Ross

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  • in reply to: Cape Voltaire and the Canal heading east #3137
    Ross
    Keymaster

      Ebb is OK when its blowing from east or south east, which is most of the time in the dry season. Steep waves can stand up just to the west of the narrowest part of the passage when wind against tide.

      in reply to: Cape Voltaire and the Canal heading east #3135
      Ross
      Keymaster

        Hi Mark, I would leave the Mitchell River on an ebb tide, which runs north and northwest out of Walmesly Bay, to reach Voltaire Passage about full water slack, then run south with the flood tide down towards Swift Bay. An alternative is wait for the tides at anchor in Krait Bay just west of Voltaire Passage, or the bay just to the east of VP, but beware of rocks in the east side bay – I stuck my nose in there for a look earlier this year, and recall that  much of the bottom looked hard.

        I’ve been through The Canal several times and didn’t wait for slack water. It looks scarier that it actually is. Just went with the flow straight through the middle of the gap. I’v also been through powering against the flow. But if you are in a yacht or displacement vessel, going against it may not be possible, particularly in springs.

        Its a guess, but I would use the Koolan Island Yampi Sound tide chart as the closest to the Canal for judging slack water.

        Cheers, Ross

        in reply to: Places to join #3132
        Ross
        Keymaster

          Hi Andrea,

          Look here first. https://kccyc.org.au/charter-aircraft-contacts/

          We have used Kimberley Air Tours many times. They have the ability to drop in to just about anywhere on the coast within reach of Kununurra using their float planes. Phone them and they will quote a fixed price based on where you want them to land.

          Cheers,

          Ross

          in reply to: Want to sail the Kimberley’s with the family #3090
          Ross
          Keymaster

            Hi, I suggest reading the forum and the data on this site as a good source of general info on the Kimberley coast. The cruising season is April to October, but June, July and August are the best weather wise.

            Inexperience on the water and sailing the KC are probably not very compatible. To be relatively safe in such a remote place, you need sailing experience and confidence in your vessel. Just to get there from Perth, or the eastern states is a big adventure and achievement in its own right.

            Hiring a vessel that you aren’t familiar with is not a good idea for such a trip. It’s also very unlikely that you will find an owner willing to bare boat rent you a vessel in such a remote area. Insuring a bare boat hire vessel would be almost impossible in the KC, and it would definitely be impossible to get insurance, as well as being illegal, to rent a vessel that is not in commercial survey for that purpose. You might need to rethink the hire boat idea. Hiring a commercial vessel with a professional skipper and crew may be an option, but think lots of $$$’s.

            My honest advise, is to buy a boat that is capable of such a trip, then get used to sailing it with your family before heading off to such a remote coastline as the Kimberley.

            I hope your dreams come true.

            Ross.

            • This reply was modified 4 years, 6 months ago by Ross.
            in reply to: Boats Sailing to the Kimberley 2019 #3087
            Ross
            Keymaster

              Hi Tam and Dee,

              I have CPN files for much of the world, which I was given by another boater. Unfortunately, the file names don’t reflect in any way the area they relate to, so I cant single out just the Kimberley files. There are many folders and several hundred files.

              FYI. My previous boat had circa 2006 Navionics charts, and over the years cruising the KC, we found several errors and rocks that were incorrectly marked, or not on those charts, which we marked on our charts for future use. My new boat has Navionics charts that are now about 2 1/2 years old. On our last trip to the Kimberley over the past few months we found that many of those errors and rocks are now updated in my later version of Navionics. Rocks that were not shown previously are now mostly shown as small red and black crosses in a square background, sometimes with the “Reported Date”. (Some are not accurately located, so stay well clear of them.)  I suggest you obtain the latest updated Navionics chart if you don’t already have it, and use that as your main navigation software, as opposed to Open CPN files, which may be many years old and not updated.

              Have fun,

              Ross

              in reply to: Boats Sailing to the Kimberley 2019 #3083
              Ross
              Keymaster

                Hi Tam and Dee,

                I have OpenCPN, but seldom use it. Are you after .kap files specifically for the Kimberley, or just asking if others use them?

                Ross

                in reply to: Tide direction along kimberley coast #3080
                Ross
                Keymaster

                  Hi Mark, Its very hard to clarify the Kimberley tides. The FSC West Aus Cruising Guide is generally correct when you’re well off shore. IE. Floods E and S, ebbs W and N. However, most cruising boats stay relatively close to the coast and sail in and out of the many large inlets, harbours, gulfs and bays that make up the main cruising area.

                  The KCCYC Anchorage leaflets in this website usually only mention the tidal streams for the specific location in the anchorage, and are not general for the whole of the Kimberley.

                  The majority of the inlets etc. run north/south. So as a rule of thumb, the tides in the inlets flood S, SW & SE into the inlets, and ebb N, NW & NE out of the inlets.

                  But when you get to the many capes and headlands between the inlets, such as Cape Londonderry and Cape Bougainville; the tide can to be ebbing NE out of one inlet, and NW out of the inlet on the other side of the cape. In such places, you could be catching the NE flowing ebb tide out of an inlet towards a cape, then run into a NW ebbing tide flowing out of the inlet you are sailing towards on the other side of the cape. How’s that for clarity?

                  Where tides converge at these capes and headlands, the water can be very rough, particularly at spring tides. Also, you might be getting a 2-3 knot push from the tide going with you on one side of a headland, until you meet the convergence, then a few minutes later you can get a 2-3 knot knock from the tide going against you on the other side of the headland.

                  There are also a number of channels and straights formed between islands and the mainland, such as Geranium Harbour, which floods W, Scott Straight, which floods SW, Voltaire Passage, which floods E, Rogers Straight, which floods SW, and the Canal near Koolan Island, which floods E.

                  The good thing is, when you get there on your boat, you very quickly learn from experience how to read and work the tides. If you don’t learn, you will waste a lot of fuel, or worse – go backwards.

                  Sorry I cant give you an easy or consistent solution about Kimberley tidal streams..

                  Cheers, Ross.

                  in reply to: Backup Chart Plotter #3025
                  Ross
                  Keymaster

                    Hi,

                    My backup is a separate chart plotter with it’s own dedicated radar and sounder. I run Navionics charts on the main system and C Map charts on the back up system. A lightning strike will probably take out both systems at the same time, leaving me with my Navionics apps on the phones and tablet. If we sail near lightning, we put the phones and tablet in the microwave oven, Apparently the steel casing in the microwave protects the electronics from lightning. (I’v yet to test this theory). But I know of a few vessels in Darwin that have sailed home on a iPhone Navionics app after lightning has wiped out the electrics and electronics on board.

                    I have OpenCPN on my laptop, but tend not to use it, because I’v had no issues using iPad Navionics outside mobile coverage. OpenCPN works fine and its free.

                    Cheers, Ross

                    in reply to: Wyndham Boat Ramp #3020
                    Ross
                    Keymaster

                      Hi Frank and Marianne,

                      The east coast of the Bonaparte Gulf is relatively flat and uninspiring compared to the west coast. Much of the coast is shoaling beaches. There are some nice mangrove lined rivers with good fishing. If its spectacular scenery you’re after, go west across the gulf.

                      If you want to bus out, Wyndham is your only choice. Otherwise it’s charter aircraft to get out. See info here https://kccyc.org.au/charter-aircraft-contacts/

                      Be aware that Wyndham is about a 90 nautical mile round trip from where you leave the Bonaparte and head into the Cambridge Gulf towards Wyndham, and the tide runs at 3-5 knots on a slow day, faster on spring tides. It could be easier and cheaper to fly the crew out by float plane to Kununurra from the Kimberley coast.

                      Depending on how strong the south easterlies are blowing, I normally follow the coast from Darwin to Port Keats area, then turn west to the Berkeley or King George to keep the SE breezes as close as possible to stern on. If your boat travels well in beam seas and wind, you can head straight to the Berkeley or KG from Darwin. But the Bonaparte can be very rough in plus 20 knots, so take care tackling a beam sea.

                      Cheers,

                      Ross

                      in reply to: Helpful Info #3009
                      Ross
                      Keymaster

                        Hi Glenn, Unfortunately, you are correct about applying for individual permits on the ALT website. Last count, there were 72 individual permits required if you want to cover the coast in a boat between Broome and Wyndham. A few months back I complained to the ALT and the 2 main Aboriginal Community Corporations affected by the permit system. All 3 agreed that the system is cumbersome and difficult to use.

                        The ALT are looking at ways of improving the software system, which is apparently designed around 4WD’ers. If you’ve been through the process, and achieved a good result, well done!! It is a difficult and time consuming exercise in frustration.

                        A small beneficial result was achieved by me complaining. Lucy at the ALT came back to me with the following.

                        “You will also be pleased to know, using your feedback we have created a reserve group location which covers the Kimberley Coast Marine Access Only. This is called “Kimberley Coast Marine Access Only” and can be selected on our map by selecting region > Kimberley > Kimberley Coast Marine Access Only. This will make it easier in the future for both commercial and individual travellers will find using our system a lot easier so we thank you for your feedback.”

                        To get to the “MAP” referred to above, go here and click on the Interactive Map link https://www.dplh.wa.gov.au/information-and-services/online-services/entry-permits-for-access-to-aboriginal-lands

                        An alternative might be to phone Lucy at the ALT and ask her to help you get the permits you require. That’s what I did in the end.

                        Good luck with the permit application and happy sailing.

                        Ross

                         

                        • This reply was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by Ross.
                        in reply to: Boats Sailing to the Kimberley 2019 #3001
                        Ross
                        Keymaster

                          Thanks Dave, Your names on the RSVP list for the party. Hope you can make it.

                          Ross

                          in reply to: Dinghy anchoring #2978
                          Ross
                          Keymaster

                            Hi Guys, I’ve got close to what you describe. You are correct – if your tender is too heavy to drag down the beach, you need to go ashore on a rising tide and leave before it drops and lands your tender. The option of anchoring off with the loop system is definitely a better option than swimming with crocs.

                            I have 100M of 6mm braid. The whole thing is stored in a milk crate so I can take it off the dingy. You will need a small fold up anchor on an approx 6M of braid warp and chain to a swivel pulley. You can’t use the anchor on the tender because you will have to disconnect it from the tender each time you use this system, and the warp on the tender anchor will be too long. I used sinking braid, mainly because another boat might run over a floating rope. Otherwise floating should be OK. Don’t be tempted to use twisted rope such as 3 strand silver or nylon – the main beach lines (loop) will twist around each other, and it’s very hard to pull the twist out when standing on the beach 50M from the tender.

                            Tie the ends of the 100M beach line to the tender’s fore and aft cleats to keep the ends separated. This helps to stop the beach line twisting together. It’s also easier to prevent twists in the beach line by keeping he beach ends (loop) apart from each other. IE Don’t tie both ropes to the same tree on shore.

                            See attached rough sketch.

                            PS. I forgot to mention that I have an approx 120mm diameter foam float running on the anchor warp between the pulley and anchor chain to help keep the pulley near the surface.

                            Hope this helps, Ross

                            • This reply was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by Ross.
                            • This reply was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by Ross.
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                            in reply to: Garmin In Reach device #2977
                            Ross
                            Keymaster

                              Looking at it from the SAR aspect only. In the Kimberley, even if you have one of these with you, also take a hand held VHF and a Personal Locator Beacon with you when you go ashore, or on your tender.

                              If you get stuck ashore for any reason and cant get back to your boat in croc country, the VHF will allow you to talk directly to other boats or aircraft in the area, particularly if it is a rescue craft looking for you in a very remote spot.

                              The Garmin In Reach looks like it does a similar job to a PLB, but for the sake of carrying a cigarette packet size, relatively cheap, easy to activate box of tricks, I would also be carrying the PLB.

                              Cheers, Ross

                              in reply to: CREW TRANSFERS #2970
                              Ross
                              Keymaster

                                Hi Dave, See below email I received from Gaye. It appears their own aircraft is not ready to start flights to Cockatoo yet. But reading between the lines, it looks like you can fly in on a privately chartered plane from Derby or Broome, provided you get permission to land etc  from the Cockatoo Office in Perth. I suggest you make some phone calls to tentatively arrange things before leaving Perth. If you are successful arranging an aircraft, please post it back up here so others can use the info.

                                Cheers, Ross.

                                Hi Ross

                                 

                                As promised info for people wanting to fly supplies and people into Cockatoo.

                                 

                                Travellers need to contact the Cockatoo office in Perth on (08) 92265444 for permission and to notify intention of flight arrival times etc so the airstrip can be prepared. A full time office is not available at the island at this time.

                                 

                                Cheers Gaye

                                in reply to: Entry permits required Darwin to Derby #2963
                                Ross
                                Keymaster

                                  Hi Mark,

                                  Info on the land entry permits you require is in the General Information leaflet located in the Anchorage page in this website. I have just updated it with new links to the applicable websites. You need to be logged in as a Member to download the Anchorage pages.

                                  https://kccyc.org.au/anchorages/

                                  Cheers Ross.

                                   

                                Viewing 15 posts - 76 through 90 (of 227 total)