Entry to St Helens Tas.

Our Cruising Guide gives great information on all anchorages in Tasmania and Bass Strait Islands - web format on our website or download our electronic version suitable for most devices to use offline.
jackandjude.com//books/tas-notes/

This also seems a good place to mention our latest DVD covering two Tasmanian destinations - Port Davey and Preservation/Rum islands. Take a peek at the SUMMER 16 trailer here.

The shallowest section at St Helens is after crossing the bar - But the bar is swell effected so early morn before the breeze gets up is best, an hour or two before high water. The Coast Guard will come out if available, but best be prepared to donate something for their trouble.

Otherwise those bay anchorages already mentioned are not too bad, but can be swell effected. Of course Easterlies are not good.

Deal Island is pure magic - but the narrow channel between the islands accelerates the wind to the max. The two anchorages in the channel are pretty good in most conditions, gales excepted. And there are others around Deal. Just need to consider the swell.

Furneaux Group are also great - but the currents are to be watched, and Pot Boil bar, on the east side is not to be taken lightly. Finding the three coloured strobe leads helps, but expect overfalls in several places.
Two excellent stops are Babel island, provides protection from N to S, can be swell effected, and must shift according to the wind direction, either north of, south of island, or off the beach on south side. The other is on the SE corner of Cape Barren Island, either in the Jamieson Bay or the large bay around on the east side.

But if the weather is easy-peasey go down the west side of the Furneaux Group, plenty of scenic stops. Definitely work the tides through Banks Strait or you'll regret it.

A word on crossing Bass Strait - From Eden it's not so bad in most weather - You miss the gas/oil rigs, which blocks most of the shipping until you're halfway south. That makes it much easier. From Melbourne or Portland, well it's a bit of dodgem course. Northerlies are great, except they sometimes drop out once land is left behind. East and west winds are great, as long as they're not over 25 knots, when it can get a bit lumpy. But if you're going to Tassie you'll want your ship to be able to take a bit of a blow, they come through often enough down south.

Hope that helps
Jack
jackandjude.com/

Cap'n Jack, dont know where to start. You, like so many others since joining in the last week or so, have covered so much advice territory.
First, you mentioned picks, and of course Lydia said "learn how to anchor in kelp". A Triton 721 at only 3 tons fully provisioned is a tiny boat but, having read in the past about kelp, I have recently put my 25lb Manson Sup on the stern and a 35lb Sup onto my bower chain (250'×8mm) in the hope that extreme pick weight for a small boat will help the stuff to drop thru the kelp rather than float across the branches. Jack, what say ye? ...>>>.i often look at google images to get a different perspective from that which the chart shows.
Those narrow which eventually lead to Dunalley are the kind of places where I'll anchor in an open roadstead (irrestectine of the weather) rather than go thru other in only the very best of conditions.
Yesterday i went to jackn'jude and wanted to download you older Tas guide and I was ok until I got to the "paypal" bit because I've never bought anything off the internet (at all !) Aand whilst the credid card bit was easy the ppal bit through me.....sounds easy for some but I'm not only a luddite but a bit slow, things not familian cause me to go into shutdown.
Rather than buy Memorymaps Quickcharts for half price on the net I spent 8 hours and double dollars going to Boatbooks shop.
I'll try the paypal thing again soon ....to see if the mental block (lead) has lifted.
Looking back, you mentioned "pot boil bar" and the "erith group" rip.....those places in a tiny boat are not at all attractive to me. To be honest, going from Eden to "inner/outer sisters" heaving to in the strait for a snooze in daylight, Babel....going down the eastern side of F island is more of a plan for me but others will possibly know better. Because I have a reasonable handle on my brains limitations (read war neurosis & stress levels) I think that I need to steer clear of the nasty places which some may see as a challenge. Meaning, I'd rather be cut in half by a ship than have to call for help (or much worse)
My aim is bieng in Hobart, Pt Arthur, Denison, d'Entrecasteaux, ...etc to be around nice people and places rather than become yet another quintessential adventurer in a little boat. Make sense? I really want to walk around Sarah Island, just to step back in time but I'm buggered if I want to be on a notorious lee shore totally alone and then to have to go through "HELL" to get there. I make mistakes and I really don't want be in the Strachan local rag.
Thanks for your time and caring Jack, I'll go back to read the rest of you posts.
Hooroo.Brian

I personally like to anchor in sand 2 to 4 meter depth on a lee shore in 30 to 40 knots if possible With the whole box of chain out.
problem with 50' depth is you can't see what your anchoring in. Rocks can be very painfull ( mate lost his Manson supreme last week due to rocks and Deep water!) I don't enjoy arriving in unknown water after dark and having to anchor into the Unknown bottom. Charts are not that accurate and google earth/navionics can be your best mate in these situations. If your in 50' in the wind changes from lee shore to onshore it's time to leave strait away.

most of our islands have anchorages on the lee shore due to the prevailing wind patterns. And this is where the sand develops and often a low protected side of the island.

I didnt anchor in any kelp at any time in the 3 months I cruised there. Mostly mud and tannen black waters up rivers....etc. one time I sailed through kelp and wondered what would happen if wrapped around the prop. seen kelp in 30 meters right to the surface while passaging last year from S.A to Batmans bay I don't think it's a big problem to worry about.

i had a marsh anchor around Tassie to Queensland till the whitworth swivel broke upon retrieval. Lucky I found a new Manson supreme while diving and used that till I sold my last yacht. now again I have the Marsh and never drag 12 tonne Of boat.

Manson supreme is my choice in kelp

The Manson I rate number 2 after the Marsh number 1. Down side to the Manson retrieval on the bow and possible loss if snagged in rocks/reef hence why I found a new one while diving 100 meters port of my location. I used the retrieval slide with some breakable twine/cable ties attached to the main eye but was still worried about retrieval in reef most of the time even when I had scuba onboard.

Marsh went into recivership about a year or so. Made by industrial springs in adelaide and designed by a port Lincoln fishermen/sailor. Not sure if you can still purchase a new one but worth a try.

BUGGER !!!

Brian you will get kelp plenty of other places as well.
Standard drill is to steam around until you find a patch of good sand, drop the anchor on the windward side and get it to set before it drags into the kelp.
Never rely on a anchor just dropped into the kelp.
If it has not set repeat the process.
I favour the Manson Supreme because it sets so quickly.
if you are not sure about the bottom find somewhere that you are.

Hi l've been following this topic with interest as l am also planning a trip to Tasie later this year,there's been some good information and advice offered. l also sail single handed, and would be concerned about spending 3 or 4 day's in a area with such a high concentration of shipping! there traveling at 18 knts and your horizon is less than 2 mile's that's less than 10 min and there on top of you. Another option you have is to continue from Lakes Entrance to Port Welshpool which is a good deep well buoyed entrance , From there run down the Prom coast to Refuge Cove and wait for good weather then island hop south, 5 hr's to Hogan isle ,5 hr's to Deal then down to Flinder's isle . It will take longer but the advantage's are that you cross the shipping separation lanes at 90 deg , get plenty of sleep and see some lovely places . For me that's what cruising is about .

There's a pub and shop in Port Welshpool.

Hey you two, Hayden (hgo2 & Laccona) . For years I thought....Gabo, Lakes Entrance, Refuge, Hogan, Deal , down one side of Flinders or the other and so on. But for some reason, in the last year or so, I've had the mindset Gabo, Sisters Islands, and down the east coast of Flinders. And I'd be lying if I hadn't been jst a bit nervous of three days in the Strait in such a small boat. Been admitting it to mysel, not a problem.
But your way Laccona has multiple advantages and it isn't like I'm in any hurry. I've driven thru L/E and thought it was a lovely place and really wanted to see it again. Haydn's boat is in Western Port and he owes me a shower & and I owe him a feed. Refuge then to Hogan, Deal, West side of Flinders...Killiecrankie, fancied living at Lady Barron so maybe worth a look. Or go down between Clarke and Portland.
Only downside, and there's only one, I'll miss the wooden boat festival but not to worry....it's not like I'm going to Tas for the festival.
I was thinking about an ICOM stand alone AIS but cliff faces don't run ais. And a Furuno 1623 radar on this little boat is going to look...hellooooooo !!I was wondering how I was going to give Haydn his free grub before he heads up the east coast.
Easy decision. And I wanted to climb Deal Island too.
Thanks gentlemen, big load off. DONE, too easy, right decision.
WELL !!!!

As an aside re my heading off to Tassie: Does anyone know if any of the following islands: Hogan, Deal, Babel, Sisters, or Schouten ...do any of these places have drop bears? I know Flinders is now free of them, but the others?
Was thinking of using my bivvie bag occasionally but as DB's attack the throat I'd probably not risk it.
Any advice appreciated.