First "bar" crossing - an experience in anxiety and stress

[thylacene]

Headed out from Bermagui Saturday morning, had looked at the forecast, and knew it would be a bit sloppy, but this was one of the occasions where the forecast was a bit conservative.

Arrived back at the river mouth to find 3m swells breaking across the channel in. Sat backed an watched the locals make their way through it, as each opportunity arose. I lined up eight times and bailed out before the point of no return (an imaginary point in my mind where I couldn't see a safe way out).

The swells did not seem to have a consistent pattern. And were very steep, and as it turned out, the bail out runs were as stressful as the eventual successful trip through. All up about 40 minutes spent observing and finally getting an opportunity. Two hours before low tide probably didn't help, but conditions outside were getting worse.

Very educational, not something I would choose to do regularly. Will be keeping an eye on the swell wind direction combination in the future, and more carefully noting the tides. First time caught in 3&1/2 years, been lucky I guess. You can usually come in and out without issue. This was the first time I have specifically instructed my passengers to put life jackets on (they were quite keen to have them on too)we were surprised by how much the swell increased while we were getting bait in the lee of the island.

[wags on the water]

The crew and I wear the jackets regardless of condition on any bar - even the seaway.

[Prowl n Wolf]

yep, agree with wags. i even ask deckie and crew to put them on going out past the cape. regards, tony.

[BLOOEY]

Sounds like you did a top job thylacene, Bar crossings give me the heeebeejeebeeeez at the best of times. You were rightly nervous and bide your time. Well done!. Ben

[thylacene]

Don't know about a top job, but patience seems to be the key. Really helped watching the others go thru first though. I was just rapt to get in safely.

Life jackets are not required at Bermagui, it is usually very flat. Saturday was "special" in comparison. I agree and encourage wearing jackets, but Saturday became non-optional, I have a personal stance on over regulation, but a still do the risk management.

[Lancair]

Life jackets are not required at Bermagui, it is usually very flat.

Since when are life jackets NOT REQ'D for crossing a bar in NSW ?

[thylacene]

Lancair, Bermagui is not classed as a bar, life jackets are not required. Ninety nine percent of the time you can run in and out at 15 knots happily, very sheltered. We are in a 6.3m boat, so life jackets only required at the skippers discretion. That was why I put "quotes" around the title.

http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1OiFg_DkkRQ/URgLr_RH_zI/AAAAAAAAArw/9WywNd5ZnFQ/s1024/IMAGE_1AB2C6FB-E3C6-48E2-A883-81E6C25A51B8.PNG

Saturday's combination of swell from the NE, a 15 knot northerly, and a runout tide made for really sloppy conditions. My bad for not recognizing the combination of factors. When we left in the morning we were sitting on 18 knots thru the mouth. Lots changed in a few hours.

Will be thinking about the combo of factors for future trips. 1st time I have been caught in the three and a half years we have been going out from Bermi, consider myself fortunate, learnt lots. We are planning a trip along the east coast when I retire, now that the nerves have settled, I can appreciate what I learnt at the time. I know that I will be talking to the locals before we launch at any other location when we do go travelling.

[WalrusLike]

Thanks for sharing Thy. I think I am a better skipper than I would have been if I wasn't getting educated by other folks experiences.

Glad you got through without mishap.

[hooknpull]

Very lucky mate. A skipper lost his boat down that way on Saturday...

[johncar]

I have almost got into arguments with mates who wanted to go offshore for a fish when the wind was only forecast at 15kts. All the other conditions such as tides, currents, swell, wind, and direction have more relevance whether it will be cr@p out there or comfortable and there is no shame in turning back and being sensible when it is not what you expected.
You did the right thing, took your time and did plenty of observation before charging out, certainly not worth risking everything when it gets nasty.
You also have to consider the return situation which I am sure you did, whether it will be improved or deteriorating as part of your decision to cross or not.
I am pretty cranky about that guy with his two kids, rolling his boat, pretty hard to excuse, and I never want to be that.

[Bros]

I have to take my hat off to you blokes who have to go over bars. I've been in some pretty rough seas but have always been in control. A few years ago I was in Ballana and went out on the the breakwater and watched a fishing boat coming in. He stayed out for a while and then must have decided now is the time and came in and it looked so easy but while he was waiting he used to disappear in the troughs.

[Jarrah Jack]

I've been through the Bermi entrance many times and have never seen the bar working, not even during strong northerly and southerly winds. Must have given you a bit of a fright Thy, well done. Always a good idea to drive right past Narooma.

[honda900]

http://www.naroomanewsonline.com.au/story/191383/boating-mayhem-as-vessels-take-on-narooma-bar/

Regards
HOnda.

[hooknpull]

http://www.naroomanewsonline.com.au/story/191383/boating-mayhem-as-vessels-take-on-narooma-bar/

Regards
HOnda.

That was during the bluefin run last year Honda, Crazy!

[thylacene]

We set up camp at Bermi because the harbor entry is considered so safe. The conditions on Saturday were beyond my imagination on return. There were eight others went through in front of us, and trying to observe was hard enough. The swells were of such size that it was difficult to see where to setup for a run, let alone how others were doing it. From where I was sitting I had a number of occasions to drive up waves that seemed higher than the boat was long, with the whitecap tops causing me major anxiety. We have fished out of Bermi exclusively for more than three years and not seen such conditions. A rude awakening for certain. I reckon I have worked out why it was like it was.

Narooma is never likely to be an option, that bar scares the hell out of me. The guys who had the incident at Narooma on the weekend were lucky, with talk of medals for those who rescued them.

In hindsight, maybe we shouldn't have been out, but took an optimistic approach with well over thirty trailers parked on the hill. When I logged on with VMR advised ETR 16:00 and aware that wind may increas, and would keep an eye on it an come back earlier if conditions deteriorated, which we did. Just didn't realize how much they could deteriorate in the time it took to travel back from Montague island.

Figure the weather gods decided a capability exam was in order, may need to sacrifice a virgin instead next time before we go out ;)

[Lancair]

Thylacene, I stand corrected.
I apologise if any rudeness, arogance or whatever was perceived from my post.

http://www.lifejacketwearit.com.au/lifejacket-law/list-coastal-bars-nsw/#south_coast

Bermagui IS NOT on the list.

Lancair

[thylacene]

Thylacene, I stand corrected.
I apologise if any rudeness, arogance or whatever was perceived from my post.

http://www.lifejacketwearit.com.au/lifejacket-law/list-coastal-bars-nsw/#south_coast

Bermagui IS NOT on the list.

Lancair

No offense taken, not having a go either, legit statements. After my experience I can fully comprehend why such questions get asked.

Have been out from Bermi a sufficient number of times to have clocked up over 500 engine hours in the last three years and this was the first time I have been caught out. I had no qualms telling my mates to put the jackets on, and they had even less about wearing them. At one stage I considered dropping them in the bay and letting them swim in rather than travel in. Both told me they had full confidence, my reply was that I did not share their confidence.

It is usually a millpond, helluva shock I tell you.