Rotto overnighter
Not an overly exciting report - but wanted to review my recent overnighter at rotto with the aim of increasing my content to the site. I have a 5mtr swiftcraft, which ive never camped on/with and never taken to rotto, but with plenty of deckspace i was keen to try something different and learn a few new things!
Headed off on Wednesday morning. Was hoping the wind would settle as forecast, but naturally it didn't. The swell was good and the period didn't really factor into things - so with a good forecast for the afternoon and following day we punched into the 15kn winds to rotto from palm beach. Took it easy, and was prepared to turn around if needed, but the crossing was certainly manageable. That said it was still a great relief to roll into porpoise bay without getting wet!.
I didn't want to battle the winds to wet a line, so we headed to Crystal palace for a dive. Plugged in the GPS cords, sounded around and found a 10mtr ledge that we figured must of been the start of the cave system. Anchored up and down we went. Had to swim pretty far after letting enough rope out for the anchor but we found the ledge. It was a cool dive but I think we missed the actual dive site by a fair bit. Unfortunately we also didn't factor in depth and busted our go pro... so no pictures 
will go back soon to drop down on the actual GPS cords and see if we can find the cave system!
The wind was still up, so headed to Thompson bay to refill the tanks. Had to learn how to beach moor with our anchors, but we figured it out and it held well. Tick.
By the time we had confidence to leave the boat, it was too late to fill the tanks, so back to porpoise bay to set up for the night. What a beautiful spot. Got a few good size herring on the twistys and cooked up some fish nachos. Rolled the swags on the deck, set the anchor alarm and had a pretty good night sleep! Woke up every few hours to make sure we hadn't moved. But made it through the night without issue - tick! Was happy with that.
Next morning we headed back to Thomson bay to put some more fuel in the jerries. Wasn't to hard to figure out the fuel jetty but was good to tick that off the list. Next time I will hopefully practise tieing up the boat in the fuel pens just for experience
Wind was about 15knt from the north - we went for a snorkel at little salmon bay while waiting (Hoping) for the wind to die off so we could fish a few marks on the way back. The wind didn't happen for us so we just cruised home with the wind which was nice.
So even tho the wind was average and didn't manage much fishing, we had a heap of fun and learnt a few new things! Will be back for sure and will try to pick a better wind pattern. Next time I'll certainly need some shade - the nose got fairly scorched so I'm in the process of drawing something up that can hopefully be fabricated up!
scotto
Posts: 2470
Date Joined: 21/04/08
Bewdy
Good post!
wind was fucking shit at rotto Thursday..... supposed to be a very mild southerly, but was a howling northerly most the day. Coupled with a decent southerly swell, it was hard to find a good bay out of the elements. There was a seriously good raft-up at parakeet bay though! I've never seen so many g bangers in one perve
dodgy
Posts: 4563
Date Joined: 01/02/10
Great write up. Shows you
Great write up. Shows you don't need to drop 200k on a gin palace to be able to enjoy the island on our doorstep. Not so daunting with a little planning.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
dano83
Posts: 790
Date Joined: 25/05/12
Nice, something I've always
Nice, something I've always wanted to do. Cheers for the write up
Swompa
Posts: 3786
Date Joined: 14/10/12
Nice one! The only time I
Nice one! The few times I have overnighted at Rotto, the conditions haven't been great but it's always good fun none the less. Managed a wife out of an overnighter 18 years ago so you can take that either way
scubafish
Posts: 949
Date Joined: 15/08/12
Geordie Bay
always find Gordy is the best place for a good night sleep.
http://img.gg/BQ91Sys
SpotHound
Posts: 439
Date Joined: 06/02/14
Druft App
You can get an app for your phone that will start an alarm if you drift out of a pre set circle diameter.
This allows for swing moorings etc as the wind direction changes.
Way better than having to wake up during the night to check.
davewillo
Posts: 2258
Date Joined: 08/09/16
Any idea what it's called
Any idea what it's called Spothound?
PGFC member and lure tragic
SpotHound
Posts: 439
Date Joined: 06/02/14
Many
Anchor !, Anchor watch, Sailsafe, Anchor alert to name a few.
davewillo
Posts: 2258
Date Joined: 08/09/16
Thanks mate. I'll have a
Thanks mate. I'll have a look at those.
PGFC member and lure tragic
Brock O
Posts: 3163
Date Joined: 11/01/08
Went over Thursday morning,
Went over Thursday morning, absolutely shit house heading into the northerly as Scotto mentioned.
Wife and daughter caught the ferry, I anchored in Thomson bay for a bit..it was chockers, they even closed the north end which is set aside for beach anchored why I don't know as it never got used after that.
Pick the the wife and kids up and headed around to Porpoise bay, got some ok conditions away from the northly, spent most of the day there snorkelling with the daughter eating and drinking...some very nice party boats loaded which made for a good atmosphere.
Headed back to Thomson bay, anchored as close as we could north end, got of and chilled at the new club retreat at Pinkies which was relaxing before headed of and watching the fire works...was a great day and night.
Left for Lueewin just before 10pm, wind had turned back to as forecast with hardly a ripple on the water, cruised home at just over 20 knots.
Francis
Posts: 326
Date Joined: 17/06/08
Ill have to suss out geordie
Ill have to suss out geordie bay next time! Wont be long until we head back to try and nail the crystal palace dive spot!
Haha Scotto you are bang on right! The talent was out of this world! Seemed every second boat was crawling with some seriously good looking fillies!
I have heard of pinkies but never been, sounds like you could run a full blown pub crawl at rotto. Sounds like another thing to tick off !
We really do live the dream over here, what a coastline.
davewillo
Posts: 2258
Date Joined: 08/09/16
Getting it sussed
Sounds like you're getting it sussed out Francis. Every time you go you'll learn more.
First time I took my first boat to Rotto I sent the wife and kids on the ferry. Wore an auto-inflating PFD and was a sweet run. Once you get to know the place there is so much fun to be had! Get up to Eagle Bay near West End and jump off the rock - great fun!
I find Geordie can be be a bit smelly at times - like it doesn't flush properly. Longreach and Littel Parakeet Bay are favourites of mine.
After the Rotto swim last year we were on my mates $$$ gin palace and the mooring we had meant the back of the marlin board was basically part of the huge raft-up of youngsters. Some ended up coming over and jumping on board. We had about 20 on board or on the marlin board. There were a few eyeballs hanging out of middle-aged heads that day!
PGFC member and lure tragic
scubafish
Posts: 949
Date Joined: 15/08/12
Heads up
Pinkys is for the very very young 18 and younger from memory .
Friends kids used to go and almost got busted for underage drinking .
The pub is for 18+,and watch out about party's and unknown gests on your boat as a lot of stuff can go missing, young one that run out of piss would just help them self.
Had a large esky on the back of a friend's boat with all our grog and people would sneak on board at all hours of the night and help them self.
Many hour spent on the Rock, that I can remember lot of good ones , not all bad.
http://img.gg/BQ91Sys
Stevo81
Posts: 1278
Date Joined: 16/04/12
Just got back from 5days.
Just got back from 5days. Pete at the general store said New Year's Eve was the most people on Rottnest EVER.
brocko, they always close the beach north of the Bathurst beach pens NYE. You must of been close to me though I wa anchored in front of the Bathurst beach pens all day NYE? There was Bit of carnage Saturday night with people that weren't prepared for the strong easterlies overnight
https://i.imgur.com/fdnUVKx.jpg
•••••••• Electrical Contractor NOR ••••••••
pelagicyachts
Posts: 1301
Date Joined: 23/02/11
carnage indeed - we were in
carnage indeed - we were in THompsons for 3 days and blew for all 3 - did you hear the horns going about 9.30pm saturday night? it was the horn on the boat "Paradise" (about 90 footer) a 50 foot cruiser had dragged its anchor and was heading straight for it - the staff onboard used about 5 ribs to hold it off whilst the owners returned from the pub.....
some real first world problems there!
A ~35 foot boat was also washed across the rocks in parakeet (i think) not much left of it
Never seen the rotto rangers so busy!
Swompa
Posts: 3786
Date Joined: 14/10/12
"Rottnest Carnage" on
"Rottnest Carnage" on Instagram was perticularly busy over the Christmas/New years period.
davewillo
Posts: 2258
Date Joined: 08/09/16
I am now following that page
I am now following that page Swompa. Makes you cringe!
PGFC member and lure tragic
Brock O
Posts: 3163
Date Joined: 11/01/08
Hi Steve, When I rocked up
Hi Steve,
When I rocked up Thursday morning the boat on the beach in your pic was just re setting anchor, his mate was in the water with the goggles and snorkel on checking the bottom.
I left not long after for porpoise bay...basically reverse anchored just north of the beach pen outside the floats they installed around 3 at a guess. I should have got a photo, was only two other boats reverse that end as per mine.
Figured they put floats out to stop the freeloaders...heaps on anchor in the weed which it clearly states to avoid on the maps.
Francis
Posts: 326
Date Joined: 17/06/08
That is one thing that
That is one thing that really suprised me - how many boats had anchored in weedbeds ? With what looked like very little chain out.
I didn't see any carnage luckily, but I can see how it could happen easily !
resurgence
Posts: 573
Date Joined: 23/04/14
Some other options for easterlies
If it's blowing easterly/southeasterly and you want to get away from it, I can recommend trying the bays at the west end of the island - Stark, Narrowneck, Marjorie. They are well protected with a lot of snorkelling options and great beaches. Only thing to be aware of is the entrance can be dicey if there is a big swell running.
Geordie is nice but if the tides are high and there is any sort of swell it surges over the reef. Can be very uncomfortable as the boat is facing E/SE into the wind but swell/surge is coming broadside at you.
davewillo
Posts: 2258
Date Joined: 08/09/16
A mate has been moored in
A mate has been moored in Narrowneck for over a week and said it has been really good there. He's pretty close to the beach which helps with these winds.
PGFC member and lure tragic
Jackfrost80
Posts: 8050
Date Joined: 07/05/12
What's the process for boats
What's the process for boats getting checked for the landing fees and who goes around checking? Do you have to put a sticker on your hull or something? Asking for a tightarse mate....
Officially off the Pies bandwagon
Brock O
Posts: 3163
Date Joined: 11/01/08
Think your suppose to go to
Think your suppose to go to visitors center for the sticker, you can pre pay online from memory.
But have seen the ranger walking the beach, and boarding empty boats looking for the paper work or sticker.
New years would have been in the too hard basket for sure...most on anchor out a bit and not actually reverse beach anchored as such.
Edit....Its a $20 fee for landing.
Darren253
Posts: 570
Date Joined: 23/07/16
Rottnest Rangers pinged me on
Rottnest Rangers pinged me on the way into parker point on the first decent day of the season. Didn't even have time to set the anchor.
They were waiting and going boat to boat. I has 6 people on board. @ $120 that was half on the annual cost so it was a no-brainer for me. Just did it via the website on my phone. They had an ipad with all of the data and regos on it in the boat.
Jackfrost80
Posts: 8050
Date Joined: 07/05/12
So the penatly for not
So the penalty for not knowing you have to pay the fee is having the pay the fee?
Officially off the Pies bandwagon
SeperateKnob
Posts: 660
Date Joined: 28/11/16
How much were you pinged
How much were you pinged for?
Darren253
Posts: 570
Date Joined: 23/07/16
No fine... Just made to pay
No fine... Just made to pay the $120 or buy an annual pass! As very polite!
Simon5.7
Posts: 45
Date Joined: 26/12/17
Easiest option is to pay
Easiest option is to pay online before you go as said above rangers know all fee paying boats online while they're on the water
you could call into the visitor centre upon arrival but seems pointless if you can easily register online
i also got a warning when I pulled into Salmon Bay while my young bloke was seasick. Turns out even being in the Rotto gazetted waters without paying your fee you'll be in trouble. That day the ranger was on the other side of the bay before they motored over to pay us a visit
Sea goat
Posts: 941
Date Joined: 26/03/17
might be a silly question,
might be a silly question, but if you have paid a boat annual registration fee, do you still have to get and individual pass for each guest?
scubafish
Posts: 949
Date Joined: 15/08/12
From memory
Annual boat reg covered the landing fee for all persons on that vessel but only up to what the vessel is lic to carry.
Not sure what it is now,
Single boat appears to be $25.50 for overnighters/extended stays per person .(for the length of the visit/stay, one off payment.)
Checked:But would still ring to confurm.
Annual admission payments are valid for one season and enable unlimited visits to Rottnest Island for all passengers. Payment of admission fees allows boat operators to anchor, beach anchor, or hire a swing mooring, jetty pen or beach pen facility.
https://rottnestisland.com/boating/Fees/Individual%20Admission%20Fees
http://img.gg/BQ91Sys
Sea goat
Posts: 941
Date Joined: 26/03/17
thanks heaps!
thanks heaps!