Planning a trip to the Abrolhos
Per the title, we are somewhat in the early stages of planning a trip to the islands anywhere in March to end of May that will be entirely weather dependant.
The soft plan would be to drive up Thursday, head out Friday, come back within 2-3 days entirely dependent on the weather.
My wife is a bit anxious and really only wants to go with someone else with us though none of our mates do this kind of things so I am wondering if anyone around here has soft plans for a trip and would be happy for us to tag along to within sight of the islands then we will go and do our own thing?
The boat is capable and with 300l of fuel, we should have more than enough range (around 200nm which gives us fuel in the tank), its just the openness whilst half way across that gets her...
Is there anything we must know, other than contacting fisheries?
If anyone is willing to share some moorings that i could get a 7.2 m plate boat into, it would be appreciated. We need 400mm to float....
.thumbnail.JPG "sundays snapper")
.thumbnail.JPG "Just back from Exmouth")
Spicey
Posts: 219
Date Joined: 17/01/11
Moorings
Hey mate all the public moorings will be sufficient for your boat. We go on on a mates Westcoaster and have not had any issues even when its blowing its arse off. Depending on where you are headed there are some good anchoranges too. Morley Island in the Easter group and Pelsart Island moorings in the Southern group are great spots to aim with plenty of protection from the swell and the Southerly. Turtle bay in the Northern.
Epic spot when you get it right.
stevo58
Posts: 32
Date Joined: 07/01/16
Hi swompa, I have been toying
Hi swompa, I have been toying with a trip over to the Abrolhos Islands with my son as well. Been a first timer over there on my boat it would be great to convoy up for the trip over for that added safety net. I'll keep an eye on this thread. Cheers steve
clayd
Posts: 126
Date Joined: 07/12/15
Done it a few times on
Done it a few times on larger boat and once on a 6.5m boat May 2023. I did exactly what you're planning - have a block of time available and jump when the conditions are right.
Definitely a different experience on a smaller boat and yes you do feel like you're a long way from help. It was just me and the kids, so it puts a lot of responsibility on you.
Things I'd do differently:
1. Take a Sat phone. Whilst I'd logged in with sea rescue, the radio range from the Easter Group was scratchy. Repeater station didn't seem to be working. Was worried the search party would come looking if we couldn't establish comms. Was literally no one else around, so not like we could use someone else's radio.
2. Take a tender. Half the fun over there is scraping over shallow coral. An inflatable would be good, a rigid hull inflatable better, a tinny even better.
I'm considering an Easter run over again, but not too sure on that. A lot of effort and the chances of everything aligning is so slim.
Brock O
Posts: 3217
Date Joined: 11/01/08
Dream trip coming up...Love
Dream trip coming up...Love that place! so fk'd they changed the rules.
Rob H
Posts: 5787
Date Joined: 18/01/12
Go at Easter if you want
Go at Easter if you want plenty of company or avoid Easter if you want to use public moorings.
Personally though other than the security of the public moorings its more enjoyable stern'd up to the beach where you can jump off and walk around the islands easily.
Top end of Pelsaert (doesn't hold many boats) or better inside Wreck Point where there is both public moorings and some beach and shelter from easterlys and sthlys.
Ch82 for the repeater on the Moresby Ranges (above Gero), Ive never been unable to raise that one except when my radio was playing up and VMR monitor as their main channel.
Ch81 is Easter Grp repeater from memory but Sthn Group use 82
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.
Swompa
Posts: 3864
Date Joined: 14/10/12
Thanks Rob. I will PM you if
Thanks Rob. I will PM you if its ok?
Rob H
Posts: 5787
Date Joined: 18/01/12
ok
ok
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.