Camden Haven and Laurieton to Port Macquarie

Direction covered: Northbound Planning distance: About 20 nautical miles from Laurieton to d'Albora Port Macquarie Marina via the offshore planning gates in this guide Typical underway time: About 3 to 5 hours at 4 to 7 knots, plus waiting, bar assessment and manoeuvring time Recommended planning format: One daylight passage Primary complications: Two coastal bar movements, changeable entrance channels, coastal swell, bomboras near Camden Haven, Tacking Point, no usable midway harbour, and the need to arrive at the Hastings River at a safe tide and in good light Guide research checked: 29 August 2026

Hey sailors, we put this YouSail guide together to help you begin planning the hop from Camden Haven and Laurieton to Port Macquarie. It is a practical starting point, not a definitive pilot, chart, weather forecast or instruction to cross either bar. Conditions, sandbanks, depths, leads, aids to navigation, marina access and regulations can change. Do your own passage plan, use current official charts and notices, check the latest weather and tides, inspect both bars, and make the final decision as skipper.

Speak with Marine Rescue, the destination marina, local yacht and sailing clubs, experienced local skippers and relevant boating communities. If the sea, bar, boat or crew is not right, wait.

This guide deliberately does not provide a fixed line across the Camden Haven or Hastings River bars. A coordinate can describe a planning reference, but it cannot show the safe channel on the day.

Transport for NSW states that:

• the Camden Haven entrance channel is dangerous and should not be navigated without local knowledge;
• bomboras can break at any time at various locations near the Camden Haven coast;
• the Hastings River bar is dangerous because of sandbanks and should be navigated only with extreme caution;
• the best time for passage over the Hastings River bar is the last of the flood tide; and
• depth information on the boating maps is indicative and can change.

The coordinates below are for passage-planning orientation. They are not surveyed navigation waypoints, do not supersede current navigation aids or local advice, and must not be followed blindly.

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The passage in plain language

This is a short coastal hop, but it is not a casual marina-to-marina transfer. The sailing distance is modest. The real passage is a two-gate problem:

1. leave Camden Haven through a channel for which the official map calls for local knowledge; 2. stay properly clear of the coast, reefs and Tacking Point while making northing; 3. reach the Port Macquarie assessment area early enough to watch the entrance and decline it if necessary; and 4. enter the Hastings River only when the current channel, tide, swell, visibility, boat and crew are all acceptable.

The timetable must be built backward from the Hastings River arrival window. A convenient departure time is not the governing factor.

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Recommended plan: one day

For most cruising yachts, this route is best treated as a single daylight movement. Even a conservative 4-knot boat can cover the planning distance in about five hours of pure travel time. Add time for:

• leaving the initial berth or anchorage;
• observing and assessing Camden Haven bar;
• manoeuvring through the current entrance channel;
• sail handling and possible motoring;
• traffic avoidance;
• slowing or standing off at Port Macquarie;
• observing the Hastings River entrance; and
• reaching the booked berth inside.

A sensible plan may therefore allocate six to seven hours from lines off to secured at the destination, even when the calculated travel time is shorter.

Why there is no normal overnight stage

There is no useful all-weather harbour between Camden Haven and Port Macquarie. Bonny Hills and Lake Cathie are coastal landmarks, not intermediate ports for a cruising yacht. Transport for NSW specifically warns that the Lake Cathie entrance is not navigable to seagoing vessels and that power craft are not allowed east of the Ocean Drive bridge.

Do not invent a halfway stop simply to make the spreadsheet look more comfortable.

If the Port Macquarie bar is not safe

Your alternatives must be decided before departure and reviewed continuously. Depending on your boat, fuel, weather, sea state, daylight and the state of Camden Haven bar, they might include:

• remaining offshore while awaiting a short, clearly improving and safely timed window;
• returning to Camden Haven, but only if its entrance remains safe and daylight permits;
• continuing north to a separately planned destination, such as Trial Bay or another suitable port, only if the crew, vessel, fuel, forecast and daylight support that much longer passage; or
• not leaving Camden Haven in the first place when a safe Port Macquarie arrival is doubtful.

There is no universal answer. A return route is not automatically safe merely because it leads back to the departure port.

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Laurieton United Services Club visitor wharf area

• YouSail directory: Laurieton United Services Club Visitor Wharf
• Use only under the current rules and availability.
• Confirm whether your vessel may lie alongside, for how long, and whether any section is reserved.
• Allow extra time to clear the berth, prepare lifejackets and secure loose gear before reaching exposed water.

Dunbogan Boatshed and Marina

• YouSail directory: Dunbogan Boatshed and Marina
• Contact the operator directly about depth, berth suitability, fuel, hours and short-stay arrangements.
• Do not assume that the marina's internal access is suitable for every keel, tide or vessel dimension.

Camden Haven anchoring caution

The official local boating map warns that the area downstream of Dunbogan Bridge has poor holding. If starting from an anchorage there:

• verify the anchor is holding before the departure day;
• allow for tide, current and wind changes;
• do not rely on a hurried anchor recovery immediately before a bar window; and
• identify where the boat can safely wait if the bar is rejected.

Marine Rescue Camden Haven

• Position published by the unit: 31°38.91'S, 152°48.11'E
• VHF: Channel 16
• Phone: 02 6559 7356
• Unit page: Marine Rescue Camden Haven

Log on before leaving sheltered water and state the correct vessel details, persons on board, route, destination and estimated time of arrival.

d'Albora Port Macquarie Marina

• YouSail directory: d'Albora Port Macquarie Marina
• Official marina page: Port Macquarie Marina
• Address: 18 Park Street, Port Macquarie NSW 2444
• Phone: 1800 32 52 672
• Email: enquiry@dalbora.com.au
• Guest services: listed as seven days, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm

The official marina page lists:

• 101 berthing positions;
• 92 wet berths for vessels up to 25 m;
• 9 swing moorings;
• short and extended stays subject to suitability and availability;
• 24-hour fuel;
• staff assistance during operating hours;
• power and water;
• showers, bathrooms and laundry;
• a full-service boatyard;
• slipway haulout and hardstand services for vessels up to 60 ft;
• dining, parking and a public boat ramp.

Book before departing. Give the marina your length overall, beam, draft, displacement where requested, shore-power needs and estimated arrival. Ask for:

• berth or mooring number;
• which side to rig fenders and lines;
• current marina approach instructions;
• minimum depth along the berth approach;
• fuel-dock procedure;
• after-hours procedure; and
• a phone contact if arrival is delayed by the bar.

The approximate marina coordinate later in this guide is a location reference, not a berth-entry instruction.

Lady Nelson Wharf

• YouSail directory: Lady Nelson Wharf
• Council information: Lady Nelson Wharf
• Council-published location: 31°25.657'S, 152°54.479'E

This is a public wharf near Town Green. It may be useful for short-term access under the current rules, but it must not be treated as a guaranteed overnight berth. Confirm signage, time limits, vessel suitability, availability and any restrictions on the day.

Port Macquarie Yacht Club

• YouSail directory: Port Macquarie Yacht Club
• Club site: Port Macquarie Yacht Club

The club is a valuable local sailing contact. Club facilities do not automatically mean visitor berthing is available. Ask, do not assume.

Marine Rescue Port Macquarie

• Unit position: 31°25.81'S, 152°55.24'E
• VHF: Channel 16
• Phone: 02 5547 9100
• Address: 11A Buller Street, Port Macquarie NSW 2444
• The unit states that its radio base operates 24/7.
• Unit page: Marine Rescue Port Macquarie

In an emergency, call on VHF 16 or ring Triple Zero, 000.

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How to use this table

• Plot every reference on your current electronic and paper planning chart.
• Check that each point lies in safe water for your boat on the current official chart.
• Adjust the offshore route for the actual wind, swell, traffic, current and charted hazards.
• Do not import the references and activate an automatic route without inspecting every leg.
• Do not use P02, P03, P11, P12 or P13 as a fixed bar or channel track.
• Current navigation marks, official leads, local advice and what you see on the water take priority.

About apparent coordinate precision

Six decimal places can look exact to less than a metre. The marine environment is not that exact. Most offshore points above are deliberately created planning references, not surveyed features. GPS accuracy, chart datum, hydrographic age, sand movement and the vessel's track all matter. Treat the final digits as a convenient data format, not a promise of safe water.

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The following distances are great-circle approximations between the listed planning references. Bearings are approximate degrees true, not magnetic compass courses. They do not account for leeway, set, drift, tacking, traffic avoidance or a safe route through either entrance.

Expected actual distance

Allow roughly 20 to 23 nm in the passage plan. The extra margin covers:

• departure from the actual berth or anchorage;
• manoeuvring to observe either bar;
• a safer offshore curve rather than straight chords;
• windward sailing or reefing manoeuvres;
• traffic avoidance;
• current set;
• a rejected first approach; and
• the route to the assigned destination berth.

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Pure travel time over 19.8 nm

These are mathematical travel times, not departure-to-berth promises.

Practical time budget

If the schedule works only when every stage takes the minimum time, the schedule is not robust.

Backward planning method

Start with the latest acceptable time at P10, not the desired breakfast or checkout time.

1. Obtain the official tide prediction for Port Macquarie for the exact date. 2. Identify the expected last portion of the flood tide. 3. Check swell height, period and direction, wind, river flow, recent rain and daylight. 4. Establish an arrival assessment window, not a single minute. 5. Subtract the conservative coastal travel time. 6. Subtract Camden Haven bar and local-river time. 7. Subtract at least one operational margin. 8. Check whether the resulting Camden Haven departure is in safe daylight and at a suitable local tide. 9. If the two bar windows do not fit, wait for another day.

Worked example only

Suppose a yacht plans at 5 knots and wants to be at P10 by 11:30:

• 13.4 nm from P04 to P10 takes about 2 hr 41 min at 5 knots;
• add 30 min from the start area to seaward of Camden Haven;
• add 30 min for observation and manoeuvring;
• add 45 min operational margin.

That produces a provisional lines-off time around 07:04. The skipper must then test that time against the actual Camden Haven tide, bar, daylight, marina requirements and crew readiness. The example is not a recommended tide or departure time.

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Official forecast area

The route sits within the Bureau of Meteorology's Macquarie Coast waters, from Smoky Cape to Seal Rocks.

Use:

• BOM Macquarie Coast forecast
• BOM NSW coastal observations
• BOM ocean and marine forecasts

Check the issue time and validity period. A screenshot from yesterday is not a current forecast.

Forecast elements that matter

Record all of the following for departure, the middle of the route and arrival:

• wind direction and sustained speed;
• stronger wind or gust wording;
• sea height;
• primary swell height, direction and period;
• secondary swell if listed;
• thunderstorms, squalls, rain and visibility;
• any warning current for the coastal waters;
• time of expected wind change; and
• whether observations agree with the forecast.

Wind effects by direction

#### Southerly sector

A southerly can produce a fast northbound trip, but speed does not make the bars safer. It can:

• build a following sea;
• make steering and accidental gybes more demanding;
• increase speed toward Tacking Point;
• produce breaking conditions at an entrance; and
• make a return to Camden Haven difficult.

Reef before control becomes marginal. Do not carry excessive sail simply because the trip is short.

#### North-easterly sector

North-easterly wind is ahead or near ahead for much of this route. It can:

• turn 20 nm into a longer tacking or motoring passage;
• create short, steep seas against south-flowing current;
• reduce the time margin for the Hastings bar; and
• make the coast a lee shore on some headings.

The plan should use speed made good, not optimistic boat speed through the water.

#### Westerly sector

Offshore wind can flatten the water close to shore while increasing rapidly with distance offshore. It can also make a disabled vessel drift away from immediate shelter. Assess gusts, especially near headlands and terrain gaps.

#### Easterly and south-easterly sector

Onshore components increase lee-shore exposure and may worsen breaking conditions at both entrances. The key question is not merely whether the yacht can sail the coastal leg. It is whether both bars remain acceptable.

Swell period matters

Two forecasts with the same swell height can produce very different entrances. Longer-period swell carries more energy and can stand up or break over shallow banks. Look at height, period and direction together.

Recent rain and river flow

Heavy rain in the catchment may increase outflow, carry debris and change the water at the Hastings entrance. Outgoing river flow against incoming ocean swell can steepen the bar. Check recent local conditions and ask Marine Rescue about observations.

Weather decision table

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Official tide information

Use the NSW tide tables and verify the correct location, date, time zone and daylight-saving status.

Do not substitute a generic phone-app tide for the official prediction without checking its source and station.

Camden Haven departure

The official map does not convert its local-knowledge warning into a universal safe tide. Your departure decision should combine:

• current local advice;
• visual observation;
• official bar webcam;
• tide height and direction;
• swell height, period and direction;
• wind;
• vessel draft and handling;
• engine reliability;
• current entrance leads and marks; and
• a safe option to remain inside.

Official Camden Haven bar webcam

The webcam is a situational-awareness source only. Camera perspective can hide wave height, sets and shallow-water effects.

Hastings River arrival

Transport for NSW states that the best time of passage is the last of the flood tide. That is a strong planning anchor, but it is not permission to enter. A dangerous swell, poor visibility, adverse wind, heavy traffic, uncertain channel or unreliable propulsion can make the bar unacceptable at the preferred tide.

Official Port Macquarie bar webcam

The webcam page identifies the entrance as the mouth of the Hastings River, about 5 km north of Tacking Point, and warns that conditions can change rapidly.

East Australian Current

The East Australian Current generally flows southward along the east coast, but its position, strength and direction vary. Eddies and nearshore counterflows occur.

For a northbound boat, a south-setting current can:

• reduce speed made good;
• push the vessel south of the intended track;
• lengthen time exposed to a strengthening north-easterly;
• consume the arrival margin; and
• increase fuel use.

Use IMOS OceanCurrent as a planning aid and compare it with actual speed over ground and course over ground after departure. Do not treat a model image as measured current under the keel.

Logbook fields for current

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Stage 1: Laurieton to the Camden Haven entrance

Have the boat in offshore configuration before approaching exposed water:

• sails prepared for immediate use;
• jacklines and tethers rigged if part of the vessel's system;
• anchor secured;
• tender secured for sea, not merely harbour conditions;
• cabin and galley locked down;
• all crew in required lifejackets;
• engine warmed and checked under load;
• VHF working and monitoring Channel 16;
• companionway closure plan understood; and
• abort point agreed.

Follow the current marked route. The official map shows entrance leads with fixed blue-strip triangle daymarks, but aids can move or change. Verify them on the day.

The map also marks a submerged rock wall and warns of bomboras, shoals and reefs. Do not let a chartplotter's smooth magenta line pull the boat across an unsafe inside corner.

Stage 2: Clear Camden Haven and establish the offshore track

Continue seaward until:

• the boat is clear of the entrance effects and breaking water;
• the intended northbound turn is safe;
• P04 or an independently chosen safe offshore gate is reached;
• the crew has completed a first systems check; and
• the skipper confirms that return, continuation and destination options are still understood.

Do not turn north too early merely to shorten the mileage.

Stage 3: Grants Head and Bonny Hills

Maintain deliberate clearance from coastal rocks and any charted hazards. Assess whether the wind direction is making the coast a lee shore. Compare actual progress with the arrival schedule.

At P05, record:

• time;
• actual speed made good;
• change in wind or swell;
• engine status;
• crew condition; and
• revised time at P10.

Stage 4: Lake Cathie offing

Lake Cathie is a useful visual and chart reference, but it is not the intermediate harbour. Do not approach its entrance looking for shelter. Remain on the verified offshore track.

This is a useful point for the formal mid-passage decision:

• Is the Port Macquarie arrival still within the safe window?
• Has the wind strengthened or headed the boat?
• Is current reducing speed made good?
• Is the engine ready for the final approach?
• Has the destination berth been reconfirmed?
• Are any warnings or Marine Rescue messages new?

Stage 5: Tacking Point

Tacking Point is the principal headland on this short route. The lighthouse is a conspicuous landmark, but a landmark is not a safe-water boundary.

Approach with enough offing to account for:

• wave refraction around the headland;
• breaking water over charted shallows or rocks;
• acceleration or gusting of wind;
• fishing gear and small craft;
• leeway and south-setting current; and
• the possibility of needing to turn away from the coast.

Use P07 and P08 as broad planning gates only. The safe offing is vessel-specific and condition-specific.

Stage 6: Tacking Point to Port Macquarie

The Port Macquarie webcam page places the river mouth about 5 km north of Tacking Point. This section is short. It is also where crews may relax too early.

Before leaving P08:

• start or confirm the engine;
• verify cooling water, oil pressure, voltage and fuel supply;
• clear sheets and lines from the propeller risk area;
• prepare fenders and mooring lines without obstructing the deck;
• confirm VHF and phone contacts;
• check the latest observed bar condition;
• identify other traffic; and
• select a safe offshore holding and escape strategy.

Stage 7: P10 assessment area

Arrive offshore with time to observe multiple wave sets. Do not drift toward the bar while discussing the decision.

Assess:

• where waves begin to steepen and break;
• whether there are lulls followed by larger sets;
• the relationship between swell and the current channel;
• the current variable leads and navigation marks;
• outbound traffic and local vessel tracks;
• room to turn away;
• engine response under load;
• crew readiness; and
• whether the final decision remains within the skipper's limits.

Local vessels can provide useful evidence, but following another boat is not a substitute for knowing its draft, power, local knowledge or intended track.

Stage 8: Hastings River bar and marina

Once committed, maintain positive control and avoid last-second indecision in breaking water. Follow the current official marks and any reliable local instructions.

Inside the entrance:

• do not assume the straight line to P13 is navigable;
• obey speed and wash limits;
• watch for shallow margins, rowers, fishing vessels and other traffic;
• keep clear of oyster leases;
• call the marina as arranged;
• rig lines and fenders for the assigned berth; and
• log off Marine Rescue only when safely secured.

The normal route to d'Albora Port Macquarie Marina remains downstream of the more distant Settlement Point ferry. If navigating farther upstream, note the official ferry rule: 4 knots within 100 m of a dredge, floating plant, ferry or punt operating with chains or wires. Do not anchor near ferry cables.

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Gate 1: The evening before

Proceed to morning review only if:

• no relevant forecast warning makes the passage unsuitable;
• the expected wind and swell are within limits;
• both tide windows can fit in daylight;
• destination berth or alternative is confirmed;
• fuel and engine status are satisfactory;
• the crew is fit; and
• alternatives are realistic.

Gate 2: Before leaving the berth or anchorage

Proceed only if:

• current official forecasts and observations have been checked;
• current bar webcams have been viewed;
• local bar information has been obtained where available;
• Marine Rescue log-on is complete;
• navigation equipment and VHF work;
• safety equipment is ready;
• all persons are wearing required lifejackets before the bar; and
• the skipper can still remain safely inside.

Gate 3: Camden Haven bar

Proceed only if:

• the current channel is positively identified;
• breaking patterns are acceptable;
• the boat has adequate depth and power margin;
• the crew is secured and briefed;
• no conflicting traffic creates a constrained meeting;
• a turn-back remains safe; and
• the skipper, not the schedule, is comfortable.

Gate 4: Clear of Camden Haven

Continue north only if:

• no damage or gear issue occurred during departure;
• the engine is normal;
• actual weather matches or improves on plan;
• speed made good supports the arrival window;
• the crew is functioning well; and
• the Port Macquarie alternative plan remains viable.

Gate 5: Lake Cathie offing

Continue only if the latest ETA at P10 retains a meaningful margin before darkness and before the planned tidal window closes.

Gate 6: Tacking Point

Round only with sufficient sea room, controllable sail plan, reliable propulsion and acceptable bar intelligence from Port Macquarie.

Gate 7: Hastings outer assessment

Enter only if the bar is safe for this vessel and crew now. If uncertain, stay out of the commitment zone and reassess from a safe position.

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Hull, steering and rig

• Inspect steering cables, quadrant, tiller fittings and emergency tiller.
• Check standing rigging visually.
• Check running rigging for chafe.
• Confirm reefing works quickly from the positions the crew will actually use.
• Secure anchor, boom, poles and deck gear for breaking-water loads.
• Confirm cockpit drains are clear.
• Close or dog hatches as appropriate.

Engine and fuel system

The engine is a primary safety system for both bars.

• Check oil and coolant.
• Inspect belts and raw-water intake.
• Confirm cooling-water discharge.
• Run under meaningful load before entering the departure channel.
• Check fuel quantity physically where possible.
• Drain or inspect water separator as appropriate.
• Carry spare primary and secondary filters.
• Carry an appropriate impeller and tools.
• Know how to change filters and bleed the system.
• Keep lines away from the propeller.

Navigation systems

• Current official chart or ENC loaded.
• Paper or independent backup available.
• Notices and chart updates checked.
• GPS and depth sounder tested.
• Compass checked.
• AIS and radar used where fitted, without replacing visual lookout.
• Route alarms and cross-track limits set sensibly.
• Saved tracks across either bar treated as historical only.

Bilge and watertight integrity

• Bilge pumps tested.
• Manual pump handle accessible.
• Seacocks known and reachable.
• Softwood plugs or appropriate damage-control materials available.
• Companionway boards or closure ready.
• Heavy items secured.

Tender and deck load

A tender that is adequate in an estuary can be unsafe offshore. Deflate, stow or secure it for the expected sea state. Secure outboard, fuel tank and oars independently.

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Minimum crew capabilities

At least one person should be capable of taking control if the skipper is injured. Before departure, every crew member should know:

• how to start and stop the engine;
• how to place the gearbox in neutral;
• how to call on VHF 16;
• how to give the boat's position;
• how to activate distress equipment;
• where lifejackets, flares, EPIRB and first aid are kept;
• how to release sheets in an emergency;
• how to clip on if required; and
• that nobody goes forward during a bar crossing without the skipper's explicit direction.

Bar briefing

The skipper should say, in plain language:

• where everyone will sit or stand;
• what they will hold;
• whether they will clip on;
• who watches astern and who watches ahead;
• which lines must stay clear;
• what the abort call sounds like;
• what happens after an engine alarm; and
• that unnecessary conversation stops during the crossing.

Seasickness and fatigue

The trip is short enough that crews sometimes underestimate preparation. Eat early, hydrate, use personally suitable medication in accordance with medical advice, and keep one capable person fresh for the destination bar.

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Fuel calculation

Use:

Required fuel = planned engine hours × measured litres per hour × reserve factor

If the vessel burns 3 L/hour, the skipper plans 5.5 engine hours and chooses a 50 percent reserve:

3 × 5.5 × 1.5 = 24.75 L

This is only an arithmetic example. Use the vessel's measured consumption and a reserve policy suitable for possible headwinds, bar waiting, diversion and contaminated fuel.

Do not count unusable tank volume.

Water and food

Carry enough for:

• every person for the planned passage;
• a delayed entry;
• a diversion or return;
• seasickness and dehydration; and
• an overnight contingency appropriate to the vessel.

Keep water, simple food and required medication accessible without sending crew below in rough water.

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VHF

• Maintain a listening watch on VHF Channel 16.
• Use Channel 16 for distress, urgency, safety and initial calling as appropriate.
• Move to a working channel when directed.
• Do not rely on a mobile phone as the primary offshore distress system.

Marine Rescue log-on

Use the Marine Rescue NSW log-on and log-off service.

Provide accurate:

• vessel name and registration;
• vessel type and colour;
• departure point;
• destination;
• persons on board;
• mobile number;
• safety equipment;
• route; and
• estimated time of arrival.

Update Marine Rescue if the destination, route or ETA changes. Log off only when safely secured.

Distress information card

Place this beside the radio:

Engine failure near a bar

Pre-brief immediate actions:

1. maintain steerage if possible; 2. avoid fouling the propeller with sheets or tow lines; 3. deploy sail or anchor only when appropriate to the actual position and hazard; 4. broadcast urgency or distress early when danger is developing; 5. state the position, persons on board and nature of the problem; 6. prepare tow points and strong lines without putting crew in the impact zone; and 7. do not delay a Mayday when grave and imminent danger exists.

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Check the current NSW requirements for the vessel, operating area and voyage at Essential safety equipment.

Check current wear rules at When to wear a lifejacket.

For this passage, review at least:

• correctly rated and serviced lifejackets for every person;
• EPIRB registration and expiry;
• current flares where required;
• VHF radio and spare handheld if carried;
• navigation lights;
• sound signal;
• fire extinguishers;
• first-aid kit;
• bilge pumps and bailer requirements;
• anchor and adequate cable;
• waterproof torch;
• heaving line;
• harnesses and tethers where used;
• knife accessible from the cockpit;
• emergency steering; and
• tools and spares for likely failures.

Equipment is not ready merely because it is aboard. It must be accessible and the crew must know how to use it.

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Seven days before

• [ ] Confirm vessel registration, insurance and required documents.
• [ ] Inspect rig, steering, engine and fuel system.
• [ ] Verify safety-equipment service and expiry dates.
• [ ] Select current official chart and backup.
• [ ] Read current Notices to Mariners and local notices.
• [ ] Contact d'Albora Port Macquarie Marina about a berth.
• [ ] Ask local Camden Haven sailors or Marine Rescue about recent entrance conditions.
• [ ] Review alternate destinations and fuel required.
• [ ] Check crew availability, experience and health.

Forty-eight hours before

• [ ] Review BOM Macquarie Coast forecast and warnings.
• [ ] Review tide tables for both entrances.
• [ ] Build the arrival window backward from Hastings River.
• [ ] Compare swell direction and period with both bars.
• [ ] Check likely East Australian Current effect.
• [ ] Confirm berth, dimensions and arrival procedure.
• [ ] Recalculate fuel with reserve.
• [ ] Provision food, drinking water and medications.
• [ ] Share the plan with the shore contact.

Evening before

• [ ] Recheck forecast issue time and observations.
• [ ] View both official bar webcams.
• [ ] Obtain current local bar reports where possible.
• [ ] Plot route references and verify them on current charts.
• [ ] Create no-go limits for wind, swell, visibility and daylight.
• [ ] Test VHF, navigation lights, GPS, depth sounder and bilge pumps.
• [ ] Secure tender, outboard, anchor and deck gear.
• [ ] Prepare lines and fenders without obstructing safe movement.
• [ ] Brief the crew and shore contact.
• [ ] Agree that departure can be cancelled without debate.

Before starting the engine

• [ ] Fuel quantity checked.
• [ ] Fuel valves correctly selected.
• [ ] Oil and coolant checked.
• [ ] Bilge checked.
• [ ] Raw-water intake open.
• [ ] Battery voltage normal.
• [ ] Engine space clear.
• [ ] Loose lines clear of propeller.
• [ ] Weather and tide rechecked.
• [ ] Destination berth re-confirmed.

Before Camden Haven bar

• [ ] Engine tested under load.
• [ ] Cooling-water flow confirmed.
• [ ] All crew wearing legally required lifejackets.
• [ ] Hatches and companionway set for conditions.
• [ ] Crew in assigned safe positions.
• [ ] Current leads and marks positively identified.
• [ ] Multiple wave sets observed.
• [ ] Conflicting traffic cleared.
• [ ] Turn-back plan still available.
• [ ] Marine Rescue log-on complete.

Clear of Camden Haven

• [ ] Steering normal.
• [ ] Engine and charging normal.
• [ ] No water ingress.
• [ ] Rig and sail controls normal.
• [ ] Actual wind and swell compared with forecast.
• [ ] P10 ETA recalculated.
• [ ] Crew condition checked.
• [ ] Port Macquarie arrival remains safe.

At Lake Cathie offing

• [ ] Confirm Lake Cathie is not being treated as a refuge.
• [ ] Recalculate speed made good.
• [ ] Review latest warning and bar information.
• [ ] Confirm fuel reserve.
• [ ] Confirm destination berth and contact procedure.
• [ ] Decide whether to continue toward Tacking Point.

Before Tacking Point

• [ ] Safe offshore clearance selected on current chart.
• [ ] Sail plan reduced if required.
• [ ] Engine ready for immediate use.
• [ ] Radar and AIS reviewed where fitted.
• [ ] Lookout allocated for fishing gear and traffic.
• [ ] Port Macquarie webcam and local report updated if communications allow.
• [ ] Escape heading understood.

Before Hastings River bar

• [ ] Current tide stage verified.
• [ ] Last of flood planning target reviewed.
• [ ] Wind, swell and river outflow acceptable.
• [ ] Current variable leads and marks identified.
• [ ] Multiple sets observed from a safe position.
• [ ] Engine tested and fuel supply stable.
• [ ] Crew secured and briefed.
• [ ] Fenders and lines ready but clear of controls.
• [ ] No conflicting outbound traffic.
• [ ] Skipper confirms entry is safe now.

After securing

• [ ] Engine stopped and shore services connected safely.
• [ ] Marine Rescue log-off completed.
• [ ] Shore contact notified.
• [ ] Fuel used recorded.
• [ ] Actual route, time, weather and current recorded.
• [ ] Any defective navigation aid reported.
• [ ] Any safety defect added to repair list.
• [ ] Useful local observations submitted to the YouSail community.

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Vessel

People

Departure and arrival

Weather record

Tide record

Fuel plan

No-go limits

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The value of a YouSail passage database will come from current, structured reports, not from unverified claims that a bar is always safe.

After the passage, record:

Passage facts

• Date and local time
• Direction travelled
• Vessel type, length and draft
• Departure berth or anchorage
• Destination berth or mooring
• Lines-off and secured times
• Actual distance sailed
• Engine hours
• Fuel used

Camden Haven report

• Tide stage and predicted height
• Wind
• Swell height, direction and period
• Observed breaking pattern
• Leads and marks observed
• Whether local advice was obtained
• Time taken from inner river to safely offshore
• Any change from the official map

Coastal report

• Average speed made good
• Estimated current set and drift
• Sea state at Grants Head, Lake Cathie and Tacking Point
• Traffic and fishing gear
• Minimum offshore clearance used, with reason
• Reefing or motoring decisions

Port Macquarie report

• Arrival time at P10 area
• Tide stage
• Wind and swell
• River outflow or debris observed
• Leads and aids observed
• Wait time before entry
• Marina or wharf used
• Fuel, water, showers, pumpout or repair services actually available

Community safety rule

Phrase reports as observations tied to a date, time and vessel. For example:

We observed no breaking waves in our selected channel at 10:40 local time on a 1.2 m east-south-east swell at 9 seconds, near the last of the flood, from a 10 m yacht drawing 1.6 m.

Do not write:

The bar is safe.

Conditions can change minutes later, and another vessel can have very different limits.

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Official navigation and safety

• Transport for NSW boating maps index
• Camden Haven, Queens and Watson Taylors Lakes, Laurieton and Lake Cathie boating map, map printed March 2025
• Hastings, Wilson and Maria Rivers and Port Macquarie boating map, map printed April 2025
• Hat Head to Mermaid Reef coastal boating map
• NSW coastal bar safety brochure
• Camden Haven bar webcam
• Port Macquarie bar webcam
• NSW tide tables
• NSW lifejacket wear rules
• NSW essential safety equipment

Weather and ocean

• BOM Macquarie Coast forecast
• BOM NSW coastal observations
• BOM ocean and marine forecasts
• BOM ocean currents background
• IMOS OceanCurrent

Marine Rescue

• Marine Rescue Camden Haven
• Marine Rescue Port Macquarie
• Marine Rescue log on and log off

Marinas, wharves and sailing contacts

• YouSail: d'Albora Port Macquarie Marina
• Official d'Albora Port Macquarie Marina
• YouSail: Lady Nelson Wharf
• Port Macquarie-Hastings Council: Lady Nelson Wharf
• YouSail: Port Macquarie Yacht Club
• Port Macquarie Yacht Club
• YouSail: Laurieton United Services Club Visitor Wharf
• YouSail: Dunbogan Boatshed and Marina

Chart-selection note

The local boating maps refer readers to AUS 219 and coastal boating Map 5. Navigators should identify the current Australian Hydrographic Office chart or ENC coverage using the current chart catalogue or Chart Explorer, then apply all updates and notices. Do not assume an older chart number printed on a local information map remains the current product.

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This passage succeeds when the planning remains simple and disciplined:

1. secure a real destination berth or mooring; 2. obtain current charts, weather, tide, bar and local information; 3. work backward from a safe Hastings River arrival near the last of the flood; 4. leave Camden Haven only with current local knowledge and an acceptable bar; 5. establish proper offshore clearance before turning north; 6. preserve time and fuel margins through Grants Head and Lake Cathie; 7. round Tacking Point with deliberate sea room; 8. arrive off Port Macquarie early enough to observe, wait or decline; 9. follow the current entrance aids rather than any saved coordinate line; and 10. log off only after the boat is secured.

If any critical assumption fails, change the plan early.

YouSail and YouSail provide this guide as general community planning information only. It is not navigation advice, a hydrographic product, a weather forecast, a substitute for local knowledge, or a representation that any route, entrance, depth, facility or berth is safe or available. The skipper remains solely responsible for the vessel, crew, route, equipment, weather and tide assessment, compliance with law, and every decision to depart, continue, cross a bar or enter a port. Always use current official information and seek competent local advice.