to the web-cam several times to double and triple check that the 'coast was clear'. Everyone loves to tell war stories and we'd been given plenty of advice.

Applying all our newly acquired learnings, we had a relatively 'unexciting' bar crossing until the moment our chart plotter threw a wobbly just as we reached the channel and actually plotted us on land! The iPad iNavex App also couldn't get a GPS fix and we resorted to a combination of "eyes up", the maps in the Cruising Guide and Navionics on the iPhone. There are some tight bends to follow the navigable channel along the river, so we constantly double checked the Port and Starboard markers and confirmed with each other that we were passing on the correct side. We were more than a little relieved to spot the Laurieton United Services Club which was our shoreline landmark of where to anchor. For future reference, we'd pick a spot a little further upstream and towards the Southern bank where the tidal run is less intense.

The Laurieton United Services Club.

Poker Machines are very profitable!

A busy moment on the river. The LUSC Jetty is full and Marine Rescue were on patrol.

 Lazy pelicans hoping for some scraps at the fish cleaning table.

 

Tranquility. Let's stay a week!