Trip To Sussex Inlet

[Evopete55]

Hi fellow Raiders,my wife & I & some friends are heading to Sussex Inlet next week for holidays for the first time.Just wondering what the bar is like and any possible marks outside close by.We have been on the basin before,and are aiming to do some more exploring also . Any feedback would be appreciated,thanks.

[Lasty]

We will be down there next week as well (where are you staying?) but have only ever fished the basin. I will also be interested in any responses you get.

[Yarraone]

The bar can be very dangerous.. Best bet is to check with the locals on the conditions at the moment.. The guy at the boat shed at the bottom of the main street ,Usualy has great advise and info on what has been caught lately.. Best of luck and cant wait for the report

[Evopete55]

We will be down there next week as well (where are you staying?) but have only ever fished the basin. I will also be interested in any responses you get.

We are staying in a house on the canals or keys, and have a week to explore the area.Hoping to get a few days fishing the basin and outside if possible. May see you on the water Lasty.

[Dreamtime]

Hi fellow Raiders,my wife & I & some friends are heading to Sussex Inlet next week for holidays for the first time.Just wondering what the bar is like and any possible marks outside close by.We have been on the basin before,and are aiming to do some more exploring also . Any feedback would be appreciated,thanks.

The bar there has claimed several lives over the years. There is a sign post at the bar highlighting this fact.

I crossed it several times when last there some years ago without much problem. One crossing on return into the river system was a bit hairy and got the adrenalin going. So much so I forgot to drop my speed to the required limit and was pulled up by the coastguard some 50 metres inside. All was okay though as I had the required safety gear on board.

A couple of points to mention: the beach just inside the bar is very inviting and of course we had a swim there and took the opportunity to give the boat a wash in the crystal clear water. Beware, there are shitloads of stingrays laying on the sandy bottom there in very shallow water.

Around 1 Km off shore from the bar we had a ball getting stuck into some stomper lizards, and in the inlet itself the smaller legal size lizards were in abundance but could only be enticed with live poddy mullet. The mullet are easily caught just up from the caravan park. Make sure you take your mullet trap with you. Oh, and the prawns we caught around the front of the van park were delicious also. Don't forget your prawn net and a good strong torch.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Mariner

[Lasty]

Which caravan park was that? There are about 10,000 caravan parks between the entrance and the basin!!!!

[Dreamtime]

Which caravan park was that? There are about 10,000 caravan parks between the entrance and the basin!!!!

[Lasty]

Thanks for that Mariner 31. That's Badgee caravan park and we have stayed there a few times but now we stay in the cottages just down from there.

Did you get the poddies in the creek just before the bridge?

[Dreamtime]

Thanks for that Mariner 31. That's Badgee caravan park and we have stayed there a few times but now we stay in the cottages just down from there.

Did you get the poddies in the creek just before the bridge?

Yes, not far in from the entrance.

Good luck.

Cheers

Mariner

[Evopete55]

The bar there has claimed several lives over the years. There is a sign post at the bar highlighting this fact.

I crossed it several times when last there some years ago without much problem. One crossing on return into the river system was a bit hairy and got the adrenalin going. So much so I forgot to drop my speed to the required limit and was pulled up by the coastguard some 50 metres inside. All was okay though as I had the required safety gear on board.

A couple of points to mention: the beach just inside the bar is very inviting and of course we had a swim there and took the opportunity to give the boat a wash in the crystal clear water. Beware, there are shitloads of stingrays laying on the sandy bottom there in very shallow water.

Around 1 Km off shore from the bar we had a ball getting stuck into some stomper lizards, and in the inlet itself the smaller legal size lizards were in abundance but could only be enticed with live poddy mullet. The mullet are easily caught just up from the caravan park. Make sure you take your mullet trap with you. Oh, and the prawns we caught around the front of the van park were delicious also. Don't forget your prawn net and a good strong torch.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Mariner

Thanks for the info Mariner.Shall check with locals and Coastguard for conditions.Any calm days will see us exploring outside if possible, cheers Pete.

[fish2relax]

Evopete,

The bar at sussex is notorious as previously mentioned.

I have spent a fair bit of time down there and have crossed the bar numerous times. However I havent been down there for 3 odd months now my parents went down over christmas and took my boat.

My father reported that the bar was ner impassable at mid water levels.

Over the years the entrance has been geting shollower and shallower as well as narrower.

It is a ever changing sand spit aswell as for years I always did a dog leg run out to the North. However last time down it had pretty much changed to a near straight run out.

Swell and sea wise you are fairly safe with the bar as it is verywell protected and I have never turned around due to swell on the crossing itself. OInly reason for not going through is because of water depth.

Last time I went down their I was comming back in late one afternoon and after following the breakers in I powered over the top of the (small) whitewater I was following to find onle 4inches of water beneth me!!

Came to a grinding halt but luckily after a couple of white wate came through it spun the boat around and I inched back out to sea to re align myself and come back. Own fault though as I knew it was bottom of tide and I had very bad sun glare.

Trick is to watch the coastal patrol guys go though or follw another boat out. And try no to come of the plane to much while going out.

I hope you are not to attached to the paint on your skeg! LOL

Anyway its a great part of the world and good luck

Ben

[Evopete55]

Evopete,

The bar at sussex is notorious as previously mentioned.

I have spent a fair bit of time down there and have crossed the bar numerous times. However I havent been down there for 3 odd months now my parents went down over christmas and took my boat.

My father reported that the bar was ner impassable at mid water levels.

Over the years the entrance has been geting shollower and shallower as well as narrower.

It is a ever changing sand spit aswell as for years I always did a dog leg run out to the North. However last time down it had pretty much changed to a near straight run out.

Swell and sea wise you are fairly safe with the bar as it is verywell protected and I have never turned around due to swell on the crossing itself. OInly reason for not going through is because of water depth.

Last time I went down their I was comming back in late one afternoon and after following the breakers in I powered over the top of the (small) whitewater I was following to find onle 4inches of water beneth me!!

Came to a grinding halt but luckily after a couple of white wate came through it spun the boat around and I inched back out to sea to re align myself and come back. Own fault though as I knew it was bottom of tide and I had very bad sun glare.

Trick is to watch the coastal patrol guys go though or follw another boat out. And try no to come of the plane to much while going out.

I hope you are not to attached to the paint on your skeg! LOL

Anyway its a great part of the world and good luck

Ben

Thanks for your input Ben,I shall keep a close watch on conditions before venturing out, Pete.