General advice -- Cook Strait

[delatbabel 0]

Hi,

 

I'm new to the forum, having been redirected here by one of your readers on another forum.

 

I'm looking for some general advice as to a cruising plan to visit Lyttleton from Sydney, some time in January 2014 (so more than 12 months away). It seems to me that the most direct route is via the Cook Strait but even at this distance I've heard it's a notorious stretch of water and the regular cruising guides don't cover it. So I'm here for some local advice.

 

Given that the route will be NW to SE, what do people think of the plan of heading direct to Nelson across Tasman Bay, clearing in to customs & quarantine there, hanging out for a decent weather window, and then heading up past d'Urville island and into the strait from there. Stopping perhaps to duck into the Marlborough Sounds if it looks a bit hairy? Time of year would be mid January as mentioned.

 

Is it worth ducking into Q. Charlotte Sound anyway and going out via Okukari? Or best head around the top so I don't have to play tag with ferries? Similarly French Pass inside the big island looks like it might save some miles at the expense of potential current issues, what would the local advice be?

 

Or, really, would the best option be to forget the Cook Strait and go over the top and clear in at Opua, then come down the E coast from there?

 

Thanx,

 

Del

[Guest]

Cook Strait has a fearsome reputation, but it is not a problem if you take your time and await favorable wind direction and tidal flows.

 

The strait is somewhat like a venturi - it concentrates and deflects the prevailing westerly windflow over New Zealand. Quite apart from the regular Southerly fronts, if the windflow is more SW than west it can be deflected by the Southern Alps and come though the strait as a southerly. Conversely, if there is more NW in the system, it will bend around d'Urville Island and come into the strait as a northerly.

 

Yes, you should clear customs at Nelson which then frees you to stopover in the outer Marlborough Sounds which, quite apart from weather considerations, is very picturesque.

 

An ideal scenerio is that you would leave Nelson on a fading southerly which will give you a nice reach to French Pass - timing to go through the pass at slack water or ( if you are of an adventurous persuasion) on the north going stream (4-8 knots).

 

There's no point in bashing your way through the strait in a southerly. You make bugger all progress in a northgoing tidal stream, and it can be treacherous with wind against tide.

 

After passing through French Pass you have a whole lot of options for stopovers to await favorable conditions.

 

If the southerly persists, or you get caught in a southerly change, you can duck in to Queen Charlotte entrance and creep along under the lee of Arapawa Island, and then wait in either Deep Bay or Hitau Bay in Tory Chanel. As the southerly lightens you can exit Tory entrance on the outgoing tide.

 

At that time of year, the chances are that you will then pick up a building norwester which will get you to Lyttelton well before the next southerly frontal system.

 

The secret of negotiating Cook Strait is to NOT be pressed for time.

[wheels 543]

The area of greatest concern is Cape Farewell as you approach Tasman bay. It is a low finger of sand stretching many miles out to Sea and can not be seen till too late. On the East side of it is very shallow water and many a boat has taken a "shortcut" thinking they are well clear only to be banged onto the bottom when they get to the bottom of a wave trough.

Apart from that, the top of the South Island provides some of the most amazing cruising grounds in NZ and a place you can spend years in and still not see it all.

To be Honest, not really sure why you would want to venture to Lyttleton.Not a great deal on offer down there.

[w44vi 17]

To be Honest, not really sure why you would want to venture to Lyttleton.Not a great deal on offer down there.

 

Ha Ha just thinking the same, cruise the sounds and D'Urville even around nelson is nice

[Guest]

 

Lyttelton is not much chop, but Banks Peninsula is well worth a week's cruise http://www.nzescape.com/akaroa.html, particularly if you combine the cruise with road or walking side trips around the countryside.

 

If the weather packs up and we can find a safe anchorage for Bintang, we usually hire a car a do a road trip. Sure beats cabin fever.

[darkside 61]

Del

 

Clear into Nelson. I've only done it once coming down from Lord Howe but it was very easy and relaxed.

There is a light on the end of Farewell Spit and if you are heading to Nelson there is no real need to cut the corner.

Take your time from Nelson to Tory Channel, it is one of the best cruising grounds in NZ.

I agree with the others, there is little to attract a cruiser to Lyttleton but it always nice to go where you know people or have a connection.

[Kestrahl 6]

You guys are pretty harsh on Lyttelton, and it seems to be the general word of mouth consensus among cruisers. However with a bit of forward planning it can be quite a nice spot to hang out and explore chch city and some of the surrounding bays. It pays to ring the inner harbor mooring manager a couple of months in advance as all weather berths a limited. Anchoring is fine but you have to move depending on the weather. Most of the bays on Banks Peninsula are weather dependent and abit more intrepid although holding is generally excellent, after some of the anchorages here in Vanuatu, they don't seem so bad. Akaroa is well protected and wasn't really earthquake affected. In Janunary you can find a lot of Lyttelton yachts making their way around the peninsula to Akaroa.

 

http://www.cruiserswiki.org/wiki/Christchurch

[wheels 543]

I agree that Akaroa is lovely. I have spent a lot of my younger life in that harbor, well actually in both harbors. I guess with it being my old "backyard", it's easy to take it for granted.

[wild violet 38]

Hi Del

I Agree with all the posts above after crossing the tasman cook straight will be no problem.I live in Nelson and have sailed here most of my life.When you get here get in touch and we can look at routes through the straight.There is a lot of great cruising around Nelson so leave yourself some time to check it out see you when you get here.

[Guest]

You guys are pretty harsh on Lyttelton, and it seems to be the general word of mouth consensus among cruisers. However with a bit of forward planning it can be quite a nice spot to hang out and explore chch city and some of the surrounding bays. It pays to ring the inner harbor mooring manager a couple of months in advance as all weather berths a limited. Anchoring is fine but you have to move depending on the weather. Most of the bays on Banks Peninsula are weather dependent and abit more intrepid although holding is generally excellent, after some of the anchorages here in Vanuatu, they don't seem so bad. Akaroa is well protected and wasn't really earthquake affected. In Janunary you can find a lot of Lyttelton yachts making their way around the peninsula to Akaroa.

 

http://www.cruiserswiki.org/wiki/Christchurch

Spoken like a true one eyed Cantabrian.

We enjoyed a sojourn in Lyttelton a few years back on Nightcap and then some time around the other side. But hey, we even had a mid winter stop in Oamaru and enjoyed it so there's no accounting for tastes.

How's the pump Phil, resorted to the G clamp yet?

[delatbabel 0]

Thanks for the help guys.

 

I'm not going to Lyttleton because I think it's a great cruising ground. I have friends in Christchurch (used to live there myself, fortuitously sold the house and moved o/s before the first of the quakes) and plan to go visit.

 

Del

[Kestrahl 6]

You guys are pretty harsh on Lyttelton, and it seems to be the general word of mouth consensus among cruisers. However with a bit of forward planning it can be quite a nice spot to hang out and explore chch city and some of the surrounding bays. It pays to ring the inner harbor mooring manager a couple of months in advance as all weather berths a limited. Anchoring is fine but you have to move depending on the weather. Most of the bays on Banks Peninsula are weather dependent and abit more intrepid although holding is generally excellent, after some of the anchorages here in Vanuatu, they don't seem so bad. Akaroa is well protected and wasn't really earthquake affected. In Janunary you can find a lot of Lyttelton yachts making their way around the peninsula to Akaroa.

 

http://www.cruiserswiki.org/wiki/Christchurch

Spoken like a true one eyed Cantabrian.

We enjoyed a sojourn in Lyttelton a few years back on Nightcap and then some time around the other side. But hey, we even had a mid winter stop in Oamaru and enjoyed it so there's no accounting for tastes.

How's the pump Phil, resorted to the G clamp yet?

 

Thanks for your help on that, the pump seems fine Getting my fender back was a mission tho, had to pay a local to walk in there and get it at low tide, the next day. Sitting in Peterson bay atm, with a Wellington boat and a Dunedin boat. Nice spot!