Goolwa

[zebedee]

I'm planning to go to Goolwa for the South Australian Wooden Boat festival next weekend (yes, in my plastic boat, but we'll take the timber Sabre with us too) and to stay there or around Adelaide for a week or so.

I've been to Goolwa a few times, but never with a boat and I would appreciate some guidance.

So far I've found:

• The GRYC website.
• The book, Cruising from Goolwa, which is no longer available...
• The book Murray River and the Coorong Pilot, Baker & Reschke, which is available in various editions on ebay.
• The SA government website to find launching ramps - which seems to be broken...

Sooo,
What do people use for charts around Goolwa?
Where should I launch and leave my car for several days at a time, ideally for free?
Should I take a tender? I'm used to the Gippsland Lakes where tenders are completely unnecessary, but in Cowan Creek and on Sydney Harbour over New Year it was essential.
Does the tender (with 2hp motor) need to be registered in SA? (In other words do I need to leave the motor at home?)
What else is worth seeing around Adelaide and Goolwa?

[sailboatmike]

I'm planning to go to Goolwa for the South Australian Wooden Boat festival next weekend (yes, in my plastic boat, but we'll take the timber Sabre with us too) and to stay there or around Adelaide for a week or so.

I've been to Goolwa a few times, but never with a boat and I would appreciate some guidance.

So far I've found:

• The GRYC website.
• The book, Cruising from Goolwa, which is no longer available...
• The book Murray River and the Coorong Pilot, Baker & Reschke, which is available in various editions on ebay.
• The SA government website to find launching ramps - which seems to be broken...

Sooo,
What do people use for charts around Goolwa?
Where should I launch and leave my car for several days at a time, ideally for free?
Should I take a tender? I'm used to the Gippsland Lakes where tenders are completely unnecessary, but in Cowan Creek and on Sydney Harbour over New Year it was essential.
Does the tender (with 2hp motor) need to be registered in SA? (In other words do I need to leave the motor at home?)
What else is worth seeing around Adelaide and Goolwa?

Wonder if SA have the same tender rules as Victoria, eg, registration not required but it must show the mother ship rego or name and the letter T and can only operate within limits from the mother ship

[BosunBob]

Not been there for awhile but had two nice cruises there to the Coorong, Narung etc around the 2002 & 03 M-G races. Launched/based from Goolwa Regatta Yacht Club. Leave the dinghy at home. Most "anchoring " we did was to bow into reeds and tie the bow to a handful with some cord.

Chart- We used "Cruising from Goolwa" by David Brook ISBN 0 9579324 0 5. I have a copy you can borrow/return.

-Bob

[zebedee]

Thanks Bob. The trip has fallen through, but I'll set up a search for "Cruising from Goolwa" on ebay for another time.

All motorboats, including tenders with tiny motors must be registered in SA, so I would have been rowing if I took a tender.

[BosunBob]

Hi Zeb.

OK but if you dont turn up the Goolwa book, pm your address. It is only 70 pages. You could copy or scan relevant pages.
Does the Tauwhicere lock (http://www.gryc.com.au/crusing/cruising ... ated-lock/) still operate?
That was the access to the Coorong, a high point of our trips there. Amazed that they let visitors wind open the barrage unsupervised, (open valve A close valve D etc!) https://www.google.com.au/search?q=tauw ... 66&bih=643
I also have the Murray River Pilot book.
Ben- Porridgepots would be a good local to contact

-Bob

[zebedee]

Does the Tauwhicere lock (http://www.gryc.com.au/crusing/cruising ... ated-lock/) still operate?
That was the access to the Coorong, a high point of our trips there. Amazed that they let visitors wind open the barrage unsupervised, (open valve A close valve D etc!)

I've only been as far as the Goolwa loch (by motorbike and along the barrage on foot).

[oldsalt]

Yes it is still working. Care is needed on the sea side as there is only a small channel and some very shallow areas of hard bottom. Safe passage map is on the Goolwa regatta Yacht club web site. Launching at Clayton Bay reduces the sailing distance to Tauwitcherie


At the moment access from Goolwa lock past the Murray Mouth is closed to navigation due to two dredges working. The passage is due to re-open for the long weekend.

Access to the Coorong salt water is also available from the Mundoo channel boat ramp but the water can be very shallow and the channel difficult to locate. Just follow a local with keel up.

[oldsalt]

Update on the Goolwa channel.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-06/r ... section=sa