Sydney to Gold Coast
384 nm
~2-3 days
Double-handed
Sydney Harbour to Queensland, up the NSW coast. The East Australian Current – three knots of southerly flow – is always the strategic puzzle. Our first extended offshore of the season.
The route: Out through Sydney Heads, north past the Central Coast, Newcastle, and up through the NSW coastline. The key tactical decision is how far offshore to push to find the East Australian Current.
Landmarks along the way
- Sydney Heads
The iconic harbour entrance – start line off the CYCA at Rushcutters Bay, then out through the Heads. - Broken Bay & the Central Coast
First major headland north, where the afternoon sea breeze can throw in local wind shifts. - Newcastle & Port Stephens
Industrial coastline gives way to bays, and the shelf narrows – important for current strategy. - Coffs Harbour & Solitary Islands
Whale territory in July, where tropical and temperate waters meet and the currents turn unpredictable. - Byron Bay & Cape Byron
Australia's most easterly point – the lighthouse means Queensland is close, and often a wind transition zone. - Gold Coast – The Seaway
Finish. The Seaway entrance can be tricky in a big swell – but after 384 nm, a very welcome sight.
