Bass Strait: What's it really like?
February 15th 2007 02:11
Bass Strait: What’s it really like?
Apart from my crossing, (at night) Bass Strait a few days ago on a huge ROR ferry I have had little or no experience of it. I know the reputation from Sydney Hobart crews and from some war stories of other yachties, but it is not quite the same as eyeballing it and being out there. I did not get the opportunity to be on the strait today but I did get to look at it up and personal.
The current weather for Tasmania is gale warnings for all waters and a boating alert for all inland lakes. That means the wind is blowing at better than forty knots and up to say fifty four knots. Ideal conditions for the strait to get a bit snotty. We had some idle time and a car at our disposal so why not go and take a look?
Leaving Launceston (Lonny to the locals) we drove out past Bell Bay to Low Point which is the eastern headland for the Tamar River. Here there is a light house, old semaphore signalling station, pilot station and even workers cottages converted to guest accommodation. Looking north we had the entry to the Tamar on our left and straight ahead and to the right Bass Strait. To the right and behind us was a surf beach which was the site for competitions in the sixties. (I don’t remember the name).
White caps were everywhere and the wind was blowing at least thirty five knots and probably close to gale force. The tide was on its way out and strong rips were evident around the entry to the river.
It was easy to make out the entry marks, some leads and lateral marks. “A bugger of an entry when your tired” was the comment of an ex commercial fisherman in our party who had played here for many years. I guessed the swell at about three metres but was howled down by the others who claimed it was only about a metre. In my mind the waves were a metre and the swell was three! I was very glad not be out there in yacht playing with this stuff. It was cold, very windy and plenty of confused seas. Admittedly the swell was hitting the head and sending a strong return surge as well as the fact that it was rolling around both sides of the head. Being a long weekend I was surprised hardly anyone was out boat today but it was a mongrel day for the middle of summer. Yester day it had been snowing at nine hundred metres but it was just bearable in shorts and thongs.
I know I am going to have to tackle this strait before long. It has been something that I have avoided every time I have been invited to do a Hobart race and so far I am glad I took my own advice. When I do venture out it will be on my terms with absolutely perfect weather and a strong vessel and plenty of time.
Apart from my crossing, (at night) Bass Strait a few days ago on a huge ROR ferry I have had little or no experience of it. I know the reputation from Sydney Hobart crews and from some war stories of other yachties, but it is not quite the same as eyeballing it and being out there. I did not get the opportunity to be on the strait today but I did get to look at it up and personal.
The current weather for Tasmania is gale warnings for all waters and a boating alert for all inland lakes. That means the wind is blowing at better than forty knots and up to say fifty four knots. Ideal conditions for the strait to get a bit snotty. We had some idle time and a car at our disposal so why not go and take a look?
Leaving Launceston (Lonny to the locals) we drove out past Bell Bay to Low Point which is the eastern headland for the Tamar River. Here there is a light house, old semaphore signalling station, pilot station and even workers cottages converted to guest accommodation. Looking north we had the entry to the Tamar on our left and straight ahead and to the right Bass Strait. To the right and behind us was a surf beach which was the site for competitions in the sixties. (I don’t remember the name).
White caps were everywhere and the wind was blowing at least thirty five knots and probably close to gale force. The tide was on its way out and strong rips were evident around the entry to the river.
It was easy to make out the entry marks, some leads and lateral marks. “A bugger of an entry when your tired” was the comment of an ex commercial fisherman in our party who had played here for many years. I guessed the swell at about three metres but was howled down by the others who claimed it was only about a metre. In my mind the waves were a metre and the swell was three! I was very glad not be out there in yacht playing with this stuff. It was cold, very windy and plenty of confused seas. Admittedly the swell was hitting the head and sending a strong return surge as well as the fact that it was rolling around both sides of the head. Being a long weekend I was surprised hardly anyone was out boat today but it was a mongrel day for the middle of summer. Yester day it had been snowing at nine hundred metres but it was just bearable in shorts and thongs.
I know I am going to have to tackle this strait before long. It has been something that I have avoided every time I have been invited to do a Hobart race and so far I am glad I took my own advice. When I do venture out it will be on my terms with absolutely perfect weather and a strong vessel and plenty of time.
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