Up a Clarence River

Another motor sail from port Macquarie to Yamba saw us tie up in the marina at about 9.00am. More whale sittings on the way up but we haven't seen a shark yet, they must be busy chasing surfers. Caught a couple of little bonito and a striped tuna on Johnnys pretty little pink skirt. I'll get a man sized one out for the next leg and try to catch a real fish.

Wind mostly 5 and below so the Yanmar is getting a good workout and delivering well. Just over 2 liters per hour but that will change when I get to be in charge. Rep itch the prop and make it work a bit!

Yamba entrance is a bit confusing for novices and we were glad to cross the bar and enter the river in daylight. Lots of training walls with lights and marks all over the place. Finally found the "hole in the wall" and managed to negotiate the shoals around Dart Island and into the marina. As usual the marina staff were very friendly and helpful and the facilities are OK.

Spent a few days sailing up the Clarence although we were an hour late to the Harwood Bridge which meant waiting 23 hours waiting for the next lift! Saw the sugar mill in full operation. Finally passed under the bridge and made our way to Maclean where we tied up for the night on one of the public pontoons that line the river. Pretty place with a full township and all the facilities you'd need. 

Next day we headed further up River past Lawrence where we had to negotiate shoals on the bend which we did without too much concern and from there we motored on up to Ulmarra. Lovely little spot spoilt only by an angry old bastard who'd been living on a boat for too long. Got upset because I moved his dinghy so we could tie up. Waved a piece of pipe around like William Wallace but I felt quite superior because I was up on the deck looking down at him and he was all piss and wind anyway.

This is an amazing River. 500 yards wide at Harwood and 40 feet deep and still probably 200 yards across at Ulmarra though a little shallower. Hard to believe the Filinders didn't find especially as tha was his express mission and he stood on the hill at the entrance. Apparently, at the time it didn't run to the sea continuously and he must have been there in a dry season. Now the training walls mean that the river flows much more directly and swiftly to the sea. Now sips up to 5000 tonnes navigate the entrance and head up River. In fact we saw one at anchor so now we know where Tom is (see below) but there was no sign of Leanne. 

Back to Harwood for the next bridge lift and because we were a couple of hours early we had to have a beer at the Harwood Hilton - top spot. From there back to Yamba to wait for the Strong winds to die off and allow us to make the leg to the Gold Coast. The way it looks we won't make Ballina but rather head straight to the seaway. After that it will be up the inside to Manly and from there to Mooloolabah where we'll leave the boat for the wet season.

All is going well and we'll be home mid November for the summer.