Nelson to Wellington

[Steve K 0]

Looking for advise on planning a trip from Nelson to Wellington. Ive Just bought a yacht in Nelson and will sail it back to wellington. Im thinking of doing the trip in two days with the right weather. looking to depart Nelson and get up through French pass on first day and Anchor somwhere on the other side of French pass. (any suggestions for a good spot) Day two head acroos straight into Wellington.

 

Can anyone advise on what the best Tides/conditions would be for French Pass and also tackling the straight. This will be my first time going across and am keen to hear from Others experiences. Any info will be greatly received.

 

cheers

 

Steve K

[w44vi 17]

what type of boat how may crew and how much experience does the skipper have

sorry for all the questions but it makes a differance to going through french pass and crossing cook strait

[Brendon 0]

See this link for some tips on crossing the strait

 

http://www.lbyc.org.nz/page17.html

 

For French Pass you should only contemplate it at slack water, this gives a half hour window of opportunity twice a day. To go through at any other time you need a strong motor AND a good local knowledge.

 

You also MUST get a copy of the New Zealand Cruising Guide, Central Area. This has lots of information on tides, anchorages etc for the whole area.

 

Dont take this trip lightly, you don't sound like you have a lot of experience so perhaps you should find someone who is to make the trip with you. I know of someone who brought a yacht in Nelson and sailed it to Wellington and they were so traumatized by the experience they immediately put the yacht on the market, they had had enough of sailing.

[Steve K 0]

Thanks for the comments. Am not very experienced in a coastal situation. Ive heard that French pass is reasonably tricky. I have been talking to a couple of people that could possibly help with the delivery. Will pick up the cruising guide.

 

Boat is a wagstaff Harmonic in sound condition.

 

Cheers

 

Steve K

[wheels 543]

Nah it's a breeze. Just do it. Here's a bit of what to expect.

The leg from Nelson to French Pass can be a bit sloppy if you have a Northerly to Norwest. You will be close to the coast line, there are good tidal currents and shear rock faces, which all add up to a quite uncomfortable slop instead of a nice wave form. It gets worse as you get closer to D'Urvill. But it is nothing of real concern, just a little uncomfortable. As you aproach the French pass area, make sure you follow you chart or GPS or cruising guide. There is a good clear passage, but get off to the north side of that passage, and you enter and area of reef called the Beef Barrels and it is dangerous. Keep to the Mainland side of the [ass and you will be fine. But I think one Point has a rock off it. So check the chart. Try entering the pass with a falling tide. That runs from West to East and helps carry you along instead of going against it. The actual gap is on the mainland side and you will easily see a a very large maker that to the Port side of the Gap. You go between the Marker and Mainland. In otherwords, keep it to Port. If you have the current running with you, it is not so much of an issue if you do not time slack water just right. If you think you are too early, then there are plenty of sheltered bays before hand that you can wait up in.

With slack water, it's a breeze and I have gone through with a good flow with no issues. But the currents swirl all over the place and turn you. Don't panic if you do have that happens.It soon goes the other way and straightens you back up. But don't attempt it in full flow or against a strong opposing current. The wind tends to shoot through this gap and gives you a great push along, but you will find it will die as you get further away on the Eastern side.

You may choose to take a break at this point. Basically the tide is now going to be against you as it flows Westward as it rises. Head around to Cathrine Cove on D'Urville. Cherry tree bay has a club mooring that you would be able to use if no one is on it. Otherwise there is good shelter to be able to anchor anywhere around the Cove. The "Wilderness Resort" is at the head of the cove and you can book in there for a meal if you really wanted to.

From Cathrine Cove, head across Admiralty bay toward Clay point and once you pass Clay Point, aim at the mainland end of the Chetwood Islands. Paparoa point on the mainland ios the Western side of the entrance into Pelorus. This point can have some big eddies and tidal flows, so it's best to stay over the Chetwood side. Then aim at the Northern end of Forsyth Island and then pretty much you have a strait line to Cape Jackson.

Cape Jackson demandes a great deal of respect. The sea on the west side of this area can get very steep and ruff with a Norwest of only 20kts. The tide is fast and there are big pressure waves when in full flow. It can be very nasty when the tide is against the wind. Hopefully you will still have tide with you. If you have, those overfalls will be on the QC side of the pass. There is a gap between the Mainland and the lighthouse. DO NOT go on the northern side of the Lighthouse. There are three rock pinicles in the gap, but they are 9m down, so you won't get cosy with them. Do keep a look out for Cray pot bouys. The bouys can drop below the surface and then pop up and disappear again with the strong currents. Do not attempt going against the tide here, it is too fast. I have measured nearly 8kts through there once. From D'Urille to Cape Jackson has probably taken you about 4 hrs, dependign on your speed, so hopefully you still have some tide taking you across QC sound. There are overfalls all the way across QC, but nothing to be concerned with. The straighter line is to slip between the Brothers and Cape Komaru. This is another area that would be near impossible against the tide. Through that gap and you straight line it to the North Island. I assume you know this area, but just a warning if you don't. Make sure you get to Karori Rock in time for slack water. It can be extremely ruff in that area if you have any tide against wind.

Depending on your speed, it should take you about 1.5 to 2hrs from D'urville to the Northern end of Forsyth. About 2 to 2.5hrs from Forsyth to Jackson. About 1 to 1.5hrs to Brothers and about 4hrs across the strait to Wellington. That leg is decieving, because when you reach the North Island, you think you are there, but the North Island leg is darn near the same distance as the strait itself.

 

If anything above did not make sense or you want to ask more detail, please feel free.

[rigger 47]

From west to east

[wheels 543]

Thanks Rigger.

And here are some more

[Steve K 0]

Thanks Wheels for the blow by blow. Will divulge all that over the long weekend and will come back to you if anything is unclear.

 

Cheers

[Guest]

Hi Steve, You will be on a boat you don't know, in area's you don't know and will be uncertain about.

I would highly reccomend having a very experienced skipper on board for your maiden voyage - you want to have happy memories of bringing your new baby home !!

Give Tony Nesbit a call. An awesome sailor and a great guy.

Whats your life and your boat worth ?

[wheels 543]

I do agree with JE's comment. I have had two scary trips in my sailing history so far. The first was the worst as far as scary and it was our maiden tripand were were rounding Cape Jackson. The seas were so bad, the boat was inknown and the potential danger so high, that after we got the boat to Havelock, it took me three months to gain enough coiurage to take the boat out again. And being out there in that stuff for the first time with no knowledge of the boat and thinking, "is this what it is like out at sea??" that my dreams of sailing the world was thrown into the trash can right then and there. It took a long time to realise that it was just the area and the real ocean is nothing like that.

Having an experience like that is often heard in sotries where new owners have then sold the boat again or the wife vows she will never step foot on a boat again etc etc. I would hate to hear a bad experience goes and wrecks you crew and your own dreams and experience.

However, if you are confident and prepared to sit in a bay till the weather is just right for you, then I am sure you will have a fantastic trip.

And that is the Key when transiting much of NZ's coastline where there are potentially nasty pieces of water, is to NEVER let the circumstances dictate your schedule. You MUST be prepared to wait out the weather and sea. And because of those area being influenced by tides and winds, they can change for better or worse in hrs. So waiting for a tide change can be all the difference and understanding that if it is already tide with wind, then it is going to get a hell of a lot worse when it is tide against.

[Guest]

We got smacked bringing my Yacht over to Mana from Picton the first time.

We cancelled probably 6 times due to weather, as we could only do it on weekends at the time.

1/2 way across to Mana we realised the boat was eating it up, it was just the crew that were taking a hammering.

I've got a skinny 45 footer that goes into wavepiercing mode under motor going to windward. We had greenies rolling down the deck.

[PeteG 13]

Don't read or listen to all the scary stories.

Pick a good 2 day weather window. Enjoy the 6 hour motor up to French Pass from Nelson because you won't have a breath of wind, then the slide through the pass with the tide and the shunt with you. Stay at Catherine Cove or Punt Rails, catch a fish off the Chetwoods, and then a nice ride next day through to Wellington in the 15 knot northerly you have picked to go in.

The good advice is take someone with experience with you if you have not done the trip before.

It is an easy trip in the right conditions. You will only get a snotting if YOU chose to go in the wrong conditions.

Enjoy your new boat!

[Guest]

Listen to Peteg, don't be tempted to go when it's not right.

[G Force 0]

I sailed my GBE over i week short of the shortest day middle of winter 2 years ago.It was a tad cold but it took about a year to better the sail that we had it was epic to say the least. Still brings a smile when i think about it. Choose your window,this wk end looks good ?and avoid the Terawhiti Rip SW cnr of the North island it can get a little lumpy in there

[Steve K 0]

Thanks everyone for your input. Im in no hurry to get the boat home at this stage. Will let you all know when and how we go.

 

Cheers

[w44vi 17]

Have you thought about leaving the boat down there until Christmas

take you time coming back to Queen Charlotte or Tory and come back to wellington with a group

[wheels 543]

44, normally I would have said that too, but for the last few years we have been geating utter crap for weather every Christmas. This year the weather has been far different that I cn remember for a very long time.We have had a few blows which is normal this time of year, but the stunning weather we have been getting has been far from usual. So if it stays this way, now is as good a time as any and who knows what Christmas may bring. I hope great summer weather again.

My view is that as long as you don't have a bad blow, just go for it. If I can do it, anyone can. And you gain experience and challenge yourself and even if it is ruff, you have to understand the reasons why and learn from that experience and when you are in ruff stuff again, it dosen't feel so bad. It's all learning experience.

[Steve K 0]

Well we went over on the weekend with the intention of sailing home. The changing forcast put paid to that. The Sou easter was pretty feirce through Tasman Bay. We spent some time getting the boat organised and sorted out a few maintenance issues etc. We took the boat up the coast on Saturday afternoon and bashed into a solid sou easter and acompaning swell. The boat went well and was incredibly dry. Very happy with how she sailied. We pulled the pin north of peppin island (getting bashed across Delaway bay with the wind ripping straight off the hills was interesting) and headed back to Nelson. Would have been great to have had a few more days up our sleeves but very happy none the less with the trip down. The boats all sorted and ready to go for the next opportunity.

[ec12nz 1]

Another good (light) window this weekend

[Unicorn 6]

You really need to wait for wind from the north-west. Harmonics go a lot better downwind than upwind!

 

You need the tide to be running with you, at least from Cape Jackson to Sinclair Head, or progress could be rather slow. A southerly will therefore give you wind over tide conditions, which will result in a much worse sea to contend with unless the wind is fairly light.

 

In a southerly the wind tends to be strongest around the Brothers, but in a northerly it is strongest around the Karori Light area. Keep an eye ahead when you enter those areas and if necessary adjust sail early - it is much easier than waiting until you are hard pressed.

 

If it does happen to turn to the south, think about easing sheets and heading into Mana (make sure you know how to find the channel, just in case), or go up the Sounds to Picton.

 

Do watch out for Thoms Rock - make sure you stay outside a line from Karori Light to the Brothers until you are past it. You can't really avoid the Terawhiti Rip, but with a Northerly and the tide behind you it is usually no problem - keeping fairly close inshore in those conditions usually minimises your exposure to it.

 

Cook Strait can be very scary, or it can be as benign as the Harbour. Choose your conditions and you will be fine.

 

Hope you have a good trip.