The New South Wales south coast runs 200 miles from Sydney to Eden, and its character changes as it goes: the industrial harbour at Port Kembla, the small boat harbours at Kiama and Ulladulla, the wide expanse of Jervis Bay, the estuary at Batemans Bay, the fishing port of Bermagui, and finally Twofold Bay at Eden, the deep-water refuge before Bass Strait. Jervis Bay is the highlight for training and for passages: 80 miles from Sydney, a qualifying distance, with an entrance two miles wide between Point Perpendicular and Bowen Island, water clear enough to see the anchor, and shelter from every wind somewhere around its shore. The Royal Australian Navy operates in the bay and firing ranges close areas periodically; the notices are published and examiners expect you to have read them.
The waters
Jervis Bay
Ten miles across, deep in the centre, shoaling to sandy beaches. Anchorages at Hole in the Wall, Murrays Beach and Callala Bay; the Navy base at HMAS Creswell. The entrance takes the south-east swell but does not bar.
Port Kembla and Wollongong
Port Kembla is a steel and coal port with strict traffic control; Wollongong has a small boat harbour. Sydney to Wollongong is a common passage race.
Ulladulla, Batemans Bay and Bermagui
Small harbours with breakwaters (Ulladulla, Bermagui) or a river entrance (Batemans Bay, with a bar and bridge). Refuges on the passage south, each with its own entry conditions.
Eden (Twofold Bay)
A deep natural harbour with a fishing port, a woodchip wharf and the last shelter before the crossing to Tasmania or the passage round Gabo Island into Victoria.
Training here
Jervis Bay is used for sheltered courses and as the destination for coastal-passage training from Sydney. Its size means a full day of navigation can be sailed inside the bay, and its clear water makes anchoring instruction unusually visual.
What an exam here looks like
Passages for the logbook
| Passage | Miles | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jervis Bay to Sydney | 80 | Northbound against the current; hug the coast. |
| Jervis Bay to Eden | 125 | Overnight down the exposed south coast. |
| Eden to Hobart | 330 | The Bass Strait crossing to Tasmania’s east coast. |
| Eden to Melbourne | 300 | Round Gabo Island and Wilsons Promontory to The Rip. |
Conditions
| Tides | Semi-diurnal, range about 1.5 m. Streams are weak except in the river entrances; the current offshore dominates. |
|---|---|
| Weather | The south coast is exposed to the south-east swell and to East Coast Lows in winter. Summer brings north-easterlies and busters; the coast south of Ulladulla feels Bass Strait’s westerlies. Fog occurs in autumn. |
| Facilities and rescue | Marina and moorings at Huskisson (Jervis Bay), boat harbours at Wollongong, Ulladulla and Bermagui, marina at Batemans Bay, the port and marina at Eden; volunteer rescue bases along the coast. |
Boat licence
Questions about Jervis Bay and the South Coast
Are there restrictions on sailing in Jervis Bay?
Parts of the bay are naval waters and a marine park; firing-range closures and sanctuary zones are published. Check the notices to mariners and the marine park zoning before you anchor.
Does Sydney to Hobart count as a qualifying passage for Offshore?
Yes, comfortably: it is far more than 60 miles and overnight. It is unlikely to satisfy the Yachtmaster Ocean distance-from-land rule, which is a different requirement.