West Coast Tasmania
More and more trailer boats are exploring Macquarie Harbour (Chart Aus 177) on the West Coast.
This is an immense waterway that offers some unique cruising opportunities, particularly along the Gordon River and Birches Inlet area. This area, in particular, requires careful planning and is likely to be most effective when a high-pressure system is situated southeast of the state, producing onshore easterlies along the east coast.
Make sure you have a plan and equip yourself with reference guides and the applicable Aus charts.
There are a number of cruising guides on the market, and it is vitally important you have one of these aboard to check the suitability of anchorages.
Larger cruising boats also travel to Port Davey (Chart: AUS 176). To many, this is “the” cruising destination in Tasmania. Pretty, remote, on the edge of the Roaring Forties. This is one trip for which planning is absolutely necessary. Some boats have been known to become trapped there for weeks, unable to return.
The best time to cruise to Port Davey is perhaps from mid-February to May. You should seek knowledge from people who have been there, if possible. There is good information in some of the guides, but nothing beats sitting down with someone who has a good knowledge of the area.
Runabouts over 6 metres have also been known to travel to Port Davey. If you do this, do not go alone – always go with a group of other boats for safety reasons. Make sure you have enough fuel. Some fishermen have been known to take fuel on these trips and drop it off for the smaller boats. The distance from Recherche to Port Davey, around 60 nm, does not seem far, but you are travelling along the south coast of Tasmania, where the weather can change quickly.
