South West Rocks Bar

[Keeping Tabs]

Hi all,

I am very keen to head north to SWR with my Tabs 5.4 Ocean Series and was hoping to get some valuable information surrounding the bar crossing. I have heard it is very difficult most of the time and very dependent on tides and sand heights. Also not recommend for people with limited bar crossing experience.

Does anyone know of a safer location to launch and be able to head off shore? (without beach launch).

Thanks in advance.

[chocolate]

Hello I been to the rocks myself quite a few times and no matter how many times I go up there I always go and speak the MARINE RESCUE and get a run down from them , Also go down and have a look at the bar when its low tide running out and coming in that's the worst when that happens, Looking at the bar this way show you the worst parts, Yes web cam from RMS shows you but not whole bar only from the end of the bar to the ocean , But even on high tide it to can be bad due to swell , I myself only come back about 2 to 3 hours before and after the change of tide. I have had a few close calls there let me tell you, So SAFTEY FIRST. sometimes you can go out its ok then when you come back its different and it can scare you. So sit back and read the waves NO RUSH. There is 3 ways to go out 1, the big boat ramp from/to the big bar, 2 Back Creek which I don't think will suit you even Back creek there is a way you go out throw there ,AGAIN talk to MARINE RESCUE, 3 beach launch but you need a permit. And the most important LOG IN WITH MARINE RESCUE.

Also about 60meters before you head out the main / bar, This 60meters before the end of the bar is the worst when going in or out , This you don't see on the RMS website that's why you go have a look.

Good luck.

[pjbink]

The river bar is much worse on the run out tide, especially if there is a NE wind. I think the Macleay is the 2nd fastest flowing

river in the Southern Hemishere on the run out tide.

The Back Creek is much safer with only a one or two small wave hop in reasonable seas. It's shallow though, but if you time it

so that the tide is at least half in or less than half out and stick to the channel, you should be right in a 5.4m boat.

[hookerbruce]

I try to go out the bar after the tide starts coming in this usually flattens it out a bit.

On the way out you can see the calmer sections much better than when you come in at the back of the break so I save my GPS track and this is usually where I come back in. Try to come in before 2 hours of runout tide

The bar is usually quite safe in a southerly except when a big swell is running.

3 weeks ago we got down to the mouth watched for 10 mins then went and took the boat out , decided it wasn't worth the risk.

The other option is the ramp at the jail but the surge can have your thailer out of the water one minute and half way up your car doors the next. Also this is quite often closed in peak holiday times.

I'll be up there at easter for a couple of weeks and will just pick my days to cross the bar. Fish the beaches or the river at other times.

[Keeping Tabs]

Thanks guys, great info.

[Jamestown]

Launch at hat head

[pjbink]

Hat Head is very shallow - you see very few boats launched there. You will be better off going out from the Back Creek which had a dredged channel.

[Camo1808]

Back creek right along side horseshoe bay caravam park. Many times my mate and i have gone there (landbased) and swell is too big to fish breakwall we would fish backcreek and would be like glass. Very narrow though. Never had a problem with the depth. Although others may have seen it worse than me but i found it great