Port Vincent
This coastal town sits almost directly across from Adelaide on the eastern side of Yorke Peninsula. On average the journey has taken us approximately 6 hours from North Haven at 6 knots speed over ground.
The town is a popular sailing and power boat destination due to its relatively close proximity to Adelaide. Particularly so, in the summer months during school holidays and long weekends. There is a large caravan and camping ground as well as a sailing club within cooee of each other and on our visits here the esplanade and local eateries have been very busy. Fishing, swimming, paddle and wake boarding, really any water activities are the go here.
There is also a walking trail which runs along the coastal line of Yorke Peninsula, we took the one which runs south from The Esplanade with steps to a cliff top trail. Gorgeous views across the Gulf, even spotting a large sting ray in the shallows. A board with the trail map can be found on the sea side of the Esplanade just before the sailing club.
The town has a small supermarket, a kiosk serving the usual take away fare, a café, and a hotel with full bar and bottle shop service, as well as lunch and dinner meals 7 days a week. NB You will definitely need to make a hotel booking if you are looking for a meal during busy periods.
Anchorage & Marina
Anchoring is poor as there is thin sand over limestone with weed here. The Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron maintains two moorings in the bay. These are available for Squadron members.
On our visits here we pre-arranged a berth at the Port Vincent Marina which is run by the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia (CYC). The Marina is available to Club members and the public (though the latter is subject to availability). The berth area is secured/gated with code access. Marina amenities are well maintained and include showers, toilets, laundry, picnic and barbeque facilities. The marina is about a 20 minute walk north of the main town. To confirm berth availability and to book contact CYC, details on their website.
Ardrossan
We visited Ardrossan on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend, it wasn’t the best sailing option as the wind was North Westerly, so motor sailing was the go. Six hours later we were anchoring in the bay between the commercial wharf and the town jetty. Directly in front of us, a continuous band of red clay cliffs, which come sunset were just stunning. The town supports the outlying farming community and is also known as a great fishing spot; for its blue swimmer crabs, and for the Zanoni shipwreck which sank approximately 10 nautical miles south east of Ardrossan.
After breakfast we took the dinghy across to the jetty, tying up at the jetty steps (the beach is quite rocky, and we were hesitant to take the dinghy onto the beach). A couple of local fishermen offered to look after the dinghy while we were in town, which was very kind of them. From the end of the jetty, we walked along pathway atop the cliffs to the local hospital before heading back into the centre of town. That’s when we spotted the Museum, and what a wonderful find it was. Cost of entry was $5.00 each, and it was worth every cent. Lots of interesting and well-maintained displays including many artifacts from the Zanoni wreck as well as a video about the Stump Jump Plough which was invented by a local, Richard Bower Smith. (The video was narrated by Matt Parkinson, ‘Goliath’ of The Chase Australia). An area at the entrance to the museum was stocked with a range of giftware at very reasonable prices. The volunteers who were on hand were just delightful, and we had a lovely chat.
While there, Sandra spotted a printout of a poem which is included here with permission from Ardrossan Museum South Australia.
Ketch Hand
Written by Mr. Noel Smith of Port Pirie who joined the ketch fleet at the age of 14.
He stood on the deck.
A shy lad with a smile,
And the look of the land in his way.
He said ‘How’re you guys going, I’ve come for a job’
And he grinned as he wished them good-day.
The skipper said, ‘Lad,
Can you cook just a bit,
Can you handle a big bag of grain?
Can you go without sleep?
Can you live bloody cheap?
With a bit to eat now and again?
‘Can you take in a sail, when it’s blowing a gale?
Can you pump ship for hours without rest?
Can you splice, can you sew?
Can you scull, can you row?
Can you fight if you’re put to the test?
‘Do you mind just a bit
That there’s no place to shit,
Cept to hang your bum over the side?
Would you mind, do you think
If your ship-mates should stink,
And small creatures should crawl round on your hide?
‘Would you stay staunch and true,
To your mates in a blue,
If you’re out-numbered and copping the lot?
Would you stay at the wheel,
When you’re too cold to feel
If you’ve got any toes left, or not?
‘Could you lay down your head
On wet bags for a bed,
And take your night’s sleep in an hour?
Could you scrape out the timbers,
Could you clean out the limbers
From wet grain, that was putrid and sour?
‘Could you walk up the mast,
Making tops’ls well fast,
In the wind and the hail and the rain?
If the gaskets let go,
Though you’re worn out and slow,
Could you climb up and do it again?
‘Would you carry and stow,
In the heat down below,
With the summer sun blazing like hell?
Could you live with the weevil,
And the bugs black and evil,
And the rats and the mozzies as well?
‘Would you get your trips pay,
And lend it back the next day,
If your skipper should tell you he’s flat?
If the bottom needs scrubbing,
Or the brass should need rubbing,
Would you bog in and do some of that?
‘Would you sweat on the winch,
Fetch the chain inch by inch,
And break the anchor from deep in the sand?
Could you help rig the gear,
And not shed a tear,
With the rope splinters deep in each hand?
‘Would you strain, would you work,
And on no account shirk
Though the task be too much for a lad?
Could you stand the abuse,
That your skipper would use,
When he’s hung over and feeling real bad?
‘If you missed out on a bath,
For a month and a half,
And you started to stink like the others,
Would you share your few clothes,
And borrow from those
Who’d be ship-mates and ketch hands and brothers.
‘If you’d do all these chores,
Then the job is all yours,
Fetch your gear for we sail at the dawn,
But be warned, and it’s true
Any bludging from you,
And you’ll wish you had never been born!’
So he came with his swag,
An old mattress and bag,
He moved into the foc’sle and stayed.
The first trips were rough,
He was made of good stuff,
He worked hard, and he made the grade.
Now the years move along,
And the ketches are gone,
Though the mem’ries live on with the crews,
Still the lure of the sea,
Affects blokes like me,
And we’d crew them again, could we choose!’
*****
We then wandered the main street passing the local hardware shop and Ardrossan Hotel Motel which offers a lunch and dinner service in the Bistro 7 days a week. We opted to cross the road where our choices for lunch included a local bakery or café. A Drake’s supermarket services the local town and farming communities, as well as campers and day trippers.
Anchorage
Very shallow with sand over limestone, not suitable for monohulls which will need to anchor further out. There are no mooring or marina options at this location.
Edithburgh
If you visualise Yorke Peninsula as a human leg with a foot, Edithburgh is a small country town on the back of the heel. We visited Edithburgh as part of our return trip from the north coast of Kangaroo Island. The entrance from the south is via Sultana Passage, a channel bordered by shallow sandbanks. The Passage is about 4nm long and the entrance to the channel is marked. Note that strong south winds can make the entrance to this passage dangerous. We transited the Passage quite easily, with a 15kn SE-SSE wind. There is a large wind farm behind Sultana Point which provides an interesting backdrop to the town. (We would later learn that the wind farm, Wattle Point, is a short drive from the town and has a viewing area where you can get up close to the structures).
The town is predominantly known as an excellent fishing location and there are also a number of ship wrecks in local waters which attract divers and anglers alike. Getting ashore was tricky. While a boat ramp is in place there is no associated dinghy dock. We took the dinghy to the end of the jetty, which is pretty poorly maintained, tied off and climbed up a rusted, seaweed covered ladder to get to the top. The main street has a few shops including a food take away shop, a hotel which serves meals and a petrol station. We grabbed a bite to eat and headed to the grassed foreshore area for lunch to be joined by the local seagulls.
Troubridge Island and lighthouse, lies south east off Edithburgh – you can’t miss it if you are heading to or from Adelaide. Access to both the island and lighthouse is restricted. Tours are provided on public and school holidays by Troubridge Island Hideaway based in Edithburgh. Tours are subject to weather conditions. A visit to the island is something Peter and I are keen to organise in the future.
Anchoring and Mooring
The Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron and the Cruising Yacht Club of SA have mooring buoys located in the anchorage north of Sultana Point. The anchorage is relatively shallow and quite weedy, we managed to wrap weed around one of our props. Luckily for us a couple of moorings were free, and we ‘borrowed’ one overnight. (We left our contact details on the cockpit table in case there was an issue when we went ashore).
NB If you find a pair of Maui Jim prescription sunglasses on the shore or in the water, please get in touch as they’re Sandra’s. Fell in with a plop while we were mooring up. An expensive lesson …. spectacle straps for all eyewear is essential.
Black Point
Black Point is situated about halfway between Ardrossan to the north and Port Vincent to the south (on the east coast of Yorke Peninsula). We motor sailed in 10 – 15 knot SE -SSE winds. The trip duration was approximately 6.5 hours each way.
It is a small holiday destination with numerous shacks along the beach front. The trip was only ever meant to be a day there, stay overnight and back to our marina berth in Adelaide the next day. For those of you who may be full time live aboards as well, you’ll appreciate how sometimes you just need to get off the dock. Go for a sail, stay somewhere different and return refreshed.
There is a really nice beach here with a sand spit on the southern end. People were friendly and we enjoyed a lovely walk.
Anchoring and Mooring
The Cruising Yacht Club of SA have a couple of mooring buoys here which were not in use, so we borrowed one overnight. Anchoring is likely to be poor as the bottom is sand over limestone with weed.
Stansbury
This was another ‘get off the dock’ overnight trip. The quiet seaside town of Stansbury lies half way between Port Vincent to the north and Edithburgh to the south, on the east coast of Yorke Peninsula.
Stansbury is a popular destination for anglers, and local oyster farms supply fresh oysters straight from the sea when in season. Just our luck it wasn’t the right season! The sandy beach and calm waters of Oyster Bay are popular for swimming, paddle boarding and water skiing. When approaching the bay be sure to locate the marker on the tip of a large sand spit. You need to give this area a wide berth particularly at low tide.
A fabulous kids playground is located on the foreshore along with bbq facilities and shaded shelters with tables. Fuel and groceries are available here and the Dalrymple Hotel Bar and Restaurant offers meals 11.30am – 5.30 pm daily. If you are staying here and looking for something to do, you might want to check out the Stansbury Museum at Dalrymple House. Run by volunteers, the museum generally opens Mon and Sunday 2pm – 4pm, and more often during peak periods. Cost of entry: Child $1.00, Adult $3.00, Family $7.00. (NB Details correct at time of publishing).
Anchoring and Mooring
Best to avoid anchoring as holding is poor with extensive weed patches over limestone. There are both private and RSAYS moorings here. There is a boat ramp here but no dinghy dock.
