Newcastle Harbour to Port Stephens

Northbound coastal passage | Approximately 34 nautical miles to Nelson Bay | Usually completed in one day No departure date selected: Live forecasts, warnings, tides, Notices to Mariners, Newcastle vessel movements, Port Stephens entrance conditions and marina availability have not been loaded.

Hey sailors. We put this guide together because Newcastle to Port Stephens is the next natural northbound passage after arriving from Pittwater. It is shorter than the Pittwater to Newcastle leg, but it should not be dismissed as an easy hop. You begin inside one of Australia's busiest commercial ports, spend most of the day exposed along Stockton Bight, round the Fingal and Point Stephens sector, and finish through an entrance where swell and a runout tide can create dangerous conditions.

Use this page as a detailed planning head start, not as the final word. Weather, swell, current, harbour traffic, port directions, navigation marks, entrance conditions, marina access and marine-park rules can change. Check current official charts or ENCs, Australian Notices to Mariners, Bureau of Meteorology forecasts and warnings, NSW boating information, Newcastle Harbour information, Port Stephens conditions and the sea state you can actually observe.

Please do your own route work. The positions below are planning references, not a safe track and not autopilot instructions. Decide whether the vessel, crew, weather window, tide and daylight are suitable. Talk to Marine Rescue NSW, marina staff, local yacht clubs and sailors who have recently completed the route. Community groups can provide useful observations, but always note the date, vessel type, draft and conditions behind the advice.

This is community information. It is not an instruction to depart, a guarantee of safe water or a replacement for the skipper's judgement. Waiting in Newcastle or remaining outside Port Stephens until the entrance is suitable can be the correct passage decision.

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Planning level: YouSail Passage Level 3, exposed coastal day with a commercial-port departure and a tide-sensitive entrance.

Distance warning: These are planning distances only. Plot the route on current official charting and calculate from the actual departure berth to the assigned arrival berth.

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The passage has four distinct phases.

Leaving Newcastle Harbour. The marina is protected, but the departure is not casual. Newcastle is a working port used by bulk carriers, pilot vessels, tugs, fishing vessels and recreational craft. The crew must understand current traffic, VTS information, radio procedures and the route to sea before leaving the berth.

Crossing Stockton Bight. After clearing Nobbys and the Newcastle entrance, the coast opens into a long sandy bight. The direct line looks simple, but there is no normal all-weather harbour or marina along this stretch. Onshore wind and swell create lee-shore consequences, while offshore wind can move a disabled yacht away from the coast.

Rounding the Fingal and Point Stephens sector. The coast changes direction around Anna Bay, Fingal Bay and Point Stephens. Islands, rocks, shoals, breaking water and marine-park zones require proper chart work. The narrow-looking Fingal Spit area is not a shortcut into Port Stephens.

Entering Port Stephens. The entrance lies between the Tomaree and Yacaaba sides. NSW boating information warns that navigation can be dangerous during runout tides. The current entrance route, lead sectors, traffic, tide, swell and actual breaking conditions must be assessed before committing.

How the day normally unfolds

The first mile can be the busiest. Lines are off, but the crew is still inside a commercial port. This is where radio discipline, engine reliability and traffic awareness matter more than sail trim.

Stockton Bight settles into a long coastal rhythm. The beach remains visible for many miles, yet there is no easy marina halfway. Small speed changes alter the arrival tide and daylight. A yacht making 4 knots instead of the planned 5 knots adds roughly 1 hour 40 minutes over a 34 nm route.

The coast bends east before Port Stephens. It can feel as though the destination is being passed rather than approached. The safe route must respect the charted dangers around Fingal and Point Stephens instead of cutting towards the entrance.

The final entrance deserves the most attention. The passage may have been comfortable for hours, but a southerly swell meeting an outgoing tide can change the character of the entrance. The crew should be rested, lifejackets on, engine ready, sails controlled and the latest conditions checked before the approach.

Nelson Bay is not the end until the boat is secure. Inside Port Stephens, expect ferries, tour boats, fishing vessels, sailing fleets, moorings, shallow margins and local traffic. Prepare berth lines and fenders before the entrance workload begins.

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Ask recent users of the route specific questions:

• When did you last complete Newcastle to Port Stephens, and in which direction?
• What vessel length, draft and average speed were involved?
• What were the forecast and actual wind, sea, swell and current?
• What time and tide did you use at the Port Stephens entrance?
• Was the entrance smooth, confused, steep or breaking?
• What offing did you select around Fingal and Point Stephens, and why?
• Did commercial traffic delay the Newcastle departure?
• Were fishing vessels, lines, pots or unlit gear encountered along Stockton Bight?
• Which Port Stephens marina did you use, and were arrival instructions clear?
• Were marine-park zones or temporary event areas relevant?
• What would you change next time?

Useful contacts include Marine Rescue Newcastle and Port Stephens, Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club, Port Stephens Yacht Club, d'Albora marina staff, local delivery skippers and sailing groups covering Newcastle, Hunter Coast and Port Stephens.

Community information should include a date. Entrance, depth, berth and radio comments can become unsafe when repeated without context.

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Newcastle departure facility

The Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club marina is the normal recreational starting point. Its current marina page advertises 180 floating berths, power and water, bathrooms, laundry, casual berthing and an F Arm fuel berth supplying diesel and premium unleaded petrol. Fuel card payments are available 24 hours a day. Visiting vessels must satisfy current insurance requirements, including published A$10 million public liability cover.

Confirm the assigned berth, departure arrangements, insurance acceptance, marina contacts and current Newcastle Harbour procedures directly.

No halfway marina

There is no routine all-weather marina between Newcastle and Port Stephens.

Port Stephens arrival marinas

Choosing the arrival destination

Nelson Bay is normally the simplest destination for a first-time arrival because it is relatively close to the entrance and has full marina services. The Anchorage and Soldiers Point may provide more sheltered berthing but add distance, inner-waterway pilotage and additional tide or depth considerations.

Do not continue west simply because a berth is cheaper or more available. Confirm that the route, depth, daylight, crew energy and fuel support the extra distance.

Marina booking record

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Option 1: Direct Newcastle to Nelson Bay

Option 2: Direct Newcastle to The Anchorage

Option 3: Direct Newcastle to Soldiers Point

Option 4: Two-day Port Stephens arrival and exploration

The exposed coast is not normally split because there is no proper intermediate harbour. A useful two-day structure is:

Option 5: Broughton Island extension

Broughton Island is not part of the Newcastle to Nelson Bay route. It lies beyond the Port Stephens entrance and requires a separate offshore, weather, marine-park, anchoring and overnight plan. Do not combine it with the arrival merely because the first passage was quicker than expected.

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Coordinate standard: WGS84. Positions are shown in degrees and decimal minutes and decimal degrees. Bearings are approximate initial degrees true. Distances are approximate geodesic planning distances between the listed coordinates.

Navigation status: These positions describe an illustrative offshore corridor and decision sequence. They are not surveyed safe-water waypoints, not a recommended minimum offing and not autopilot instructions. The skipper must plot the actual route on current official charting, inspect every danger, depth, traffic requirement, light sector and marine-park restriction, then move, replace or remove points as required. Displayed precision does not prove positional accuracy.

Main route point register

The official NSW lighthouse page publishes Point Stephens Lighthouse at approximately 32°44.9′S, 152°11.2′E. This is a geographic light position, not a route waypoint. The illustrative outer offing above lies separately from the lighthouse and still requires chart validation.

Main-route leg calculations

The official NSW Map 7A references a white-sector lead line of approximately 292 to 295 degrees for the entrance. The 298-degree illustrative P09 to P10 bearing is a planning calculation only and must not be substituted for the live light sector, official chart, navigation marks or actual safe track.

Passage-time calculator

Add harbour traffic delay, sail handling, adverse current, entrance waiting, marina approach and berthing. A planning average should be conservative and based on the vessel's actual history.

Backward departure calculation

The Port Stephens entrance time should influence the Newcastle departure:

`Latest departure = selected entrance time minus conservative passage time to the entrance minus delay allowance`

Example only:

• Selected entrance gate time: 15:00
• NCYC to entrance distance: approximately 31.6 nm
• Conservative average speed: 5 knots
• Base time: approximately 6 hours 19 minutes
• Harbour and delay allowance: 1 hour
• Latest NCYC departure: approximately 07:41

The selected entrance time must come from current tide, swell, wind and daylight analysis. It is not automatically high water, slack water or a fixed number of hours after a tide-table event.

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Use the Bureau of Meteorology Hunter Coastal Waters forecast, which covers Seal Rocks to Broken Bay. Check current NSW marine warnings, detailed wind and wave information, rain, thunderstorms and observations.

The Bureau states that wind gusts can be about 40 percent stronger than forecast averages and maximum waves can be up to twice the significant wave height. Sea and swell must be assessed separately.

Directional planning matrix

Weather-window questions

• Does the forecast cover the complete 8 to 12-hour operating period, including delay?
• What are the swell height, period and direction at Newcastle, Point Stephens and the entrance?
• Is the sea state expected to build during the afternoon?
• Will a north-east sea breeze create a headwind during the second half?
• Is a southerly change approaching, and what is the uncertainty in its timing?
• Does the wind direction create lee-shore consequences along Stockton Bight?
• Could rain, haze or low cloud make the entrance and traffic difficult to identify?
• Is there enough fuel to maintain timing if sailing speed falls?

Weather record

Personal limits declaration

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Newcastle departure

Check the relevant tide table, harbour directions and actual conditions. Tide can affect water movement inside the port and the sea state at the entrance. Commercial traffic and VTS requirements can override a preferred departure minute.

Stockton Bight current

The East Australian Current generally flows southward along the NSW coast, but nearshore current, eddies and wind-driven set vary. A northbound yacht may experience adverse current. Compare speed through water with speed over ground and update arrival timing rather than applying a fixed current estimate.

Port Stephens entrance

NSW Map 7A warns that navigating the entrance can be dangerous during runout tides. The Shoal Bay Port Stephens webcam is for situational awareness only. NSW warns that coastal-bar conditions can change rapidly and recommends using multiple sources, including forecasts, tides and local advice.

The entrance strategy must consider:

• Tide direction and strength
• Wind direction and strength
• Swell height, period and direction
• Interaction between outgoing current and incoming swell
• Breaking water or confused seas
• Visibility and ability to identify the current lead sectors and marks
• Other vessels entering or leaving
• Vessel power, steering and crew readiness
• A safe alternative if conditions are outside limits

Do not assume the entrance is safe because a webcam image looked acceptable earlier, because another vessel entered, or because the tide is near a named high or low water. Conditions must be assessed for the actual time and vessel.

Tide and entrance worksheet

Use the Bureau NSW tide tables and current charted tidal information. Confirm the appropriate Port Stephens predictions and any time or height corrections.

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Hazard notes by stage

#### NCYC to Newcastle entrance

• Review the current Newcastle daily vessel-movement information.
• Confirm the current VTS and recreational-vessel radio procedure.
• Do not leave the berth if a commercial movement creates uncertainty.
• Have sails arranged so they do not obstruct manoeuvring or visibility inside the port.

#### Newcastle to central Stockton Bight

• Confirm the vessel is achieving the planned speed.
• Keep the return-to-Newcastle option open while it remains practical.
• Monitor the sea state beyond the shelter of Nobbys and Stockton.
• Maintain sea room selected from the current chart and weather.

#### Northern Stockton Bight to Point Stephens

• Recheck Port Stephens entrance conditions before rounding.
• Do not cut across unverified shallow water around Birubi, Fingal Bay or Fingal Spit.
• Identify Point Stephens Lighthouse and surrounding features from current charting.
• Confirm marine-park zones affecting the intended route and activities.

#### Port Stephens entrance to Nelson Bay

• Wear lifejackets under the vessel's entrance procedure and current NSW rules.
• Confirm the actual entrance route and lead sectors.
• Keep the engine ready and sails configured for control.
• Expect tour boats, fishing vessels, moorings and local traffic after entry.
• Follow the marina's assigned approach rather than navigating directly to its coordinate.

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Decision log format

At every gate, record:

`Time, position, wind, sea, swell, tide or current, fuel, crew condition, destination ETA, decision and next review.`

Example:

`12:40, Point Stephens outer gate, S 10 knots, 1.2 m southerly swell at 10 seconds, entrance current expected to ease, 34 L usable fuel, crew fit, Nelson Bay ETA 14:20, continue to seaward approach, reassess before entrance.`

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Newcastle Harbour is an active commercial port. Current Port Authority information takes priority over this guide.

Before leaving:

• Review Newcastle Harbour daily vessel movements.
• Review Newcastle Harbour pilotage and Harbour Master's information.
• Understand Newcastle Vessel Traffic Services, which operates continuously.
• Confirm the current recreational-vessel monitoring and calling channels. Published Newcastle information commonly uses VHF channels 9 and 16, but the skipper must verify the procedure on the day.
• Contact NCYC as required before leaving the berth.
• Check commercial vessels visually and with AIS where fitted.
• Ensure the engine is warm, cooling correctly and ready for immediate manoeuvring.
• Brief the crew on the harbour route, no-go areas and wash.
• Keep sails controlled until they can be used without compromising port navigation.

Departure record

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Before Point Stephens

• Obtain the latest Bureau forecast and warnings.
• Check the official Shoal Bay Port Stephens webcam, noting it is not a sole navigation source.
• Confirm tide predictions and the expected direction of current at entry.
• Obtain current local advice if conditions are uncertain.
• Plot the entrance, lead sectors, shoals and marine-park zones on current charting.
• Confirm the destination berth and after-hours arrangement.
• Start and test the engine before it becomes essential.
• Prepare fenders and lines before the entrance.
• Put the rested arrival team on watch.
• Brief the crew on lifejackets, lookout, sails, engine, traffic and berth side.

Entrance sequence

1. Approach from safe charted sea room without cutting the Fingal sector. 2. Confirm the Tomaree and Yacaaba sides, current entrance marks and safe route. 3. Compare actual breaking water, swell, wind and current with the declared limits. 4. Identify the current white-sector lead or other charted aids independently. 5. Make the formal enter, wait or abandon decision before losing sea room. 6. Maintain enough speed for steering while avoiding excessive wake or unsafe surfing. 7. Keep a lookout astern and ahead for faster fishing, tour or rescue vessels.

8. Once inside, transition to the current Nelson Bay or selected marina route. 9. Follow assigned marina instructions and do not treat P12 as a berth approach waypoint. 10. Log off with Marine Rescue NSW after the vessel is secure.

Arrival record

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Port Stephens and surrounding waters form part of the Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine Park. Zones can include sanctuary, habitat-protection and general-use areas. Restrictions can affect fishing, anchoring, collecting and other activities even when simple vessel transit remains possible.

Before departure:

• Obtain the current official zoning map and rules.
• Overlay or compare zones with the intended route and stopping places.
• Confirm whether anchoring is permitted at every proposed anchorage.
• Check fishing methods, bait collection and possession rules.
• Avoid assuming an old app or printed map remains current.
• Brief every crew member before anyone fishes or anchors.

NSW Map 7A marks marine-park sanctuary and habitat-protection zones and warns of extensive oyster leases farther inside Port Stephens and the Lower Myall River. These inner waters require separate local planning.

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Vessel size and experience

• A capable smaller yacht may complete the passage in a good window, but speed loss, motion, limited power and crew fatigue reduce margins.
• A larger yacht may be faster, but higher loads, draft, momentum and berth requirements still matter.
• A multihull must confirm marina beam and berth availability and assess motion and steering in the entrance sea state.
• A vessel that can complete the passage under sail must still have reliable manoeuvring and emergency options for the commercial port and tide-affected entrance.

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Rotate the helm before fatigue appears. The most rested competent helm and navigator should handle Point Stephens, the entrance and berthing. Food, water, warm layers, sun protection and seasickness supplies should be reachable without opening deep lockers.

If departure occurs before daylight:

• Confirm Newcastle night-departure competence and lighting.
• Identify harbour and offshore lights from current publications.
• Use lifejackets and harnesses under the vessel's night procedure.
• Preserve night vision.
• Ensure daylight will be available for the Port Stephens entrance unless a fully independent night-entry plan is accepted.

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Calculate from measured consumption:

`Fuel required = planned engine hours × measured litres per hour + protected reserve`

Example only for 34.3 nm to Nelson Bay:

• Full-route motoring at 5 knots: 34.3 ÷ 5 = 6.86 hours
• Newcastle and Port Stephens manoeuvring: 0.75 hour
• Entrance waiting and contingency: 1.5 hours
• Total planning engine time: 9.11 hours

Add the skipper's protected reserve. Confirm all planned fuel is usable in the expected heel and sea state. Account separately for generator or heater demand.

Fuel log

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NSW open-water guidance includes at least 2 litres of drinking water per person. Carry more for heat, seasickness, delay and an extended wait outside the entrance.

Prepare:

• Drinking water accessible from the cockpit
• Simple food that does not require cooking offshore
• Electrolytes where appropriate
• Seasickness prevention selected before departure
• Warm and waterproof layers
• Sun protection, hat and sunglasses
• Personal medication plus delay allowance
• Dry clothing for the entrance and arrival watch
• Additional food and water if the destination berth or entrance becomes unavailable

Do not rely on marina restaurants or shops being open at arrival.

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Marine Rescue NSW

Log on through the Marine Rescue NSW app or VHF channel 16. Provide the actual departure, Port Stephens destination, persons aboard and realistic ETA. Update the ETA if speed, current, entrance timing or destination changes, then log off after securing.

Radio plan

Position report format

`Vessel name, call sign, position, time, course, speed, destination, ETA, persons aboard, conditions and concern.`

Emergency contacts record

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Check the current NSW essential safety equipment requirements for the vessel and operating area. The planned route normally travels more than 2 nm from shore.

This planning prompt does not replace the current legal table:

• Correctly fitted lifejackets for every person
• Registered 406 MHz EPIRB for open-water operation more than 2 nm from shore
• Marine radio for operation more than 2 nm from shore
• Required in-date distress flares for open water
• Current chart or map and compass
• At least 2 litres of drinking water per person
• Anchor and adequate cable
• Bailer or bilge-pumping arrangement
• Fire extinguisher where required
• Waterproof torch
• Sound signal
• Navigation lights for darkness or restricted visibility
• First-aid kit suitable for the crew and passage
• Tools and critical engine, rig and steering spares
• Harnesses, tethers and jacklines appropriate to the conditions

Check the current NSW lifejacket rules. NSW Map 7A recommends wearing an appropriate lifejacket while crossing the Port Stephens entrance. The skipper can set a stricter vessel rule.

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Seven days before

• [ ] Book the Port Stephens marina and obtain berth instructions.
• [ ] Confirm NCYC departure and insurance requirements.
• [ ] Plot Newcastle Harbour, the full coastal route and Port Stephens entrance on current official charting.
• [ ] Check relevant charts, ENCs and Australian Notices to Mariners.
• [ ] Review Newcastle Harbour directions and VTS information.
• [ ] Load the current Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine Park zoning information.
• [ ] Inspect engine, fuel, steering, rig, sails, batteries and bilge pumps.
• [ ] Check lifejackets, EPIRB, flares and fire extinguishers.
• [ ] Define wind, swell, current, visibility, fuel and daylight limits.
• [ ] Identify primary and backup Port Stephens marinas or legal stops.

Forty-eight hours before

• [ ] Review Hunter Coastal Waters forecast and NSW marine warnings.
• [ ] Compare wind, sea and swell for each forecast period.
• [ ] Check the likely Port Stephens entrance tide and daylight.
• [ ] Examine whether a north-east sea breeze or southerly change is expected.
• [ ] Calculate departure backwards from the selected entrance time.
• [ ] Confirm fuel from measured consumption plus protected reserve.
• [ ] Check Newcastle scheduled vessel movements.
• [ ] Reconfirm marina berth and vessel dimensions.
• [ ] Brief the shore contact on route, ETA and overdue procedure.

Evening before

• [ ] Recheck forecasts, warnings, tides and Notices to Mariners.
• [ ] Review the Port Stephens entrance chart, light sectors and no-go areas.
• [ ] Test navigation lights, VHF, AIS, GPS, compass and charging.
• [ ] Run the engine and inspect oil, coolant, raw water, belts and leaks.
• [ ] Secure deck and cabin equipment.
• [ ] Prepare jacklines, lifejackets and tethers.
• [ ] Put food, water, clothing and seasickness supplies within reach.
• [ ] Record marina, VTS, Marine Rescue and shore-contact details offline.
• [ ] Protect crew sleep.

Before leaving NCYC

• [ ] Obtain the latest forecast and warnings.
• [ ] Review live Newcastle vessel movements.
• [ ] Confirm the current VTS and recreational-vessel radio procedure.
• [ ] Confirm the Port Stephens berth and arrival contact.
• [ ] Check the Port Stephens webcam and latest entrance information.
• [ ] Log on with Marine Rescue NSW.
• [ ] Test engine, steering, cooling water, radio and navigation systems.
• [ ] Record persons aboard, usable fuel, water and departure time.
• [ ] Brief the full route, commercial traffic, hazards and decision gates.
• [ ] Assign helm, navigator, radio, engineer and arrival roles.

At Newcastle entrance

• [ ] Confirm commercial traffic and permission or direction where required.
• [ ] Record actual wind, sea, swell and visibility.
• [ ] Confirm the boat and crew are functioning normally.
• [ ] Recalculate Port Stephens entrance ETA.
• [ ] State and log continue or return decision.

Every hour offshore

• [ ] Plot or independently verify position.
• [ ] Record course, speed through water and speed over ground.
• [ ] Update entrance ETA and tide estimate.
• [ ] Check wind, sea, swell and visibility trend.
• [ ] Check engine, fuel, batteries, steering and bilges.
• [ ] Check crew warmth, hydration, food, fatigue and seasickness.
• [ ] Maintain visual, radio and AIS-assisted lookout.
• [ ] Review the next hazard and decision gate.

At central Stockton Bight

• [ ] Compare actual speed with the plan.
• [ ] Check whether returning to Newcastle remains practical.
• [ ] Update Port Stephens entrance tide and daylight.
• [ ] Review the weather trend and any change timing.
• [ ] Confirm fuel and crew margin.

Before Point Stephens

• [ ] Refresh entrance webcam and local reports where communications allow.
• [ ] Confirm tide, wind, swell and visibility remain within limits.
• [ ] Plot the route around Fingal and Point Stephens dangers.
• [ ] Confirm marine-park zones.
• [ ] Start and test engine.
• [ ] Put the rested arrival helm and navigator on watch.
• [ ] Prepare lifejackets, fenders and lines.
• [ ] State and log continue, wait or abandon decision.

At Port Stephens seaward approach

• [ ] Positively identify the entrance and current navigation aids.
• [ ] Compare actual entrance water with the forecast and webcam.
• [ ] Check for outgoing and incoming traffic.
• [ ] Confirm steering, propulsion and sail-control plan.
• [ ] Confirm the assigned marina berth and approach.
• [ ] Enter only when all criteria are satisfied.

After securing

• [ ] Log off with Marine Rescue NSW.
• [ ] Notify the shore contact.
• [ ] Record arrival time and remaining fuel.
• [ ] Inspect rig, engine, steering, bilges and deck gear.
• [ ] Record defects before the next passage.
• [ ] Save the actual track, weather, entrance conditions and lessons for the YouSail community.

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User inputs

Calculated outputs

Example planner summary

Vessel: 11.5 m monohull, 1.9 m draft Route: NCYC to d'Albora Nelson Bay Marina Planning distance: 34.3 nm Conservative speed: 5.0 kn Base passage time: 6 h 52 min Harbour, current and delay allowance: 1 h 15 min Total plan: 8 h 07 min Selected entrance time: 15:00 Calculated departure: 06:53 Entrance status: Provisional until current tide, swell, webcam and local conditions are checked Marina status: Booking and berth assignment required Planner warning: Newcastle vessel movements and Port Stephens marine-park zones must be refreshed for the passage date.

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Display the date, direction and vessel type prominently on every community report. Community reports should supplement, never overwrite, official charts and current safety information.

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Navigation material

• Australian Hydrographic Office Chart Explorer
• Australian Chart Index
• Australian Notices to Mariners
• AUS 207, Approaches to Newcastle
• AUS 209, Port Stephens
• AUS 809 and AUS 810 for relevant coastal coverage, subject to current catalogue confirmation
• NSW boating maps
• NSW Map 7A, Port Stephens, Karuah and Broughton, for boating context and cautions, not as a substitute for official navigation charts
• NSW coastal map, Seal Rocks to Newcastle, for general context only

Use Chart Explorer and the current chart or ENC catalogue to select complete coverage. A chart number in this guide does not confirm that the skipper possesses the latest edition or all corrections.

Weather, tide and entrance

• Bureau Hunter Coastal Waters
• Bureau NSW tide tables
• Shoal Bay Port Stephens coastal webcam
• NSW lighthouse positions

Newcastle and safety

• Newcastle Harbour pilotage and Harbour Master's information
• Newcastle Vessel Traffic Services
• Newcastle Harbour daily vessel movements
• Marine Rescue NSW voyage log-on
• NSW essential safety equipment
• NSW lifejacket rules

Marinas and YouSail cross-links

• NCYC marina information
• YouSail Newcastle marine-services guide
• YouSail d'Albora Nelson Bay Marina
• Official d'Albora Nelson Bay Marina
• YouSail The Anchorage Marina
• Official The Anchorage Marina
• YouSail d'Albora Soldiers Point Marina
• Official d'Albora Soldiers Point Marina
• YouSail Port Stephens Yacht Club

Source-check record

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This passage guide is general community planning information. It is not navigation advice, a hydrographic product, a weather forecast, a coastal-bar assessment, a legal-equipment determination or a substitute for competent seamanship.

Coordinates, distances, bearings, times, chart references, marina details, radio notes and hazards may be approximate, incomplete or outdated. Conditions and requirements can change without notice. The skipper remains responsible for current official charts and ENCs, Notices to Mariners, forecasts, warnings, tides, port directions, commercial traffic, entrance conditions, marine-park rules, safety equipment, vessel seaworthiness, crew competence and every decision to depart, continue, wait, divert or enter.

Never copy the illustrative coordinates directly into an autopilot or navigation system without independently validating them against current official charting and the vessel's own safe route.

If the weather, entrance, vessel, crew or destination does not provide adequate margin, wait for another day.