Wide Bay Bar - updates 2017 and 2020

A new survey has been performed by MSQ, and reported on 4th May 2017.

NOTICE TO MARINERS 164 of 2017

Here is a section of the survey.

The directional light on Hook Point has been moved to a bearing of 270/090. As you can see below, that takes you over about 500 metres with less than 5 metres depth; the minimum depth being 3.7 metres.

My own view is that the light should be ignored, and waypoints should be published regularly by MSQ.

An alternative route crosses a narrow spot with a minimum depth of 5.0 metres

Looking at the latest survey, reasonable waypoints would be:

1) 25° 47.7'S, 153° 08'E, 

2) 25° 46.8'S, 153° 07'E,

That would keep you in water more than 5 metres deep.

A more complex option that is still reasonable, would be to put in some extra waypoints.

First Waypoint      A = 25°48'S,      153°08'E,
Second Waypoint  B = 25°47.23'S, 153°07.38'E,
Third Waypoint     C = 25°47'S,      153°07'E,
Fourth Waypoint   D = 25°47'S,      153°06.73'E,  On line of Inskip Point leads.
Fifth waypoint       E = 25°48'S,      153°05'E,  near Inskip Point.

I plan to use these waypoints when we sail up the coast in early May.

All at your own risk. Check with Tin Can Bay Coast Guard (Tel: 0419 798 651).

This photo was taken by a pilot flying over the area on a calm day; 5th August 2018.

To check for an update to this survey, go to the Maryborough: Notices to Mariners site.

https://publications.qld.gov.au/dataset/maryborough-notices-to-mariners

Search for Wide Bay Bar.

A new survey was performed on 29th September 2018.

 Download (666 KiB) (PDF)

A further survey was done on 19th January 2020. Download it here.

15/06/2020: Maryborough pilotage area—Wide Bay Bar 

 Download (200 KiB) (PDF)

Waypoint 1 - 25˚47.8' S. 153˚7.55' E.

Waypoint 2 - 25˚46.8' S. 153˚7.1' E.

Waypoint 3 - 25˚46.8' S. 153˚6.7' E.

Waypoint 4 - 25˚47.4' S. 153˚6' E.

These waypoints are derived from the graphics of the survey above. Use at your own risk, and check with Tin Can Bay Coast Guard (Tel: 0419 798 651).

Cyclone Debbie

Cyclone Debbie caused a lot of damage. This image is from the 'earth' site.

She trashed the Whitsundays, and dumped buckets of rain all down the Queensland and NSW coast.

The politicians have been particularly pathetic recently, subsidizing an Indian coal mine and mocking people concerned about climate change.

Here are a few photos from the extra rain.

Austinville Creek

Austinville Creek

Purlingbrook Falls

Hinze Dam overflow

The race below the Hinze Dam

Columnar basalt rock formation at Fingal Head. Cook Island in the distance.

We had to get Nimrod down from Raby Bay to her annual appointment at BoatWorks in Coomera. The plan had been to bring her down on Thursday, ready for her liftout on Friday morning. The weather was wet on the Thursday, with a northerly of 20-25 knots, but Debbie was due to swing round and blow hard from the south for most of the week. A case of 'now or never'. 

The creek was flooded a kilometre down from our house, so I went round the back way to meet my mate Julien at Coomera. The back road was open, but later in the day suffered a major break! 

Julien and I got Nimrod down to BoatWorks without difficulty. Quite a bit of debris in the Coomera River. I stayed at his place that night, until the creek dropped enough to get home the next day.

As predicted, Debbie blew hard from the south for days. Just as well we made the move when we did.