The Hawkesbury River Sailing Club has been going to the Myall Lakes System just after New Years' Eve for a number of years now. It has proved to be a popular event on the Club's calendar with all attendees enjoying themselves and eager to go again. Anyway enough of the advertisements from me, we'll just let Dicko (Alan Dickerson) tell you in his own words about this years trip.

Cruise Report by Alan Dickerson

Attendees were Alan & Irene Dickerson on Jaffarr, Peter & Sue Brock on Shanti, John & Jill Sutton on Enchantress & Ken & Jan Elton on Notle.

Our trip to the Myall Lakes starts on Monday 3rd January with a trip to the ice works. And preparing the boat for the trip north. Eskys to be packed trailer and boat to be checked. And all items checked off and ticked. Hope we haven't forgotten anything. (Murphy's law to prevail). One other boat named Adante (Malcolm Sinclair) Malcolm is leaving a day earlier then us, as his boat is moored at Port Stephens, he will be motoring up the Myall river. Malcolm has two boats one he keeps on the Hawkesbury that is a Southern Cross 23 by the name of Capricorn. Malcolm has arranged to give us a call when he arrives at the broad water on Tuesday.

Tuesday arrives the weather a little overcast, but not raining. Unfortunately Alan Brock could not make it at the last moment because of work commitments; this still leaves us with 5 boats (Alas Murphy's law strikes first) no stoplights on trailer. Have to stop at service station to get adaptor for trailer to car. ($47.00 later) arrive old checking station to meet up with two boats 15 minutes late. (good start Onslow). After a chat we head north on F3 freeway, have to make a call to Ken & Jan who live at Budgewoi they will leave a little later on and meet us at the end of the F3. We meet up with Ken & Jan and all decide to stop and have morning tea at service station. Eggs and Bacon and coffee and a chat. All looking forward to spending a few days together on the Myall Lakes. Finally get going again arranging to pick up extra water a Karuah. Having not been north for sometime find there is a bypass, which cuts time off the trip. Leaving Karuah head for Nerong boat ramp to rig and launch our boats.

By the time we are ready to go it is 2.00pm at this stage it is our plan to motor across the broad water to Leggs camp and spend the first night at a place we named a few years back as Goanna beach. After leaving the boat ramp Jaffarr receives a phone call from Malcolm (Adante) informing us he is on his boat at Port Stephens and just has been called back home as his wife is not well and tells us he will call later and let us know how things are. At this stage we are motoring on the Nerong River I decide to call the other boats over and let them know whats happening with Malcolm.

We then proceed across the broad water after passing through Leggs camp, we head for Goanna beach where we anchor close to shore for the night. We set up tables and chairs for the happy hour after a swim we sit back and relax so peace full here away from the city noise. After tea more of the same relaxing and chatting over a drinks and nibbles. All slept well after the first night. Unwinding the next morning Peter is up bright and early setting up his rubber ducky with a 4 hp on the back and is off to explore the lakes shores. With the water lapping against the boats hulls heads slowly appear out of the boats to a promising day. The smell of breakfast and the ducks around the back of the boats waiting for any burnt toast that may come their way. The plan for today is motor sail or what ever up to Boolambayte creek. The entrance to the creek is hard to notice if you do not know the lake. There are plenty of black swans about also waterlilies on the edge of the lake. Arriving at the creek we drop anchor John on Enchantress hopes in his canoe while Peter comes across to Jaffarr in his rubber ducky I jump aboard and we motor to the entrance of the creek and explore. Little garfish dart out in front; I didn't think they travel this far up the lake in fresh water. We see no boats anchored in the creek, which make it much more enjoyable. 300 mtrs in we meet John paddling his canoe he asked us for a tow back to the boats.

After a short stop and photos a swim is in order. Someone yells out where to now I reply where other but Onslows beach for lunch and a swim. After motoring on I look back to see where Shanti is picking up their rubber ducky that is adrift no hurry we are on holidays. We arrive at Onslows beach and drop anchor and over the side for a swim and look around. Water is only shallow here, which is great for getting out of the boat and walking around. This spot brings back memories of a great time we had in 1997-1998 cruise. On that cruise were John and Jack (dad and Dave fame). You know who you are Teamwork. After lunch we continue on past Goat Island stopping off at Violet Hill and waiting for Ken and Jan who drew the short straw for the garbage run. After going through Dollys channel we round the point off Tickerabit which is another great place to stay but national parks have now made it no excess to shore. We head over to Shelly Beach to spend the second night and a good spot to anchor. Chairs are set up on shore for later on. After dinner we go ashore for drinks and nibbles a gaslight has proved a good idea. After another late night we wake to the sounds of the ducks and birds around the boat. We leave Shelly Beach and sail under jib only to Naranie sands a steady but fickle breeze takes us on. Notle leaves us closely behind followed by Shanti. We arrive at Naranie under the hot sun, where we all have a swim. Ken invites us out on Notle for a sail.

After up anchor and hoisting the sails we head out onto the lake for a sail. The girls will be staying back on the beach looking after the boats. Ken says lets go sailing. Many thing have changed on Notle to swing keel to a dagger board keel you name it tinker bell has changed it. Having sailed on Ken's boat myself a few times I was intrigued to see the looks on John and Peters face to see how fast Notle gets along. It is a credit to Ken to see all his hard work and time working on the boat in the workshop great job tinker bell. After a while of putting the boat through its paces we head back to the beach and the girls. We are met by a lot of giggles I don't know what they had been drinking. We all have a swim and then we head off to Kataway Bay to spend the night there. We find a sheltered spot tucked away in the reeds and sandy shore. After tea I take photos of the boats with the sun going down.

These are some of the photos that I have taken on the cruise and hope the urge to join us on another Myall Lakes cruise.

The next morning we awake to a southerly wind looking out on the lake white caps appear. After a short chat with Ken we decide it might be a good time to up anchor and move out as we have to head back down the lake. With the southerly breeze coming over the bow we leave and round Kataway Hill making slow progress against the breeze. With spray coming back into the cockpit I put on my wet weather gear. We push on arriving in the channel near Violet Hill, we are met by the Independence we pull along side and empty our porta pots and have a chat with Bead and Jackie his wife. They have been servicing the lakes for a few years now and do a great job.

We say our good byes and head on past Violet Hill to Leggs camp. A trip ashore and look around Leggs camp has found that there are a lot of new cabins and a new restaurant. We wander over to the broad waterside to check what the weather is like there, a few white caps so we decide to make the crossing to Nerong creek. Jaffarr leads the boats out onto the broad water. 1km out the waves start to pick up another wet weather gear trip. Eventually we get across and into the Nerong River and empty boat ramp, where we all retrieve our boats and pack up for the trip home. Leave Neriong about 5.45m Friday. Four boats head south we have to make a stop on the way home to get fuel and tea. John and Jill say they will go straight home, as they have to go out. The three other boats stop at a service station to get fuel then we all have tea together at KFC.

After saying our goodbyes to Ken & Jan, Peter & Sue myself and Irene roll our Jaffarr down the F3. We have a safe trip home arriving about 9.30pm.

I hope all of those who went with us on our trip north enjoyed there four days I know we did.

Alan & Irene (Jaffarr)