A Stop-Over in Port Stephens
5th April 2014
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Here we go again; off to another stop-over with the rain following.
This is my view as ALANA ROSE approaches the entrance to Port Stephens.
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Port Stephens Lighthouse stands tall and elegant on Fingal Island with a view over the rocks of Fingal Bay. Built in 1862, Point Stephens Lighthouse features a swept tower base and first floor entrance that give a flared appearance. This construction, along with the terrace of Lighthouse Keepers’ quarters within the lighthouse precinct makes Point Stephens unique among Australian lighthouses. |
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the swell ponds the shore of Fingal Island |
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a power boat ploughs through the swell to get out of the port |
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immediately inside Port Stephens is Shoal Bay
Shoal Bay is named after the numerous sand shoals which are scattered
around the area.
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Port Stephens offer a wonderful water playground for the sailing enthusiast
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oour first night in we took up a public mooring in
Nelson's Bay, the courtesy moorings in Port Stephens are labelled with a 24hour
limit although I have been told that some people stay on them for as long as
three days |
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MrJ says cheers to some great sunsets |
6th April 2014
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the numbers of bird life has definitely increased since coming into Port Stephens |
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and so did the rain - we had moved around to a public mooring in Salamander
Bay
to be able to meet good friends Cath and Tim Deverell for lunch,
Cath worked with MrJ in the NSWRFS many years
ago
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in between showers MrJ though he might take a ride in to see where we would be meeting the rain came down and drenched him |
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the rain finally went and we were able to get ashore Salamander Bay has a lovely sandy beach that shoals out a fare way when the tide is out you will need to drag your dinghy a long way |
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so close to people and the bird life was prolific
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MrJ has the job of pushing the dinghy back into the water while I take the photos ;o))) |
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second evening glorious sunset |
7th April 2014
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Port Stephen is also known for its dolphin watch tours |
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MrJ had been contacted by another couple of friends Don and Carol
Luscombe;
he had made arrangements to meet them for coffee at Nelsons Bay
ALANA ROSE was back on the public mooring at Nelson's Bay |
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Public jetty inside the Nelsons Bay boat harbour is used by the ferry
that travels between Nelsons Bay and Tea Gardens; tying up here is not allowed.
There are three or four free pens but these are far too small for our ALANA
ROSE
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d'Albora Marinas owns the Nelsons bay Marina – no wonder they are
so expensive to berth in
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That afternoon finds MrJ and me back in Salamander Bay
We were in luck again as the single mooring was vacant so we picked it
up again.
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A friend Barbara from the WWSA FB site and her hubby Jim had invited us
to dinner. Barbara and Jim were couple of Americans who work here; they are
sailors themselves and have a yacht moored in the next bay. After a great meal
and a lovely evening Barbara and Jim waded in the water to assist us getting
the dinghy back in the water. Wonderful people!
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The sea bird seem to love this little sand bank right out front of Barbara's house. |
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Kookaburras in the garden |
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feeding the Rainbow Lorikeets |
8th April 2014
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ALANA ROSE moored in Fame Cove, a beautiful small sheltered cove that
has five public moorings.
Public moorings are very popular in Port Stephens (I think they are
great) as there is a lot of sea grass in the waterway. In NSW you can be fined
if you anchor in the sea grass.
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MrJ and I spent a quiet day in Fame Cove,
we did take the dinghy up the
creek but the water runs out of depth only a short distance in.
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Up the creek there is plenty of
mangrove swamp to be infested with mossies and sandflies in the warmer weather.
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Can you see the big bird?
From a long way off using a zoom lens I think it could be either an
eagle or an Osprey;
has the head and beak of a bird-of-prey.
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MrJ and I love exploring a new waterway |
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Fame Cove is home for many other sea birds.
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the sun begins to set |
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the sun has just dropped under the horizon and a pelican floats by |
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the night is beginning with a great show of colours |
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Thought I would throw this one in just to show that the colours are real..............! |
9th April 2014
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as the sun rose it splashed golden colour across Fame Cove |
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MrJ released the mooring line we were on the move again, this time heading for Shoal Bay last stop before we leave |
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on the way out we stopped to say G'day to another boatie, John on Love of Gia he was a friend of Barbara and Jims |
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passed a couple of early morning kayakers paddling around the waters |
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passed a dolphin watch vessel on its way in to pick up its passengers for the day |
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western end of Shoal Bay with the VMR station up on the point |
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the anchorage in Shoal bay we were lucky once more to be able to pick up another public mooring |
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Shoal Bay is also home to a lot of sea birds |
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once tied to the mooring MrJ and I went ashore Shoal Bay has always been a favourite with me, it has a smaller community than Nelsons Bay there is a great long sandy beach and plenty of wonderful walking trails |
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not to mention a fabulous cafe on the waterfront |
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The Sandy Foot Cafe is one of my favourites
but you have a variety of
cafe along the waterfront at Shoal Bay
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the weather stayed sunny and warm all day |
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the sun was beginning to settle in the sky it was time for MrJ and I to sail ALANA ROSE away from the idyllic place we were going to sail overnight through to the Iluka on the Clarence River |
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Australia at War
As MrJ and I motor sail out of Port Stephens we pass the old WWII gun
emplacement; part of Fort Tomaree on Tomaree Head or what is left of it. In the
early 1940s Port Stephens was a large natural harbour close to the vulnerable,
yet essential steelworks of Newcastle. Australia was at war with Japan. An
unguarded Port Stephens could have provided an easy landing place for any
hostile force. The guns at Newcastle were too far away to provide protection
for Port Stephens. By the end of 1942 Fort Tomaree was constructed and ready,
with two "six inch" (152mm) guns, torpedo tubes, mortars, machine
guns, rifle pits, search lights, command posts, observation posts, barbed wire
entanglements and accommodation. The guns were never fired in anger. Their
installation did however provide peace of mind and the facilities for artillery
training. Fort Tomaree included search light stations, a radar tower, torpedo
tubes and barracks, where around 500 army, navy and air force personnel served.
Most of the Fort’s buildings and guns have been removed; however the historic
gun emplacements remain, a visual reminder of Australia’s military history.
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Boondelbah Island, also known as the Boondelbah Nature Reserve, is an
uninhabited 14-hectare island lying 2 km off the mouth of Port Stephens
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the sun began to set over the land as we sailed further away from Port Stephens |
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the night slowly took over the sky and little was seen of the land behind MrJ and I sail on into the night anticipating our next adventures that the morrow would bring |
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