We all know that you never cross a bar on an outgoing tide with wind against tide but I was little surprised exiting Pittwater yesterday.
Firstly I don't consider the area between Lion Island and Barrenjoey as a bar although I do know from experience that it gets pretty gnarly there due to the ocean floor coming up and the fact that it is in reality a river mouth. I guess I have just been lucky on all previous occasions to have wind and hence drive. I usually go out of my way to avoid any wind shadow from Barrenjoey
It was pretty weird yesterday however as there was for a time no wind but a leftover step short period Northeasterly swell which was breaking and pretty choppy to boot. I don't pay much attention to tides in Pittwater but it was high tide when I got on the boat so likely over an hour after by the time I got to Barrenjoey.
My dual 100 millimeter cockpit drains out through the transom worked for the first time only in reverse as the boat got thrown backwards down waves which gave me a bit of a surprise a couple of times. A few very uncharacteristic bangs from the hull on the Northshore and I promptly engaged the motor which is a first for me while day sailing out of Pittwater. The NorEaster hadn't yet kicked in but was a beautiful sail later on when it did. Doesn't always pay to get a reasonably early start.
Broken Bay can be rough. Sailing there recently my crew who is normally very sturdy got quite sea sick because we got knocked around so much - Martzcraft 35.
Yup, that area at the mouth of Pittwater is bit of a bar, and is renowned for being a washing machine on an outgoing tide. Add incoming swells and you are really bouncing around. I lost my outboard shear pin in those conditions, with the stern coming out of the water. In a Hanse 40 the hull banging was scary, and necessitated "tacking" across the steep waves. The ladies are generally not amused as their drinks spill.
Certainly agree have sailed back to the harbour from PW many times in yachts ranging from 20ft to 38ft (the latter not mine obviously) and have always given that headland a very wide berth - it is a wind trap also. Don't want to thread drift but obviously the harbour South Head is in the exact equivalent category with the rock shelf extending out north - google for racing yachts surfing waves in or out trying to save time in finishes in the harbour from courses of last legs up from down south getting back to a finish off Watsons Bay or Rushcutters - plurry madness. Same caution for Cape Banks the north head of Botany Bay obviously - give it the widest berth, go straight down the middle of the entrance. Lastly the south head of Port Hacking has the Jibbon Bombora which can be very fierce. Please sail safely.
