Destination of the week- Gold Coast to Moreton Bay
by Robin Roots on 30 Mar 2010
The Gold Coast’s Broadwater SW
'What, cruise in the Broadwater and in Moreton Bay' exclaimed old Salty,' It's fine if you are a turtle on a sailboard. Don’t you know the Broadwater is a sandpit and Moreton Bay the Devils cauldron?'
Listening to old Salty expound on his views of the waterways of the Gold Coast and near Brisbane one would think that there is no pleasure in cruising here at all. These two areas can be the most beautiful and placid areas of SE Queensland, yet in the wrong conditions, Moreton Bay can also be one of the most challenging.
They are home to the majority of the cruising fleet in Queensland, and contain possibly the best marine infrastructure in Australia.
Perhaps it depends upon your definition of cruising as to whether you will see these places as desirable to take your yacht. As one sails north of the Hawkesbury then the challenge of all the anchorages along the East Coast of Australia is navigating the sand bars at their entrances and using seamanship skills rather than simply driving your yacht as if it were a car.
It is different experience from sailing in the bays of the Hawkesbury and Sydney Harbour. Sailing further north inside the sand islands of South and North Stradbroke requires patience, good navigation, up to date charts and using the wind and tides to your advantage.
Whist it’s true the vast area of the Broadwater at high tide looks inviting and belies the fact that there are only a few channels of any major depth, it’s a playground for shallow draft yachts and trailer sailors but it is restricting for some deep draft vessel, especially those over 3 metres in draft. Yet, having said that, I have sailed a Farr 40, drawing over 7’6' through the inland waterways from Southport to Scarborough to compete in the Brisbane/Gladstone yacht race without grounding using the tides and the winds properly.
Sailing through the Southport Seaway, built to overcome the previously dangerous entrance, one is exposed to the beauties of the Broadwater and the facilities available in the Gold Coast for on shore enjoyment.
The entrance is now much better than before the Seaway was constructed but it is still a bar and caution needs to be exercised. The Seaway Tower personnel are there to assist on VHF 73 and now the greatest hazard is dodging the surfers paddling across the entrance to catch the waves off North Stradbroke Island.
Most yachts can sail or tack down the southern channel (depending on the wind) which is dredged to in excess of 4 metres to the Southport Yacht Club pontoons or to anchor opposite Sea world in 'Bums Bay' or the Basin and swim, explore or beachcomb on the Ocean beach a short walk from the anchorage. For the more adventurous there is the night life of Surfers Paradise and Jupiter’s Casino, ever ready to take the yacht kitty, so if this attracts you, it’s smart to restock first before your enjoy the flutter.
North of the seaway, the North Channel is dredged to 4.5metres and leads into the only really naturally deep area in the Broadwater known as the Deep Hole. The channel is well marked and north of the Deep Hole the inside sandy beaches of South Stradbroke make great anchoring for swimming and picnicking. This area is reasonably protected from all winds apart from those from the SW, W and NW.
Further north is the anchorage of the Southport yacht club called Dux and the eco resort of Couran Cove. These anchorages are well protected, with the wind direction exceptions mentioned before. Bona fide visitors and reciprocal yacht club members may use the facilities ashore, particularly if your yacht club has reciprocal rights. There is a permanent caretaker here and it is best to check with him before using any of the facilities.
From here the upper reaches of the Broadwater disappear into a maze of mangrove lined channels weaving their way through mud and sand banks into the southern end of Moreton Bay. This passage demands a good chart and use of the tide. At the top of the tide there is usually room for yachts of reasonable draft to explore even the lesser channels. The Coomera River provides access to Sanctuary Cove, the resort home of Australia’ premier boat show and to the huge Marine facilities and marinas based along the Coomera river.
Making passage through this area using the wind and the tide is idyllic and yachts can sail virtually all the way through given the right conditions. Pleasant anchorages can be found on the eastern side of the channel group, both before and after the dangerous bar between north and south Stradbroke Islands known as Juminpin or simply 'the Pin', where white sandy beaches replace the mud banks. There is good holding and shelter from most winds in these anchorages however as with all anchorages in tidal areas, care needs to be taken to ensure there is sufficient water under your keel at low water.
Finally one reaches the Southern Moreton Bay Islands, a favourite resting place for yachties both active and those who have 'swallowed the anchor'. There are good all weather anchorage off the tip of Russell Island between Russell and Stradbroke Islands and in the Channel between Russell Island and Karragarah Island with excellent restocking facilities a short dinghy ride away.
This is the gateway to the cruising grounds of Moreton Bay. The Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron has facilities on the eastern tip of Russell Island and yachtsmen and women from clubs with reciprocal arrangements with RQYS can enjoy these facilities. The caretaker, Graham who has been there for over 5 years now and has done a wonderful job, sadly, is leaving and his replacement has yet to be named.
Moreton Bay has been called by Jeff Toghill in his book Circumnavigating Australia Volume 2 'A devil of a Bay'. Those who sail in her would probably agree and the clue to really enjoying cruising here is the 5 Ps 'Prior Preparation Prevents Poor performance. This vast expanse of water, riddled with mud and sand banks between Moreton Island and the mainland can change from being placid to angry very quickly if there is sudden squall or strong southerly winds. When cruising in the Bay it is important therefore to always keep updating the weather reports and have a plan of action and an anchorage to head to if the weather is forecast to turn unpleasant.
Apart from the southern end of the Bay and the yachting Centres of Manly and Scarborough, there are no all weather anchorages in Moreton Bay. Peel Island has a wonderful anchorage on the southern side in Horseshoe bay, where the ruins of the old Leper colony can be visited or the white sandy beach a great place to relax and swim. Great in the prevailing afternoon northerly sea breeze but untenable in a southerly buster. A small anchorage in 'The Gutter' to the north of Peel provides shelter from the south for a small number of yachts.
Peel Island was known to the aborigines as Tukrooar or Chercuba. It was too small to support a permanent tribe, but its abundance of marine life was a source of much feasting by visiting tribes from surrounding islands. Evidence this remains today in the form of extensive middens and the remnants of a bora ring indicating the island was also used for ceremonial purposes.
The Government of Queensland transferred the Quarantine Station from Dunwich to Peel Island, in May 1874. As Peter Ludlow in his brief history of Peel Island explains 'Peel’s qualities were well suited to segregation: it had its own supply of fresh water; timber for fuel; it was small enough to maintain control of its inmates and was surrounded by shark infested water to prevent escapes; it was close to Dunwich for supplies and for medical supervision from the Superintendent of the Benevolent Asylum; it was clo
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