The Amazing Clarence ...

Thursday 5th October

Goodbye Gold Coast

The overnight sail started out well, we upped anchor in Paradise Point at 2pm and passing through the Gold Coast Seaway turned right. It was hot and sticky, the temperature over 29 degrees, so it was a real pleasure to hoist the main and with the wind about 12knots we tootled along nicely towards our destination – Yamba/Iluka, twin towns at the entrance of the Clarence River. However, about three hours later, the forecast wind had not eventuated so it was down with the sails, on with the engine. And that’s how it was for the next twelve hours – one engine, chugging away, pushing us south. Any opportunity and we hauled out the jib, the wind too often had it flapping mindlessly, but it does help to pass the time on a night sail – watching the sail, furling it in as the wind drops then pulling it out again!! My romantic anticipation of a clear cloudless night sail with moonlight showing us the way turned out to be erroneous, as shortly before midnight the clouds came over, the moon hid her face and a slight drizzle of rain settled in.

Another beautiful day dawns

Dawn, and fish on!! A nice bonito had run into our lure!! We googled and got different opinions as to its taste – so we cleaned it up, kept half for us and half for bait – we will judge for ourselves.

Dozens of dolphins greeted us outside Yamba/Iluka, playing around the boat for about 15 minutes, leaving us before we went through the rock walls and entered the mouth of the Clarence. Choosing the quieter looking side (Iluka) we dropped our anchor, breakfasted (the fresh bonito was good!!), then sank thankfully into bed for a few hours.

Rainstorm in Iluka

What a difference a day makes – flat calm when we anchored here this morning, almost windless when we went ashore this afternoon and had a walk, peaceful when going to test the fish and chip shop this evening – then BANG – the heavens opened. Lightning, thunder, rain and wind. It was like a tropical storm. Sudden and strong. The wind got up to 40knots, three boats around us dragged their anchors, we watched through the, at times, almost horizontal rain as people aboard rushed around in the howling wind to reset their anchors. It was scary to watch. During the worst, when we saw the other boats moving, we started our engines as well, but thank goodness our Super Sarca anchor held solid as a rock. That, plus the amount of chain we had laid out.

Sugar refinery, just south of Harwood, on the banks of the Clarence

The Clarence River is second to the Mighty Murray River in size, and flows 394 kilometres from its start in the Great Dividing Range down to the sea and in times of flooding the increased influx of water can make it temporarily equal in flow to some of the largest rivers in the world. Along the banks there is farmland – sugarcane and cattle. At Harwood the sugar mill, the oldest sugar refinery in Australia still in operation, stands proud on the riverbank, in previous times the cane would have been delivered by barge from the surrounding areas.

We had been told that the Harwood Bridge would be closing for some weeks, only opening at certain hours on certain days – huge works are happening as a new bridge to carry the Pacific Highway traffic is being built at Harwood. Harwood Bridge, a steel truss bridge, was opened in 1966, prior to this, vehicles were transported across the river on cable guided ferries, and is the longest steel truss bridge on the Pacific Highway. We contacted Craig, (the bridgeman) and booked to go through at the 6.45 am opening on Sunday morning.

From our anchorage opposite the sugar refinery, just downstream of the bridge we watched the seemingly endless stream of traffic – we would be stopping that stream in the morning!!

Another first –

We have gone under powerlines. Over cables in rivers used to pull vehicular ferries across. Now we have gone under our first bridge.

Approaching our first bridge, in the calm of the early morning

Street poster, Maclean

At Maclean we tied up to the public pontoon, walked across the road to the liquor store – no – we were not desperate for a drink … the key for the free showers attached to the pontoon for the visiting boaties was kept there!! However, we did spot a nice bottle of red that accompanied us back to SOL and we enjoyed with fish and chips after a lovely hot shower.

We spent a couple of days in Maclean – the town claims to be “The Scottish Town in Australia” due to the origins of the original settlers and the town being named after a Scot. There are shops selling Scottish influenced souvenirs – bagpipes, kilts, etc and of course whisky!! We walked around the town amazed at the more than 200 power poles which are painted with different tartans, visited the library and swam in the local pool before continuing our trip up towards Grafton.

Dolphins accompanied us up river – we were astonished to see dolphins inland but apparently they are commonly seen here. Next stop Ulmarra, a place we had driven through some years ago, and whilst having a meal at the pub had looked down at the river and thought how nice it would be to go up there by boat one day – we could tick that off the list now – it was our boat we could see tied to the pontoon beside the jacaranda tree from our table as we ate!!

Jacarandas and SOL on public pontoon in Ulmarra

Up to Grafton next, we decided not to attempt going under the overhead powerlines just out of Grafton – the sign said 17metres – our mast alone is 18.5 and then add the distance from waterline to base of mast – no way!! So we anchored, and travelled the km or so up to the Pound Street jetty, puttering rather slowly in our little dinghy with her 3hp motor, to make our visit to the laundromat. 

Jacaranda trees abound in this region, and from the last weekend in October to the first weekend in November each year is held the Grafton Annual Jacaranda Festival. We are a couple of weeks too early to join in the 10 days of festivities, watch the crowning of the Jacaranda Queen and the Jacaranda Float Parade but as these magnificent trees are all blossoming now not only did we walk under their canopy but we tread on their purple carpet as well.

On our way back down the river we spent a night on another public pontoon, this time at Cowper/Brushgrove. Cowper was the site of a horrendous road accident 26yrs ago – we walked to the memorial stone. On 20^th October 1989 a bus carrying 45 passengers travelling along the Pacific Highway was hit by a semi-trailer truck which had veered onto the wrong side of the road. The truck driver and 21 passengers all died. At the time it was the worst road accident in Australia’s history. What made it particularly poignant was that the 26^th anniversary was just days away.

Back under the Harwood Bridge once again feeling the power of stopping all the traffic on the Pacific Highway. Guess there were a few annoyed car and truck drivers this afternoon as we went through along with about ten other boats so traffic ceased for over half an hour.

Us going under Harwood Bridge, photo taken by Anna, on Osprey

Whilst waiting our time to pass under the bridge we tied up to yet another superb public pontoon and here we met a lovely couple from Melbourne, Wal and Anna Robinson, who have an 8metre cruiser named Osprey. Osprey is a great little craft – they pop her on the trailer and have travelled far and wide, sleeping aboard in caravan parks and putting her into the water whenever the conditions are right. They have spent up to 7 months living aboard last year. Just going where the fancy takes them. They were up to watch the bridge opening then going back to Yamba – we organised to meet with them in the next few days.

Back to our anchorage spot in Iluka – and funnily enough, another fierce storm hit that evening – what is it with this place??

Anna and Wal, on their boat, Osprey, leaving to go up the Clarence to Grafton

Met Wal and Anna in Yamba, we caught the ferry over and they met us in their car taking us on a great little tiki tour around the town. We walked out the breakwater and watched the waves crashing on the rock wall – no boats going in or out today!! Lunch the next day in the pub at Iluka with them then with our plans made to go south and theirs to go up the Clarence, we said a fond farewell.

Waves crashing in on the rock wall breakwater at the entrance to the Clarence River

On the morning of Thursday 19^th October, with dolphins again there to say goodbye as we left, we spent a slightly nerve-wracking half hour motoring through the 2metre swell then turned towards Coffs Harbour. With not much wind we battled our way along, not wanting to resort to motoring, then about 3pm the wind filled in and we had a good sail the last couple of hours. To my consternation though, we were achieving some of our best speeds so far, but as we were sailing along, and just as we were approaching the entrance to Coffs Harbour - Jamie is looking at the speed log calling out the “look, 14.5, 14.8, 15.9, look, look, 16.4, 17…….” Whilst I’m shouting “stop looking at the speed, look at where we are heading!!!!” - we flew through the breakwater into Coffs under full sail doing 18knots!! Phew!!

We dropped the sails and entered the marina which is where we will be staying until the best weather window presents for our passage to New Zealand.

Old homestead along the Clarence

One of the many beautiful trees in flower right now

A lovely avenue of trees in Grafton

Warning the height of the power lines we didn't go under!!