Port Clinton / Island Head Creek - Shoalwater Bay

[NAGG]

Hi There

I'm starting to look at planning a bit of a mission for next year (Winter) & an area that has my interest is the Shoalwater bay area particularly around Island head creek
I'm going through the logistics of running my 615 Barcrusher from Roslyn Bay & basing myself in Island Head Creek for 6 /7 nights before heading back south .

Having never been up this way - it really will be an adventure & I plan to do as much research as possible.

I'm aware that this is a military training area & infact if it was now …. It would be a lockdown period because of the biannual Talisman Sabre exercises …. so I'll be planning this with a scope of 4-6 weeks .

anyhow - It would be good to get some information from you guys on the area - the fishing (lots of green zones) anchorages , best beach landing (keeping in mind that above the high tide zone is restricted) etc etc .

I guess if another crew wanted to join us - it might be more the merrier.

Appreciate your input.

Chris

[Moejoes]

Hey Nagg,
We just did a trip up there 2 weeks ago.
Awesome place. Definately doable outta Roslyn Bay.
Suggest you take plenty of Bushmans or Aeroguard......they still attack you regardless lol
Seas are different up that way due to the massive tides.
We are planning to go back next year.
I'll be installing my bulkhead back in so I have a lock up cabin with A/C so I can avoid the nasties.
https://publications.qld.gov.au/data...9-9d47e7bbb236
Cheers Rob

[Dirtyfuzz]

Lived in Rocky for 10 years and used to surf five rocks/9 mile etc, the military ground starts from the northern end of 3 rivers beach and around to shoalwater and is patrolled pretty heavily during exercises, flat and perforated use to be the go for spanish along the way, there is a trawler wreck just off five rocks that gets good nannys 10 years ago but is probably flogged out by now, pearl bay is a pretty popular anchorage for the yachties as I recall


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[CT]

You need bulk fuel capacity. It's a long way back to RBH in a howling south easterly if it blows up unexpectedly.

[NAGG]

You need bulk fuel capacity. It's a long way back to RBH in a howling south easterly if it blows up unexpectedly.

Yeh - looking at dropping a 60lt fuel bladder into the kill tank - giving me 200lt . Then will probably carry another 120 lts - Theoretically that's about a 640km range ( Island head creek is - as a direct trip about 200km return ) I'm guessing 300km local travel over the period & I should have 140km reserve for the trip home …… counting on a SE & an indirect trip home.

I think I should be ok but in the end it will be about fuel management regardless

Chris

[Dirtyfuzz]

You could always halve the boat trip and launch from Stanage bay


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[NAGG]

You could always halve the boat trip and launch from Stanage bay


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I looked at that as an option originally

4-5 hours extra drive (each way) on a crap road & shortening the boat trip by only 25-35 kms each way (depending on the route taken) doesn't quite make sense .

Chris

[Dirtyfuzz]

I looked at that as an option originally

4-5 hours extra drive (each way) on a crap road & shortening the boat trip by only 25-35 kms each way (depending on the route taken) doesn't quite make sense .

Chris

It would probably be closer to 2-3hrs extra than Roslyn bay and think you would find it is closer to 70km each way difference at the shortest route, but agree the road can be terrible and the boat ramp has seen better days!


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[NAGG]

It would probably be closer to 2-3hrs extra than Roslyn bay and think you would find it is closer to 70km each way difference at the shortest route, but agree the road can be terrible and the boat ramp has seen better days!


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Appreciated

I did my comparisons on sea travel on Navionics - It's 90km Rosslyn Bay to Island Head Creek - (Taking the most direct route) & 70km from Stanage Bay around Townshend Island or 75km via Strong tide Passage to IHC . so it's only 15-20km further which depending on the conditions might be 30-40 mins travel

Driving ….. "where is " has it at 172km (4 hrs) from Rockhampton vs 45km (48 mins) Rocky to Rosslyn .

As I said - there is very little incentive or benefit of driving the crap road out to Stanage if my aim is to fish to the South of Townshend Island .

Chris

[Flex]

I’ve travelled up to pearl bay/Townsend/high peak island quite a few times from yeppoon.

I would be following the weather closely when there.
The water out from port Clinton can be horribly savage. Heap of water out against 20knot wind can be a very dangerous stretch of water. As it’s ocean swell through there. One of the more dangerous stretches along the coast I’ve found. Fine in good weather.

If weather isn’t good it’s a bit safer from stanage. Don’t have ocean swell to content with




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