Chch/Banks Peninsula + Trailer Sailer

[hb1849 12]

Hi all. Looking for some advice/information/ideas on Banks Peninsula. My partner and I own a 22ft trailer sailer (bonito), over the past few years we've sailed her mostly around the Southern Lakes and Marlborough sounds so far. Our plan is to eventually upsize to an ocean worthy boat, but work commitments mean the trailer sailer will suit us best for the next couple of years, and we want to gain as much cruising experience as possible over this time.

So, any suggestions for good overnight/multi day trips around Banks Peninsula, suitable for a boat like a Bonito? Is heading beyond the harbour heads advisable at all in such a boat?

I realise this depends on skipper/weather/etc. etc. more than anything, but would like some general opinions on the area. I'm a reasonably experienced sailor -- mostly dinghy racing, but have clocked up a fair bit of sailing in the Bonito, and have crewed on a passage to Tonga. We are safety concious people, and we carry vhf/plb/flares etc.

Cheers!

[wheels 543]

I thought someone would have answered you by now.
The biggest issue you have around the Peninsula is the Easterly Swell. Lyttleton and especially Akaroa are well protected. But all the other bays around the Peninsula are long, narrow, with slowly rising flat seafloors which mean the swells roll into them ever increasing in height till the are good surf waves. You just can't get away from the swells. Akaroa is lovely and by far the best Harbor and there are several lovely bays inside, including Akaroa itself. TeKao Bay offers the best shelter should you need somewhere to hold up in nasty southerly or Norwest werather.
Akaroa has Diamond Harbor which gives good southerly and easterly shelter and good water depth. Lyttleton end of the harbor has good Norwest shelter. The rest is either too shallow or too exposed to Easterly and Southerly. Although a trailer sailor may allow you to get in a few areas otherwise out of reach of a Keeler.

[Steve Pope 243]

Akaroa is the best natural harbour on the East coast of the S.I. with shelter to be found from almost all quarters, South Easterly is the only one to give any cause for concern.  Diamond Harbour (lyttleton) used to be fairly full of moorings, maybe they have been thinned out?? With a  trailer sailer your anchoring / shelter options are much greater than a keeler. Pick your weather and you will have a great time!

[Sparky 20]

Little Port Cooper, just inside the heads is sheltered from the pesky easterlies, and little swell, nice beach and you can get in reasonably close at the head of the bay.  Quite a good overnighter, or back to Purau, in the lee of Ripapa Island, close in.  Cruise up the coast with a good forecast is a great sail, the long easterly swell is far more enjoyable than a wicked short chop on the southern lakes.  Some great sailing to be had on Lyttelton Harbour.  SW blows straight through Gebbies Pass, and accelerates down the harbour, but there is great shelter close in on the northern side of Quail Island.

[hb1849 12]

Thanks guys, some great info. We had wondered about going around to Port Levy or Pigeon bay -- Sounds like they're not great for shelter though, I had wondered about this.

 

The one time we have been out on lyttleton we anchored for lunch at Little Port Cooper - did seem a nice spot!

[Sparky 20]

Have a look at Google Earlth imagery for Lyttelton, clearly taken on a good easterly day, (1.9.15 imagery) and shows accurately the sites mentioned in this thread where there is good shelter from the easter, particulary Diamond Harbour, (where Eric and Susan Hisock anchored for their stay in Lyttelton), Little Port Cooper and the anchorage in the lee of Ripapa Island, all sheltered from what looks like a good and typical easterly tracking down the harbour.

[Simon 6]

There is a good Banks Peninsula cruising guide that has been available in various forms since the 1970s - you should check with Naval Point Club which I think has taken over producing it.   From memory the trick with the Peninsula is there is lots of potential anchorages, but they are weather and swell dependent - IIRC the guide explains which side of the bays to anchor depending on wind direction.  I would say the Bonito would be fine for trips from Lyttelton to Port Levy or Pigeon Bay - both of which have good anchorages - provided the weather is settled.  If you are more adventurous, bays like LeBons and Little Akaloa have viable anchorages provided the Easterly swell isn't too strong.  Akaroa is great sailing but things can get exciting outside the heads in a big southerly swell.

[wheels 543]

Yes it is very shallow for a very long way. All Sand and water gets a long way out at low tide. Drying out would be  no issue as the sand is flat and hard. The sides of the bay allow you to tie to the rocks, but you would be a fair way out from the beach head itself and obviously you would need a kedge to keep you out from the rocks.
The big issue is that it is one of the worst of all the bays for the Easterly swell and the waves can get very large, due to the slow shallowing flat Sand beach. And seeing as Easterly is very common, especially in the mornings, you need to be careful you are not caught in there.

[nagy592 21]

Thanks Wheels. I was thinking of it as an option to take a tent over and camp the night at the camp ground as the family aren't too keen on sleeping on the boat yet. I guess the other option is to tie up at the warf, but then you've got the issue of ratbags messing with things.

We usually use the moorings at Holmes bay or even just spend the night on anchor (like last weekend), we found very good grip over there. Stayed once on the wharf as we expected a bit of E wind overnight but not quite worth it.