Sydney

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==Sydney==
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{{IsPartOf|Australia|New South Wales}}
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<googlemap lat="-33.839053" lon="151.21582" zoom="11"></googlemap>
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{{TOC block}}
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===Background===
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{{Infobox
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| lat= -33.82508 | lon=151.27676
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| portofentry= y
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| zoom= 12
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| chartlet= y
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| image=  
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| imagetext=
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| notes=
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| news=
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The best book for reference while sailing in the Sydney area is [http://www.alanlucascruisingguides.com/ Cruising the NSW Coast] by Alan Lucas.  It contains details of all of the moorings, anchorages, and other facilities in Sydney Harbour as well as other ports up and down the NSW coast.
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Sydney is [[Australia]]'s largest city, and largest / principal sea port.  It is the capital city of [[New South Wales]], and located on the East Coast of Australia roughly half way between [[Brisbane]] to the north and [[Melbourne]] to the south.
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Phone numbers listed below are all Sydney local area numbers unless stated otherwise.  These should be prefixed with 02 for calling from outside of NSW, and with +612 for calling internationally.
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Sydney faces eastwards on to the pacific ocean with a coastline of high sea cliffs and bays with sandy beaches. Its coastline is punctuated by three large bodies of water: Sydney Harbour, The Hawkesbury River and Botany Bay.
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===Charts===
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The city is centred on '''[[Sydney Harbour]]''' (Port Jackson) which is home to the city centre, as well as the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House. The main part of the harbour is deep with wide channels. It extends 25 km inland via the Paramatta River, and has numerous branches and bays. these are fringed by everything from exclusive suburbs to industrial ports to secluded bushland. The harbour has numerous yacht clubs and facilities for yachts. It also has extensive traffic including large commercial vessels, ferries and recreational boaters.
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Charts of Sydney Harbour are readily available, but the harbour pilots contained in the cruising guide mentioned above, along with a depth sounder, are your best guides. Sydney Harbour is wide and deep throughout, and except at the far reaches of Middle Harbour or the Lane Cove River there is very little to hit.
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The northern fringes of the city touch on '''Pittwater''' which is part of the '''[[Hawkesbury|Hawkesbury River region]]''', which is technically part of the Central Coast region. Pittwater is a 10 km (6 mi) long inlet extending south from the mouth of the River separated pacific ocean by a long, narrow peninsula. There are several yacht clubs with facilities along Pittwater as well as the Central Coast to the north.
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Some overhead obstructions include the Spit Bridge (which can be passed only at opening times, and sails must be down to make the bridge passage), and some of the road bridges in the upper parts of Middle Harbour and the Lane Cove River.
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The southern suburbs of the city wrap around '''[[Botany Bay]]''', which is a wide, open and unsheltered harbour with a width of several kilometers. Georges river enters the bay on the southeast with two marinas. While the river is deep and navigable some km upstream, it is crossed at its mouth by a 16m clearance bridge and 1km further upstream by a 5.6 m clearance bridge 1.2 km (3/4 mi) further upstream.
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Also be aware of no-anchor zones, there are many of these. The most prominent (and tempting) are the penguin colony areas inside North Head (which carry heavy fines for anchoring, and are regularly patrolled), the areas near the navy base at Garden Island (don't anchor near a boat with larger guns than yours), and in and around the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
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The smaller '''[[Port Hacking]]''' is located south of Botany Bay. This is a small drowned valley estuary. The entrance is shallow, but a dredged channel gives access to deeper waters of the sheltered Gunnamatta bay. The port is navigable several kilometers further inland, although the river is crossed by an overhead power line with 9m clearance.        
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Also be aware of the recent speed/zoning restrictions introduced around the Harbour Bridge -- 15 knot speed limit (not a concern to most yachties), and there is no drifting, anchoring, etc.
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==Charts==
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Charts of Sydney Harbour are readily available, but the harbour pilots contained in the cruising guide mentioned above, along with a depth sounder, are your best guides.  Sydney Harbour is wide and deep throughout, and except at the far reaches of Middle Harbour or the Lane Cove River there is very little to hit.
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The use of lights on the harbour at night is a must. Several incidents have occurred over the years with smaller boats being run down while travelling without lights, one high profile and tragic one in 2006 included. At all times be aware that Sydney Harbour is a busy place, and a careful watch must be maintained at all times. Sydney Harbour Ferries (carrying orange diamonds) and cargo / tanker vessels (restricted in their ability to maneuver, or restricted by their draft) must be given way to.
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NSW Road and Maritime Transport publish boating maps for NSW which are also available online for free. The relevant maps for Sydney Harbour are:
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*9D Port Jackson east of the Harbour Bridge [http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/documents/maritime/usingwaterways/maps/boating-maps/9d-port-jackson.pdf]
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*9D Middle Harbour [http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/documents/maritime/usingwaterways/maps/boating-maps/9d-middle-harbour.pdf]
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*9G Port Jackson west of the Harbour Bridge including Lane Cove and Lower Parramatta Rivers [http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/documents/maritime/usingwaterways/maps/boating-maps/9g-port-jackson-west-lane-cove-parramatta.pdf]
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*9G Upper Parramatta River [http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/documents/maritime/usingwaterways/maps/boating-maps/9g-upper-parramatta.pdf]
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There is also a large population of small stink-boats / pleasure craft, often piloted by inexperienced skippers who have chartered the boat for the day or are members of "walk-on/walk-off" boat ownership clubs (where they may get out on the water only once per year) who may not always obey all of the collision regulations, occasionally requiring evasive maneuvers by vessels that otherwise have right-of-way.
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Note: details on these charts may be out of date.
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===Radio Nets===
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''See  also [[New South Wales#Charts|New South Wales]]''.
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Sydney harbour is a busy place on the VHF channels, and the preponderence of tall masts (headland radio beacons), tall buildings, and tall cliffsides makes HF reception tricky at best, and HF transmission all but useless.
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==Weather==
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''See  [[New South Wales#Weather|New South Wales]]''.
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[http://www.coastalpatrol.com.au/ Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol] and [http://www.coastguard.com.au/ The Australian Volunteer Coast Guard] can be reached easily on VHF channel 16 from anywhere in the harbour, and can provide assistance for yachties in trouble, and also broadcast regular weather reports and tide updates during the day and night.  [http://www.seatow.com.au/ SeaTow] provide a useful service for members at a competitive price, when all you need is a battery replaced or started, or possibly a short term fuel top-up.
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Sources for Weather forecasts:
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* [http://www.bom.gov.au/nsw/forecasts/sydney.shtml Sydney Weather Forecast]
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* [http://www.bom.gov.au/nsw/forecasts/sydneycoast.shtml Sydney Coastal Waters (Marine) Forecast]
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* [http://www.bom.gov.au/nsw/forecasts/sydneywaters.shtml Sydney Closed Waters (Sydney Harbour, Broken Bay, Botany Bay and Port Hacking)]
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* [http://www.seabreeze.com.au/graphs/nsw.asp Seabreeze Wind and Wave Forecast]
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Other than that, expect to hear a lot of vessel to vessel calling on VHF 16 as well as what amounts to probably far too much chatter for a calling/emergency channel.
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==Passages==
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* [[Trans Pacific ("Puddle-Jump")]]
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* [[Trans-Pacific Passage - West to East]]
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*
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===Routes to/from===
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==Islands==
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{| class="nicetable"
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|- class="niceheader"
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| colspan= |  Hawkesbury River Region || Sydney Harbour (Port Jackson)
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|-
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| id="Hawkesbury" |
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: '''Cogra Bay''' (accessible only by water)
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: '''Dangar Island'''
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: '''Little Wobby''' {accessible only by water)
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: '''Long Island'''
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: '''Peat Island'''
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: '''Pelican Island'''
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: '''Rileys Island'''
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: '''Scotland Island'''
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: '''Spectacle Island'''
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: '''St Huberts Island'''
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The mouth of Sydney Harbour is wide, deep, and well sheltered.  The main channel (which splits into two as it turns south into the harbour proper, one either side of Sow and Pigs reef), is dredged to 13 metres deep.  You will have no trouble approaching Sydney Harbour from any angle in any weather conditions.
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| id="Sydney" |
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: '''Clark Island'''
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: '''Cockatoo Island'''
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: '''Fort Denison'''
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: '''Goat Island'''
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: '''Rodd Island'''
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: '''Shark Island'''
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|}
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The lighthouse at South Head is visible for some miles offshore.  North Head itself is very hard to miss, and is well lit and signed.  There are no significant reefs or shoals either at the harbour mouth or inside, except for Gowilland Bombora (off Middle Head) and Sow and Pigs Reef (just inside the main harbour), both of which are well marked.  Even close to the headlands the waters are quite deep -- get well inside the harbour before attempting to drop anchor (and in any case most of the harbour mouth is a no-anchor zone)!
 
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===Check-in facilities===
 
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Submit details about facilities for checking in.
 
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===Marinas===
 
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Sydney Harbour is loosely divided into three separate areas.  These are:
 
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* North Harbour, the area north of a line drawn between, say, the southern tip of North Head, and the southern tip of Dobroyd Head (Grotto Point).  This encompasses Manly, Fairlight, Seaforth, and the bays and anchorages on the western (inside) end of North Head.
 
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* Middle Harbour.  This is the area west and northwest of a line drawn between Grotto Point, and Middle Head.  This includes Clontarf, the Spit, the Middle Harbour Yacht Club, and all of the area west and northwest of the Spit Bridge.  It is also loosely divided into two areas, these being:
 
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** Outer Middle Harbour, including the area east of the Spit Bridge; and
 
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** Inner Middle Harbour, including the area west and northwest of the Spit Bridge.  The Spit Bridge is an important dividing line because it is a lifting bridge with a low clearance when closed (lower than the masthead of most sailboats), and it opens only at certain times of the day (the latest opening being at 9:30pm).  To get to the Inner Middle Harbour, you must pass the Spit Bridge, which you can only do at opening times.
 
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* South Harbour, or the main harbour.  This is all of the rest of Sydney Harbour, once you pass a line between Middle Head and South Head.  This includes the outer harbour (east of the Sydney Harbour Bridge), and the inner harbour (west of the Sydney Harbour Bridge), however note that the Harbour Bridge clearance is over 30m, so even the tallest rigged boats can sail under it at any time. (there are 6 ocean going vessels world-wide that are known not to be able to get under the bridge).
 
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====North Harbour====
 
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<googlemap lat="-33.805433" lon="151.277318" zoom="15"></googlemap>
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==Amenities==
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{{tlist
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* [http://www.davismarina.com.au/ Davis Marina].
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|header|Facilities
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** Gourlay Ave, Balgowlah
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** Marina berths and moorings are available, but usually booked out and casual berths or moorings are rarely available.  Facilities are limited.
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** Google maps link: http://maps.google.com.au/?ie=UTF8&ll=-33.799803,151.268392&spn=0.002434,0.003648&t=h&z=18
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** Mooring and berthing prices on this page:  http://www.davismarina.com.au/moor_berth.htm  Approx $500/month for a mooring, $1000/month for a berth, for a 42' yacht.  7 day tender service at extra cost.
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* [http://www.manlyboatshed.com/ Manly Boatshed] (Treharne's Marina), Bolingbroke Parade, Fairlight.  Has a slipway (tonnage capacity unknown but it slipped my 38ft/14 tonne steel boat without difficulty), rigger, boatmaker, engine repair facility, water, and power.  There are no permanent berths, only moorings, although boats may be brought alongside the wharf for short periods by arrangement with the Marina staff.  The moorings are usually full and need to be booked in advance, there are rarely if ever any casual moorings available.  The office is staffed Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm, and there is a tender service that runs Saturdays & Sundays 8am - 5pm, and also race day Fridays (during daylight savings hours in the summer) from 4pm - 9pm.  Office staff are friendly and helpful, and the tradesmen are knowledgeable and highly skilled (being amongst the best known and best respected boatbuilders in Sydney Harbour, although slow to get around to tasks and often understaffed) but facilities are limited.
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** Google Maps link: http://maps.google.com.au/?ie=UTF8&ll=-33.79925,151.270945&spn=0.002434,0.003648&t=h&z=18
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** Mooring rates approx $400 / month for a 42' yacht.  Berths not available.  Weekends only tender service included in the price.
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* [http://www.myc.org.au/ Manly Yacht Club] operates a drop-off facility only, but it is the only one within walking distance of the Manly town center.  Racing is on Friday nights (twilights) during the summer, and Sundays all year round.  Worth coming by after a race on Friday night for a good feed with fellow sailors at a reasonable price.
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** No moorings or berths available, no tender service.
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====Outer Middle Harbour====
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|Water| Nearly all [[#Marinas & Yacht Clubs|marinas]] offer water at the dock, and places such as [http://www.baileysmarine.com.au/Whitebay/ Baileys Marine Fuels] and [http://www.clontarfmarina.com.au/ Clontarf Marina] have water available at the fuel dock.
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|Electricity| Nearly all [[#Marinas & Yacht Clubs|marinas]] have power to all berths
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|Toilets| In the [[#Marinas & Yacht Clubs|marinas]]
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|Showers| In most of the [[#Marinas & Yacht Clubs|marinas]]
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|Laundry| Most areas of Sydney have one or more coin-operated laundromats, or more frequently bag wash services where you can drop a bag of dirties and pick it up clean the next day.  Check with the [[#Marinas & Yacht Clubs|marina]] or other locals as to where you might find the nearest.
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|Garbage| Garbage disposal in Sydney is always a problem -- check with the [[#Marinas & Yacht Clubs|marina]] or nearby locals as to where council bins might be located.  Councils usually only clear away rubbish left in specific bins by residents, and the residents are often on the look out for any unwanted dumper
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<googlemap lat="-33.812743" lon="151.259165" zoom="14"></googlemap>
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|header|Supplies
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|Fuel| Fuel docks are available at many places around Sydney Harbour, some of the ones I have frequented include the following:
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* [http://www.baileysmarine.com.au/Whitebay/ Baileys Marine Fuels] at White Bay, on the south side of the harbour just past the Harbour Bridge.  They have the cheapest prices on the harbour that I have encountered, as well as free water, pump-out facilities, and they are open 24x7 if you have a credit card.
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* [http://www.clontarfmarina.com.au/ Clontarf Marina] just before the Spit Bridge in Middle Harbour.  Because of its location it's probably the most stable and sheltered fuel dock in inclement weather.
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* [http://dalboramarinas.com.au/Our-Marinas/Rushcutters-Bay.aspx d'Albora Marinas] at Rushcutter's Bay also has a publically accessible fuel dock that is available 24x7.  There was once a pump-out station on the fuel dock, last time I checked it had gone although there were rumours that it was about to be replaced.
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* [http://www.clontarfmarina.com.au/ Clontarf Marina].  Fuel is available here, probably the best prices in the northern part of Sydney Harbour.  Moorings are available at short notice, there are a limited number of marina berths that are rarely available.  Has a slipway and other facilities but services are known to be expensive.
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|Bottled gas|
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** Google maps link: http://maps.google.com.au/?ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=-33.804465,151.252239&spn=0.002434,0.003648&z=18
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Bottled gas is widely available from service stations and hardware stores. While it is possible to get bottles filled. Many of these places do not fill bottles, but run a bottle exchange system. There are several bottle exchange companies wich operate Australia wide. Bottles cost around AU$40 and replacements cost around $20.
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** Moorings available, around $500/month for a 42' yacht. Berths are shallow draft only and not suitable for keelboats. 7 day tender service available.
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|Chandlers|
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* [http://www.mhyc.com.au/ Middle Harbour Yacht Club].  This is one of the best respected (racing) yacht clubs in Sydney, but the marina is a members-only facility. It's worth stopping by if you are in the area for a feed, reasonably priced drinks (and a good range), and racing on Wednesdays and Saturdays .
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* [https://www.whitworths.com.au Whitworths] is the best known marine chandlery in Sydney, and operates 5 stores.
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** Google maps link: http://maps.google.com.au/?ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=-33.806841,151.248098&spn=0.002434,0.003648&z=18
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* [http://www.biasboating.com.au/showrooms.html BIAS Boating Warehouse] is also a good supplier of all marine equipment.  Their showrooms are more widely distributed than those of Whitworths.
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** Moorings and berths available to members only, mostly occupied by race boats.
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* [http://www.bargainboatbits.com.au/ Bargain Boat Bits] sell boat bits, sometimes at a bargain price. Caveat: shop around, as the name of the store may not reflect any relation to having consistently the lowest prices.
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* [http://www.sydneyharbour.com.au/ Fergusons Boatshed], ph: 9968 3729
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* [https://www.classic-boat-supplies.com.au/ Classic Boat Supplies] Operates from a shop in Belrose, but also accepts online orders. Has a good range of bronze deck hardware and bits for wooden boat repair, epoxy, etc. Australian distributor for Davey & Co.
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** Google maps link: http://maps.google.com.au/?ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=-33.803734,151.247277&spn=0.002434,0.003648&z=18
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* [http://www.theboatwarehouse.com.au/ The Boat Warehouse] Online-only chandlery although they do allow pickups from their Sydney depot, but you need to order ahead. Has a wide range from many of the major brands such as Harken, Ronstan and Oceansouth. Will send orders internationally.
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* [http://www.aquatronics.com.au/ Aquatronics] in Brookvale are probably the best suppliers / installers / repairers of anything electronic on your boat.
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* [http://www.oceantalk.com.au/ Oceantalk] have a good range of specialist electronic equipment. Although they are distributors they are usually able to be spoken to on the phone, and will offer product advice and let you know where to purchase the gear they distribute. Norm Bretherton was the guy to talk to last time I dealt with them.
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* There are many fishing tackle stores located around Sydney which have limited ranges of items such as rope, chain, etc that might be easier to reach than major chandlers.
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|General Hardware|
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*Bunnings is the major hardware chain across Australia and operate warehouse hardware with a relatively wide range of general (non marine) hardware items and moderate prices. 
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*Mitre 10 smaller more local hardware stores with a smaller range than Bunnings.
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*Home Hardware, another chain of smaller local hardware stores.
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|header|Services
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|Repairs| There are many repair yards around Sydney, mostly are of generally OK quality but the prices are somewhat higher than others in the region. Some that I have frequented include:
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* [http://www.sydneycitymarine.com.au/ Sydney City Marine] almost directly under the Anzac Bridge at the entrance to Blackwattle Bay.
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* [http://www.riverquays.com.au/ River Quays Marina] at Mortlake.
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* [http://manlyboatshed.com/ Treharne's Manly Boatshed] at North Harbour -- however last I heard from them they were no longer slipping boats for repair due to damage to the slipway. Hugh Treharne is one of the most respected shipwrights on the harbour, having had the distinction of being the tactician on Australia II when it won the America's Cup in 1983.
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====Inner Middle Harbour====
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|Internet| It's quite tricky to find free or even cheap WiFi in Sydney although many cafes now provide free WiFi with purchase.  ''MacDonalds'' are one restaurant chain that always has free WiFi, and ''Burger King/Hungry Jacks'' have it in most stores as well.
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|Mobile connectivity| Mobile connectivity is good throughout Sydney.
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|Vehicle rentals|Nearly all major car rental companies are represented in Sydney, from the executive fleet to rent-a-ruffy.  Some picks include:
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* [http://www.europcar.com.au/ Europcar]
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* [http://www.budget.com.au/ Budget]
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* [http://www.bayswatercarrental.com.au/ Bays Water Car Rental]
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<googlemap lat="-33.79427" lon="151.219597" zoom="13"></googlemap>
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In addition, Sydney has an innovative car share scheme called [http://www.goget.com.au/ goGet].  For a membership fee of approx. $25 per month you get to rent cars by the hour, paying only an hourly fee.  Fuel is paid for, and the cars are serviced regularly.  Inner city and harbour areas of Sydney have many goGet cars located on the streets, check out the web site for your nearest car.
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}}
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As noted above, these marinas can only be reached by passing the Spit Bridge, which can only be done at certain times of the day (opening times). The advantage is that mooring and berthing rates are generally lower than on the outer part of the harbour, and protection from the weather is generally better.
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==Provisioning==
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Australia's two major grocery stores, those being [http://www.coles.com.au/ Coles] and [http://www.woolworths.com.au/ Woolworths] with a scattering of outlets such as Costco, Aldi, Lidl, [http://iga.com.au/ IGA] and [http://7eleven.com.au/ 7 Eleven]. These stores tend to be located in shopping malls. Generally in Sydney there will be one of these stores within a few kilometers. Ethnic grocers such as Asian grocers and Indian grocers are also common.
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Near The Spit:
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==Eating out==
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Sydney has many eateries of every possible persuasion, and then some.  Web sites that are worth checking out include:
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* [http://www.goodfood.com.au/ Good Food Guide]
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* [http://www.eatstreets.com.au/ Eat Streets]
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* [http://www.urbanspoon.com/pr/70/1/Sydney/Cheap-Eats.html Urban Spoon Cheap Eats Guide Sydney]
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* [http://www.dalboramarinas.com.au/client/GeneralContent/c_dynamicContentPage.jsp?categoryName=The%20Spit&elementID=14 D'Albora Marinas, Middle Harbour (the spit)].  Fuel is available here 24x7, however at probably higher prices than at Clontarf Marina.
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==Transportation==
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** Google maps link: http://maps.google.com.au/?ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=-33.804951,151.24489&spn=0.002434,0.003648&z=18
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Sydney has an excellent train network, a passable ferry and bus network, and many other forms of public transport.  Taxis are easy to find but somewhat expensive.
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** Berths and Moorings available, moorings around $500/month for a 42' yacht.  7 day tender service available.  Quote available from this page:  http://www.dalboramarinas.com.au/DALBORA_2008/client/onlineForms/c_berthingEquiry.jsp
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* [http://131500.info/ NSW Transport Info] is a one-stop trip planner.
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** Note that d'Albora Marinas have several locations around Sydney and elsewhere, and offer reciprocal berthing rights. Contact the marina directly for more information.
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* [http://www.sydneytrains.info/ Sydney Trains]
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Cammeray / Willoughby Bay:
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Sydney is served by [http://www.sydneyairport.com.au/ Kingsford Smith Airport] which has separate international and domestic terminals (connected by the Sydney train network) with flights to most domestic locations and international flights.
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* [http://www.cia.com.au/cammarina/home.htm Cammeray Marina], ph: 9953 4761
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==Tourism==
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** Google maps link: http://maps.google.com.au/?ie=UTF8&ll=-33.81847,151.222697&spn=0.002433,0.003648&t=h&z=18
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====History====
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** Mooring prices for a 42' yacht are approx $330/month, berthing prices approx $900/month.  Pricing page here: http://www.cia.com.au/cammarina/content/price_list.html
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{{Green|Give a short history of the port.}}
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Sailors Bay:
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====Places to Visit====
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There are many things to do ashore in Australia's largest city, many people live their entire lives there and never leave.  To attempt to list them all here would be futile -- check some of the "what's on" type links in the links section, check out the happenings in the local newspaper ([http://www.smh.com.au/ Sydney Morning Herald]) and also check one of the tourism web sites such as [http://www.sydney.com/ sydney.com] or [http://www.visitnsw.com/ Destination NSW] (both run by the State Government).
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* Northbridge Marina, ph: 9958 1261 or 0419 207 883
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Famous tourist attractions include
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** Widgiewa Rd, Northbridge
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* Sydney City: Restaurants, Bars and Shopping.
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** Google maps link: http://maps.google.com.au/?ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=-33.806003,151.221716&spn=0.002434,0.003648&z=18
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* The Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House
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** A phone enquiry gave me a rate of $210/month for mooring a 42ft yacht, or berthing for $890/month. The guys can often seem a little vague on the phone.
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* Sydney beaches: Bondi Beach is the most iconic, but there are many along the Pacific Coast.
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* Castlecrag Marine, ph: 9958 0425
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* The Rocks: the original site of the Sydney settlement with many old (by Australian standards) building and lots of bars and restaurants.
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** Foot of Rockley Street Castlecrag 2068
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* The Taronga Park Zoo: a picturesque zoo located on the northern shore of the main harbour.
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* Northside Shipwrights, ph: 9958 4947
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* Darling Harbour: A dense area of tourist attractions including the National Maritime Museum, Sydney Aquarium, Madame Tussauds Sydney, dining, Chinese Garden of Friendship, Paddy's Markets and the Crown Casio. Chinatown is nearby.
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** Google maps link: http://maps.google.com.au/?ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=-33.803525,151.225133&spn=0.009735,0.014591&z=16
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* Sydney Botanical Gardens
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** Moorings only available.
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* Kings Cross: theatre, bars, restaurants, markets.
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* Sailors Bay Boatshed, ph: 9958 8869
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** End Sailors Bay Road Clive Park Northbridge
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** Google maps link: http://maps.google.com.au/?ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=-33.805464,151.22896&spn=0.001217,0.001824&z=19
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Roseville Chase (upper reaches):
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==Friends==
 +
Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.
 +
*
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* Roseville Bridge Marina, ph: 9417 8222
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==Forums==
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** 15 Normac Street, Roseville, NSW 2069
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List links to discussion threads on [[Cruising Forums|partnering forums]]. (''see link for requirements'')
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** Google maps link: http://maps.google.com.au/?ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=-33.777957,151.207328&spn=0.002435,0.003648&z=18
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*
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** Has a Leisure Boating Club: http://www.leisureboating.com.au/Clubs/Roseville/Location.asp?SessionID= (I wouldn't have included this but it's the only internet site I can find with any information about the marina itself).
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====Main Harbour, East of the Harbour Bridge====
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==Links==
 +
Sydney is a popular tourist, business, and cultural destination being the largest city in Australia and the largest in the region.  There are a great many sites offering everything from a "quickie" to 5 star escorted tours of the city and hinterlands.  Here is a small selection of the most appropriate sites:
 +
* [http://www.visitnsw.com/sydney.aspx Sydney]
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* [http://www.sydneyaustralia.com/ Sydney Australia]
 +
* [http://www.whats-on-in-sydney.com.au/sydney/sydney_tourism.htm Whats on]
 +
* {{wikipedia}}
 +
* {{Wikivoyage}}
 +
* {{Wikipedia|Port Jackson|Port Jackson}}
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*
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<googlemap lat="-33.848035" lon="151.243801" zoom="13"></googlemap>
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==References==
 +
* [http://www.alanlucascruisingguides.com/ Cruising the New South Wales Coast] by Alan Lucas is available in most chandleries in [[New South Wales]], marine book stores, or by mail order.  It is the premier guide for cruising the coastal ports and regions of [[New South Wales]].
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* [http://www.dalboramarinas.com.au/DALBORA_2008/client/GeneralContent/c_dynamicContentPage.jsp?categoryName=Rushcutters%20Bay&elementID=15 d'Albora Marinas, Rushcutters' Bay], ph: 9328 7666
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''See also [[Australia#References|Australia]]''.
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** Google maps link: http://maps.google.com.au/?ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=-33.873426,151.232611&spn=0.004864,0.007296&z=17
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** Berthing rates for a 42' yacht approx $2000/month, and these are rarely available.  Expect to pay top dollar for anything this end of Sydney.
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====Main Harbour, West of the Harbour Bridge====
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{{Comments}}
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* [http://sailchiarastella.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/port-hacking.html Chiara Stella -- Port Hacking]
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<googlemap lat="-33.838625" lon="151.163464" zoom="13"></googlemap>
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*  
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* [http://www.sailcorp.com.au/ Lavender Bay (Sailcorp)]
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** Moorings approximately $330/month (up to 55ft).  7 day tender service included.
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* Berrys Bay Marina, ph: 9929 5288
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** 1 Balls Head Road Waverton 2060
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** Google maps link: http://maps.google.com.au/?ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=-33.844631,151.195403&spn=0.002433,0.003648&z=18
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* Woolwich Marina.
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** 2 Margaret St, Woolwich
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** Google maps link: http://maps.google.com.au/?ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=-33.843402,151.168919&spn=0.002433,0.003648&z=18
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** Berthing rates for a 42' yacht approx $1044/month.  Mooring rates approx $321/month.  Tender service available but it's $15 each way each trip.
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* [http://balmainmarina.com.au/ Balmain Marina], ph: 9555 7049
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** 1 Phoebe St, Balmain
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** Google maps link: http://maps.google.com.au/?ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=-33.854611,151.170706&spn=0.004865,0.007296&z=17
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** Mooring rates approx $295/month.
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** Birchgrove Yacht Service operate from here, I have found them to be one of the better marine diesel service centers on Sydney Harbour, especially when it comes to uncommon / European engines.  Ph: 9810 6267 ask for Alan Clark.
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* Camerons Marina, ph: 9810 7808 fax 9810 7855
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** 5A Phoebe St, Balmain
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** Google maps link: http://maps.google.com.au/?ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=-33.854513,151.170376&spn=0.001216,0.001824&z=19
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** Full shipwright services.
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* [http://www.birkenheadpoint.com.au/marina.amx Birkenhead Point Marina]
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** Google maps link: http://maps.google.com.au/?ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=-33.856054,151.164483&spn=0.004865,0.007296&z=17
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* Gladesville Bridge Marina, ph: 9181 2014
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** 380 Victoria Place, Drummoyne
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** Google maps link: http://maps.google.com.au/?ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=-33.843767,151.146512&spn=0.004865,0.007296&z=17
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* [http://www.dalboramarinas.com.au/DALBORA_2008/client/GeneralContent/c_dynamicContentPage.jsp?categoryName=Cabarita%20Point&elementID=20 d'Albora Marinas, Cabarita Point]
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** Google maps link: http://maps.google.com.au/?ie=UTF8&ll=-33.81847,151.222697&spn=0.002433,0.003648&t=h&z=18
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===Anchorages===
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Details of all safe anchorages in the area:
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Note that Sydney Harbour has pretty good holding all around, but is quite deep.  Typically 25 meters or so in the main channels, and can be up to 15 meters deep even quite close to shore.  So you have to get well in and look around for anchoring spots.  Sydney Harbour is littered with bays and small coves, so many that it's almost impossible to list them all here.
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* I really like [http://maps.google.com.au/?ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=-33.844186,151.279571&spn=0.009731,0.014591&z=16 Watsons Bay].  Deceptively sheltered for just inside the heads, and you can usually find an anchoring spot just outside the moorings or tie up to an unused mooring for a very short period of time (long enough to grab some fish and chips from Doyle's on the Wharf -- tell them I sent you, although don't tell them I told you to grab someone else's mooring).
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* [http://maps.google.com.au/?ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=-33.860616,151.218052&spn=0.009729,0.014591&z=16 Farm Cove] is OK for anchoring, good holding in sand/mud, nice and close to the city with plenty of places to pull up the dinghy alongside, and a 24 hour time limit.  Don't overstay your welcome, you're between the water police and the naval base.  Also don't be tempted to anchor too far out into the bay overnight as commercial harbour cruise boats do tend to circle the bay and some of them aren't very manouverable.
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* If you miss Farm Cove, don't even think about anchoring in the next bay along -- [http://maps.google.com.au/?ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=-33.85748,151.211808&spn=0.009729,0.014591&z=16 Sydney Cove] and Circular Quay, unless you happen to like the water police impounding your boat.
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===Tourism & things to do ashore===
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List places of interest, tours, eateries, etc.
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===Marine stores===
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Submit addresses and contact details of marine related businesses that are of interest to cruisers.
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* [http://www.whitworths.com.au/customer_service.asp?pg=116&ID=118 Whitworths] is the best known marine chandlery in Sydney, and operates 5 stores.
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* [http://www.biasboating.com.au/showrooms.html BIAS Boating Warehouse] is also a good supplier of all marine equipment.  Their showrooms are more widely distributed than those of Whitworths.
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* [http://www.bargainboatbits.com.au/ Bargain Boat Bits] sell boat bits, sometimes at a bargain price.  Caveat: shop around, as the name of the store may not reflect any relation to having consistently the lowest prices.
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* [http://www.aquatronics.com.au/ Aquatronics] in Brookvale are probably the best suppliers / installers / repairers of anything electronic on your boat.
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===Offshore Islands===
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List Islands
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===References & Publications===
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Publications, etc.
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===Cruiser's Friends===
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Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.
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===Forum Discussions===
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{{Verified by}}
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List links to discussion threads on the Cruiser Log Forum
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* [[User:Delatbabel|Delatbabel]] 00:45, 11 February 2013 (GMT)
 +
* Updated from research (pilot books, internet, etc.) May, 2017 {{Istioploos2}}
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*
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===External Links===
 
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Sydney is a popular tourist, business, and cultural destination being the largest city in Australia and the largest in the region.  There are a great many sites offering everything from a "quickie" to 5 star escourted tours of the city and hinterlands.  Here is a small selection of the most appropriate sites:
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{{page useable}}
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* http://www.visitnsw.com/sydney.aspx
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{{Contributors|[[User:Lighthouse|Lighthouse]], [[User:Delatbabel|Delatbabel]], [[User:Haiqu|Haiqu]], [[User:Peter McHugh|Peter McHugh]]}}
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* http://www.sydneyaustralia.com/
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* http://www.whats-on-in-sydney.com.au/sydney/sydney_tourism.htm
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<center>Back to [[East_Australia|EAST AUSTRALIA]]</center>
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[[Category:Ports - Australia]] [[Category:Marinas - Australia]] [[Category:Anchorages - Australia]]

Latest revision as of 08:32, 30 August 2018

World ▶ Australia ▶ New South Wales ▶ Sydney

Contents

Sydney
Port of Entry
33°49.505'S, 151°16.606'E Chart icon.png
lat=-33.82508 | lon=151.27676 | zoom=12 | y

Sydney is Australia's largest city, and largest / principal sea port. It is the capital city of New South Wales, and located on the East Coast of Australia roughly half way between Brisbane to the north and Melbourne to the south.

Sydney faces eastwards on to the pacific ocean with a coastline of high sea cliffs and bays with sandy beaches. Its coastline is punctuated by three large bodies of water: Sydney Harbour, The Hawkesbury River and Botany Bay.

The city is centred on Sydney Harbour (Port Jackson) which is home to the city centre, as well as the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House. The main part of the harbour is deep with wide channels. It extends 25 km inland via the Paramatta River, and has numerous branches and bays. these are fringed by everything from exclusive suburbs to industrial ports to secluded bushland. The harbour has numerous yacht clubs and facilities for yachts. It also has extensive traffic including large commercial vessels, ferries and recreational boaters.

The northern fringes of the city touch on Pittwater which is part of the Hawkesbury River region, which is technically part of the Central Coast region. Pittwater is a 10 km (6 mi) long inlet extending south from the mouth of the River separated pacific ocean by a long, narrow peninsula. There are several yacht clubs with facilities along Pittwater as well as the Central Coast to the north.

The southern suburbs of the city wrap around Botany Bay, which is a wide, open and unsheltered harbour with a width of several kilometers. Georges river enters the bay on the southeast with two marinas. While the river is deep and navigable some km upstream, it is crossed at its mouth by a 16m clearance bridge and 1km further upstream by a 5.6 m clearance bridge 1.2 km (3/4 mi) further upstream.

The smaller Port Hacking is located south of Botany Bay. This is a small drowned valley estuary. The entrance is shallow, but a dredged channel gives access to deeper waters of the sheltered Gunnamatta bay. The port is navigable several kilometers further inland, although the river is crossed by an overhead power line with 9m clearance.

Charts

Charts of Sydney Harbour are readily available, but the harbour pilots contained in the cruising guide mentioned above, along with a depth sounder, are your best guides. Sydney Harbour is wide and deep throughout, and except at the far reaches of Middle Harbour or the Lane Cove River there is very little to hit.

NSW Road and Maritime Transport publish boating maps for NSW which are also available online for free. The relevant maps for Sydney Harbour are:

  • 9D Port Jackson east of the Harbour Bridge [1]
  • 9D Middle Harbour [2]
  • 9G Port Jackson west of the Harbour Bridge including Lane Cove and Lower Parramatta Rivers [3]
  • 9G Upper Parramatta River [4]

Note: details on these charts may be out of date.

See also New South Wales.

Weather

See New South Wales.

Sources for Weather forecasts:

Passages

Islands

Hawkesbury River Region Sydney Harbour (Port Jackson)
Cogra Bay (accessible only by water)
Dangar Island
Little Wobby {accessible only by water)
Long Island
Peat Island
Pelican Island
Rileys Island
Scotland Island
Spectacle Island
St Huberts Island
Clark Island
Cockatoo Island
Fort Denison
Goat Island
Rodd Island
Shark Island




Amenities

Facilities
Water Nearly all marinas offer water at the dock, and places such as Baileys Marine Fuels and Clontarf Marina have water available at the fuel dock.
Electricity Nearly all marinas have power to all berths
Toilets In the marinas
Showers In most of the marinas
Laundry Most areas of Sydney have one or more coin-operated laundromats, or more frequently bag wash services where you can drop a bag of dirties and pick it up clean the next day. Check with the marina or other locals as to where you might find the nearest.
Garbage Garbage disposal in Sydney is always a problem -- check with the marina or nearby locals as to where council bins might be located. Councils usually only clear away rubbish left in specific bins by residents, and the residents are often on the look out for any unwanted dumper
Supplies
Fuel Fuel docks are available at many places around Sydney Harbour, some of the ones I have frequented include the following:
  • Baileys Marine Fuels at White Bay, on the south side of the harbour just past the Harbour Bridge. They have the cheapest prices on the harbour that I have encountered, as well as free water, pump-out facilities, and they are open 24x7 if you have a credit card.
  • Clontarf Marina just before the Spit Bridge in Middle Harbour. Because of its location it's probably the most stable and sheltered fuel dock in inclement weather.
  • d'Albora Marinas at Rushcutter's Bay also has a publically accessible fuel dock that is available 24x7. There was once a pump-out station on the fuel dock, last time I checked it had gone although there were rumours that it was about to be replaced.
Bottled gas Bottled gas is widely available from service stations and hardware stores. While it is possible to get bottles filled. Many of these places do not fill bottles, but run a bottle exchange system. There are several bottle exchange companies wich operate Australia wide. Bottles cost around AU$40 and replacements cost around $20.
Chandlers
  • Whitworths is the best known marine chandlery in Sydney, and operates 5 stores.
  • BIAS Boating Warehouse is also a good supplier of all marine equipment. Their showrooms are more widely distributed than those of Whitworths.
  • Bargain Boat Bits sell boat bits, sometimes at a bargain price. Caveat: shop around, as the name of the store may not reflect any relation to having consistently the lowest prices.
  • Classic Boat Supplies Operates from a shop in Belrose, but also accepts online orders. Has a good range of bronze deck hardware and bits for wooden boat repair, epoxy, etc. Australian distributor for Davey & Co.
  • The Boat Warehouse Online-only chandlery although they do allow pickups from their Sydney depot, but you need to order ahead. Has a wide range from many of the major brands such as Harken, Ronstan and Oceansouth. Will send orders internationally.
  • Aquatronics in Brookvale are probably the best suppliers / installers / repairers of anything electronic on your boat.
  • Oceantalk have a good range of specialist electronic equipment. Although they are distributors they are usually able to be spoken to on the phone, and will offer product advice and let you know where to purchase the gear they distribute. Norm Bretherton was the guy to talk to last time I dealt with them.
  • There are many fishing tackle stores located around Sydney which have limited ranges of items such as rope, chain, etc that might be easier to reach than major chandlers.
General Hardware
  • Bunnings is the major hardware chain across Australia and operate warehouse hardware with a relatively wide range of general (non marine) hardware items and moderate prices.
  • Mitre 10 smaller more local hardware stores with a smaller range than Bunnings.
  • Home Hardware, another chain of smaller local hardware stores.
Services
Repairs There are many repair yards around Sydney, mostly are of generally OK quality but the prices are somewhat higher than others in the region. Some that I have frequented include:
  • Sydney City Marine almost directly under the Anzac Bridge at the entrance to Blackwattle Bay.
  • River Quays Marina at Mortlake.
  • Treharne's Manly Boatshed at North Harbour -- however last I heard from them they were no longer slipping boats for repair due to damage to the slipway. Hugh Treharne is one of the most respected shipwrights on the harbour, having had the distinction of being the tactician on Australia II when it won the America's Cup in 1983.
Internet It's quite tricky to find free or even cheap WiFi in Sydney although many cafes now provide free WiFi with purchase. MacDonalds are one restaurant chain that always has free WiFi, and Burger King/Hungry Jacks have it in most stores as well.
Mobile connectivity Mobile connectivity is good throughout Sydney.
Vehicle rentals Nearly all major car rental companies are represented in Sydney, from the executive fleet to rent-a-ruffy. Some picks include:

In addition, Sydney has an innovative car share scheme called goGet. For a membership fee of approx. $25 per month you get to rent cars by the hour, paying only an hourly fee. Fuel is paid for, and the cars are serviced regularly. Inner city and harbour areas of Sydney have many goGet cars located on the streets, check out the web site for your nearest car.

Provisioning

Australia's two major grocery stores, those being Coles and Woolworths with a scattering of outlets such as Costco, Aldi, Lidl, IGA and 7 Eleven. These stores tend to be located in shopping malls. Generally in Sydney there will be one of these stores within a few kilometers. Ethnic grocers such as Asian grocers and Indian grocers are also common.

Eating out

Sydney has many eateries of every possible persuasion, and then some. Web sites that are worth checking out include:

Transportation

Sydney has an excellent train network, a passable ferry and bus network, and many other forms of public transport. Taxis are easy to find but somewhat expensive.

Sydney is served by Kingsford Smith Airport which has separate international and domestic terminals (connected by the Sydney train network) with flights to most domestic locations and international flights.

Tourism

History

Give a short history of the port.

Places to Visit

There are many things to do ashore in Australia's largest city, many people live their entire lives there and never leave. To attempt to list them all here would be futile -- check some of the "what's on" type links in the links section, check out the happenings in the local newspaper (Sydney Morning Herald) and also check one of the tourism web sites such as sydney.com or Destination NSW (both run by the State Government).

Famous tourist attractions include

  • Sydney City: Restaurants, Bars and Shopping.
  • The Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House
  • Sydney beaches: Bondi Beach is the most iconic, but there are many along the Pacific Coast.
  • The Rocks: the original site of the Sydney settlement with many old (by Australian standards) building and lots of bars and restaurants.
  • The Taronga Park Zoo: a picturesque zoo located on the northern shore of the main harbour.
  • Darling Harbour: A dense area of tourist attractions including the National Maritime Museum, Sydney Aquarium, Madame Tussauds Sydney, dining, Chinese Garden of Friendship, Paddy's Markets and the Crown Casio. Chinatown is nearby.
  • Sydney Botanical Gardens
  • Kings Cross: theatre, bars, restaurants, markets.

Friends

Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.

Forums

List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)

Links

Sydney is a popular tourist, business, and cultural destination being the largest city in Australia and the largest in the region. There are a great many sites offering everything from a "quickie" to 5 star escorted tours of the city and hinterlands. Here is a small selection of the most appropriate sites:

References

See also Australia.

Comments

We welcome users' contributions to the Wiki. Please click on Comments to view other users' comments, add your own personal experiences or recommend any changes to this page following your visit.

Verified by

Date of member's last visit to Sydney and this page's details validated:



This is a usable page of the cruising guide. However, please contribute if you can to help it grow further. Click on Comments to add your personal notes on this page or to discuss its contents. Alternatively, if you feel confident to edit the page, click on the edit tab at the top and enter your changes directly.


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Names: Lighthouse, Delatbabel, Haiqu, Peter McHugh


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