Navigational Issue at Herring Bay?

Spent the day at Garden Island with the kids.

In the span of 3 hours this afternoon, I watched 6 boats hit the reef(s) adjacent Herring Bay at Garden Island. Two boats were considerable size launches  (one of which limped back to Port under escort from Sea Rescue) the rest were trailer boats. As a personal observation,  I have noticed that Boats hitting this same patch of reef happens with some regularity.

 My question is: due to the amount of boats hitting the reef at Herring Bay; are the navigational markers sufficient? Or; do they need to be upgraded Or; do skippers need to pay better attention to markers and reef area? 

Happy to hear others thoughts on this.

cheers

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Posts: 181

Date Joined: 23/09/14

 Having been staying at

Sun, 2019-03-31 20:31

 Having been staying at herring bay for the past 10 years I feel there is suffient navigational aids in place. They upgraded and placed in more markers approx 2 years ago. 

I think skippers need to be more aware of their surroundings, understand the nav markers better and more common sense. I've always had the approach that if your unsure how to get in, sit back for a bit and watch other boats go through and study the area. 

Some boat owners assume because they have a boat and a GPS your got no problem.

still trying's picture

Posts: 1017

Date Joined: 27/06/17

 i think its pretty clear

Mon, 2019-04-01 06:14

 i think its pretty clear where the reef is the channels are marked.

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 rather be fishing

davewillo's picture

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Date Joined: 08/09/16

 I think there is enough if

Mon, 2019-04-01 10:36

 I think there is enough if you are cautious and watch others. I used to go in when the only outside marker was a 5 gallon plastic drum.

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 PGFC member and lure tragic

Posts: 5739

Date Joined: 18/01/12

 I dont know Herring Bay at

Mon, 2019-04-01 11:38

 I dont know Herring Bay at all, but in general terms, no matter how many nav markers are there it wont help if people dont understand what they mean.

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 Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...

 

 

The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.

Everyone's just winging it.

 

Posts: 8027

Date Joined: 07/05/12

Everytime I've been there the

Mon, 2019-04-01 11:41

Everytime I've been there the picnic bin area is stacked with empty beer cartons so that may be a contributing factor

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I think you are pretty much on the mark

Mon, 2019-04-01 15:10

People who get laced up and don't care or know just what the nav markers mean are bound to come unstuck.

CRESTCUTTER251's picture

Posts: 18

Date Joined: 28/11/18

 one of those boats would of

Mon, 2019-04-01 15:37

 one of those boats would of been me trying to get in there... snapped a small part of my skeg off and took about 20 minutes to get off the reef, i followed the markers in from the side and headed towards the bigger boats but still managed to hit reef... just gonna follow another boat in next time

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if you cant tie knots, tie lots

Captain Grumpy's picture

Posts: 82

Date Joined: 06/01/11

Glare

Mon, 2019-04-01 16:25

it was also very hard to see "through" the water yesterday due to the glare - I guess not being able to see the reef (and how shallow it gets) may have contributed? 

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Lavs's picture

Posts: 174

Date Joined: 30/04/12

Yeah I’ve seen a boat hooked

Mon, 2019-04-01 22:41

Yeah I’ve seen a boat hooked up in there before too. The first few times I must admit I was clenched up a bit - its so clear that it looks shallower than it really is.

I was told there’s a passage straight in from the west, but buggered if I am game to work it out. 

Posts: 94

Date Joined: 27/01/10

Google Earth

Tue, 2019-04-02 20:00

 Lavs, have a look on Google Earth, the west passage is way deeper and wider than the shortcut from the north. You still have to safely get out to the west side though. 

Lavs's picture

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Date Joined: 30/04/12

Cheers, must admit I’ve never

Wed, 2019-04-03 20:44

Cheers, must admit I’ve never seen leads as I’ve never approached it from the west. Good info 

Captain Grumpy's picture

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Date Joined: 06/01/11

Leads Nav markers

Tue, 2019-04-02 21:03

 If your coming in from the west into Herring Bay,  line up the leads Nav markers (orange triangles at the island) and take it easy.

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little johnny's picture

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Date Joined: 04/12/11

I hit reef outcrop this morn ( outboard leg)

Tue, 2019-04-02 20:08

Only going slow, back of island. Sun in face early morn . Did no damage. Can easily be done regardless how expeirianced you are. Just a lapse in cocentration for a moment . I know area real well . Stupid mistake.

Walfootrot's picture

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That's a carton John lol

Thu, 2019-04-04 12:32

That's a carton John lol

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More drum lines, kill the bloody sharks!

Swompa's picture

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 I went through there one

Wed, 2019-04-03 19:46

 I went through there one morning before light and mistook a red pole for a green pole (no lights). Imagine the sound of ripping jeans for a good 3 seconds as the rock ran along my hull. God knows how I didn't hit the motor on whatever it was.

No water in so kept fishing...