Hi all

All things being equal, I should be bringing the new boat home to Brisbane in February so I'm trying to educate myself about the EAC.

I'm looking at these:

www.bom.gov.au/oceanography/forecasts/idyoc300.shtml?region=NSW&forecast=SSTCur#


oceancurrent.imos.org.au/product.php

To my inexperienced eye, the temperature and current patterns of each site look a little different.

Can anyone give me a quick lesson for dummies on how to best interpret this data please?

Thanks
Trace

HI Selkie,
A very simple explanation mate, I'm not good enough to get all techo on this.
a) My main use for it is to know the temperature of the Southerly stream, as this can help you determine where the boundary lies. If you're working north , its nice to know how much current you are pushing, so use your sea temp to keep an eye on when you are in it or not. Use it to stay out of it altogether if you can by hugging the coast. Or if you can see an eddy, use it to push further quicker.
b) If the wind is from the south, and you're pushing a big current, this will help the waves stand up more than wind with the current. Dont go when the forecast is Southerly 20+ knots and you're in the EAC which is running strong and ripping south, not fun.
Cheers!

Another one to keep an eye on is this ...
earth.nullschool.net/#current/ocean/surface/currents/orthographic=-210.47,-28.91,3000/loc=153.941,-28.830
Copy and paste the entire line rather than just the active part of the link

BlueMoon said..
When going North up the NSW coast, Keep one foot on the boat the other on the land!.
You might geta back eddie close in.
You'll be pushing 2 to 3kts at times around Seal Rocks, Smoky Cape and Byron,that'll have you looking over the back to check you haven't picked upa crab pot or some other rubbish slowing you down.

Well said! Been there a few times.

Just out of curiosity, how close is close or relatively close?
2 miles? 5 miles?
The Windy site has the current very close to the coast.

gary

Thanks guys. That is all very useful information.

Shaggy, that may explain the sea state a few years ago coming north. Was only blowing 20 SE, however, the waves were stacked up... especially just south of Coffs.

Speaking of Coffs, I'm assuming people go outside the Solitary Islands group?

Thanks guys. And yes, Morning Bird, definitely talk in the New Year.

theselkie said..
Thanks guys. That is all very useful information.

Shaggy, that may explain the sea state a few years ago coming north. Was only blowing 20 SE, however, the waves were stacked up... especially just south of Coffs.

Speaking of Coffs, I'm assuming people go outside the Solitary Islands group?

Thanks guys. And yes, Morning Bird, definitely talk in the New Year.

Not nessasrally, I allways sail to the east of split and south solitary islands and west of north solitary, but I have many time seen boats sail the coast line through there ?

shaggybaxter said..
Hi Selkie,
Regards Gary's question on how close and far to the beach do you tack?
A screenshot of the tracker from the Pittwater to Surfers boys. In a light northerly, this is how you get up the coast staying out of the current!
Cheers,
SB

Like the Surf to City on your boat a few years ago

theselkie said..
T
Speaking of Coffs, I'm assuming people go outside the Solitary Islands group?

Thanks guys. And yes, Morning Bird, definitely talk in the New Year.

No, stay inshore and use your plotter. I usually head straight north from Coffs around Mid-night to 3am depending on the high tide at Yamba.
No point in going outside the solitary's as it only adds miles and puts you out in the AEC.

The EAC is a fickle thing, it is at it's maximum in the early months of the year (IE: now!) and it weakens towards winter.

Chris 249 said..

garymalmgren said..
Just out of curiosity, how close is close or relatively close?
2 miles? 5 miles?
The Windy site has the current very close to the coast.

gary

Close enough, in the right conditions, to literally chat to the surfers. And I do mean 'literally"' in the true sense.

Guess I'll be doing day hops

Chris 249 said..

garymalmgren said..
Just out of curiosity, how close is close or relatively close?
2 miles? 5 miles?
The Windy site has the current very close to the coast.

gary

Close enough, in the right conditions, to literally chat to the surfers. And I do mean 'literally"' in the true sense.

That probley explains why we have regular groundings along the north NSW coast. ( Just a gentle reminder )

Just an observation over the last few years that the Southerly changes in summer are quite unreliable to travel North on, i mean the idea is to wait for the southerly change then sail up on thee back of it.
But I've noticed not much ofa tail to the Southerlys, meaning you might need to get out there sooner after actual front goes through rather than waiting days.

woko said..

Chris 249 said..

garymalmgren said..
Just out of curiosity, how close is close or relatively close?
2 miles? 5 miles?
The Windy site has the current very close to the coast.

gary

Close enough, in the right conditions, to literally chat to the surfers. And I do mean 'literally"' in the true sense.

That probley explains why we have regular groundings along the north NSW coast. ( Just a gentle reminder )

There's not many groundings while racing north, are there? Look at the ones reported here, for example, and we see few if any instances involving boats racing.

Please note the "in the right conditions" proviso.

frant said..


Probably more important to look at tidal current (ebb North set and flood South set) and stay relatively close to shore out of EAC flows South with some eddies.

Tidal set out to sea on the NSW coast has little relevance to sailing the coast.

As Bluemoon said its more important to get the tides right [ie last of the flood] into NSW's barred ports.

But if you are in QLD, then is really important to consider the tidal flows!

Stockie said..
Interesting topic, I wonder if this was what gave me a hard time heading back north from Jervis Bay in late December. The Northly was not that strong but the swell was steep and strong. On the tack out I was crashing off the swell occasionally, it would virtually stop me in my tracks, then on the inbound tack I was being rolled back to JB
It took me an eternity to get across Crook Haven bight, on the way down I was enjoying a kite run at 10 knots!
Same kind of issue sailing up from the Hacking to the Harbour, much more sea than what should have been for the wind, quite uncomfortable and frustrating.
cheers Richard

The current can be quite strong right in against the cliffs North of JB and over the Banks just North of JB. Heading North from there you really need to put a tack in right to the beach. Particularly in Crookhaven Bight if the tide is running out the river. The tide sometimes is strong for several miles along the beach to the North. About 3 miles out where the currents meet is a very visible line.