Crossing South Passage Bar

[andoland]

Looking for some advice on crossing South Passage Bar on Good Friday.

I crossed it for the first time a couple weeks ago by following another boat through the northern channel, so I’ve got that track on my gps. But that’s the only time I’ve crossed a bar anywhere. I am a reasonably experienced boater and have a 6m boat with 150hp outboard.

This Friday low tide is around 4am and high tide is around 10am. Being Easter they are big tides (for Brisbane). I’d be heading out around 6am on an incoming tide and the wind forecast is south to south westerly 5kn.

Would look to come back in around 12pm, wind is still 5-10kn NE and a falling tide. So wind against tide on the way back in.

swell is 1.4m..

Any thoughts on these conditions? Mainly coming back in.

[Noelm]

I personally wouldn't blindly trust a previous track, sand bars can shift in no time, have a good look before entering a bar (either direction) and make an informed decision, seems you will be coming back with plenty of tide?

[tunaticer]

Spend the 5 minutes reading the bar before committing, they change every tide.
Plenty of overly confident or highly experienced people still have troubles at times.
Do not follow blind Willy's advice and make your own educated decisions.

[SUPERDAFF]

Couple of notes - deciding on which of the three (in general terms) crossings you use will depend on multiple factors which among other things include tides, wind, swell, destination etc. Secondly, take into account the timing differential (don't use Brisbane Bar times which are at the mouth of the Brisbane River), for your SPB crossing schedules. Do the plus and minus for Amity. There are three general routes when they are working - Amity end, Pirate Island in the middle and Northern Entrance. Never rely on previous logs as the definitive path - the best track can stay pretty much in the same place or move hundreds of metres in a season. Never follow someone blindly - how do you know they're not as inexperienced as you are? Invest in your safety and security by doing an on-water bar crossing course with Bill Corten (refer to his Bush N Beach advert). I've been regularly crossing it in my own boats for nearly 25 years and a mate's boat for another 15 before that. Some days, when what I actually encounter is more severe than my expectations, I keep an open mind about giving it a miss. Learn to read water, recognise a new drain, remain calm when one rolls up your foredeck and into the boat and when it all goes pear-shaped, what to do when you find yourself in the surf. Bill C. will teach you that and more and will do so in small incremental stages in exact accord with your learning progress and confidence. If you can't afford the cost, then you can't afford to be taking on bars - sorry, but that last piece may be the best advice you will ever get. And no matter how calm the day is, including one of those when you could water-ski through the bar, lifejackets on. Not "handy", but "on". Now go and do it and enjoy a world of offshore experiences.

[Dignity]

All of above, With regards to tide times just remember that just because low tide is posted at a certain time water can be still be running out underneath for up tohalf an hour or in other bars longer, so don't rush it.