Cruising Pittwater
by Seawind media on 18 Nov 2007

Towlers Bay, Pittwater - FGI Seawind Regatta SW
After the Seawind Regatta, many Seawind owners enjoy cruising Pittwater. Find out why.
When Captain James Cook and his crew on The Endeavour first set eyes on Broken Bay/Pittwater in 1770, he simply described the area, as 'broken land'.
If Cook only had the time to explore more thoroughly Australia’s coastal secrets – including a better look at both Port Jackson and Pittwater – our history may well have been radically different!
It seems mapping the entire east coast of Australia and racing to be in Tahiti for the transit of Venus, the astronomical event du jour, meant Cook missed places he may well have marvelling at for the rest of his life.
In March 1788, New South Wales’ first Governor, Arthur Phillip, explored this 'broken land' and declared it was the '….finest piece of land' he’d seen. He named the area Pitt Water after England’s then Prime Minister, William Pitt the Younger!
To this day, Pittwater remains a perfect sailing ground for everyone from novice sailors through to experienced seamen, and makes an ideal location for this year’s 2007 FGI Seawind Regatta.
With it’s predominate nor-east sea breezes sweeping down over Barrenjoey Peninsula and offering protection from often rowdy Tasman Sea swells, one can comfortably sail the length and breadth of Pittwater, enjoying the challenges of Catamaran racing.
And if racing doesn’t grab your fancy, the opportunity to safely navigate hundreds of nautical miles of pristine bays, inlets and rivers opens up endless adventures.
Spectacular sites
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, which lies between the western shores of Pittwater and the Hawkesbury River, is a fitting location for these stunning inlets and lower arms of the Hawkesbury/Broken Bay water system. Capping the scenery, this park offers spectacular cliffs carved from the ‘local’ sedimentary rock, Hawkesbury Sandstone.
Take a stroll or hike along any of the park’s walking tracks, and you will be dazzled by the variety and colourful displays of local flora, and the different native birds it attracts.
But if it’s cruising and sailing that feeds your soul, you’ll need look no further.
Sailing out of Pittwater, up into one of the south-western arm of the Hawkesbury River, you have to remind yourself forcefully that you’re only 45 minutes (by road) from the hustle of central Sydney.
Pick a spot – maybe the mysterious Waratah Bay or secluded Cotton Tree Bay – to anchor for the evening. If you happen to venture here in the winter, and the remote, untouched stillness takes hold of your imagination, a ‘wee few rums’ can only help cloud reality. Before long, you can easily convince yourself you are the first explorer to venture into these parts . . . and they belong to you!
Moorings, anchorages & public berthing
There are several amazing places to anchor or berth for the night. Most bays and inlets in Pittwater contain public moorings. However, you’re advised to carry appropriate maps and charts/, clearly marking those spots where you can properly anchor or moor.
Pittwater’s Royal Motor Yacht Club (RMYC) offers overnight berthing, as well as a good fuel and tucker stop.
Further north of Scotland Island lies The Basin, a naturally enclosed lagoon, featuring a great camping/picnic area that has proven to be an ideal spot for our annual regatta bar-be-que and event ceremony.
Once a vital refuge for coastal trading ships, the Basin is now part of a National park. You’ll find historic Beechwood Cottage nestling peacefully in the back ground, immediately behind camping facilities and the day picnic area.
You can also find hundreds of popular public moorings in the infamous Refuge Bay and America Bay. In Australia’s early colonial days, these bays offered safe haven for convicts, smugglers and would-be pirates.
It’s a beautiful location, offering stunning scenery…grandiose sandstone cliffs jetting out over the bay, and a waterfall that seems to spring from the porous cliff before crashing into a pool below. What better place to take a refreshing soak or wash the day’s salt spray off your tied body?
America Bay is a popular social gathering ground, so don’t be surprised in the warmer months if your close ‘neighbours’ are partying the night away!
So if it’s seclusion and tranquillity you crave, don’t hesitate to explore the south-western end of this arm. Its jagged bays will fulfil all your desires!
And don’t forget Barrenjoey Lighthouse
If you fear your sailing legs have become weak, and your fear of those dreaded land-wobbles is at bay, why not launch your dinghy and row ashore to take in the sights around Barrenjoey Peninsula.
Barrenjoey Lighthouse offers spectacular views of Palm Beach, Pittwater and the constantly rolling mighty Tasman.
Better still, this is great vantage point for mapping out your strategic race course. But whatever you do, don’t share this ‘secret’ with other regatta goers!
Those who have experienced the pleasures of cruising these brilliant Broken Bay waters can only agree with Phillip all these years later . . . that this is, indeed, one of the '….finest piece of land' and stretches of waterway this side of the Equator.
Pittwater and the Hawkesbury River will always have something to offer those willing to embrace the experience.
It doesn’t matter if you cruise these magical waters on a 100ft yacht, a luxury Cruiser, in a kayak, or – better yet – a Seawind cat, we guarantee you’ll be lured back again and again…
If you'd like to download the new Seawind Catamaran screen saver Click here
If you want to link to this article then please use this URL: www.sail-world.com/39193