Here is something to add to your boat’s bookshelf, the Coastal Cruising Companion. And before you ask, no it has no direct connection with the ‘CCCA’. The author, Marilyn Graham, cleverly calls it a Cruising Companion, to differentiate it from cruising guides like the iconic Alan Lucas cruising guides.

Cruising Guides are tricky, we expect them to be accurate, complete and compatible with our own level of experience. Marilyn Graham has taken the bit between her teeth and has written her Cruising Companion from the perspective of a novice cruiser.

In doing that, she has produced a terrific guide, worth having on any boat, novice or experienced.
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We probably don’t spend enough time questioning the accuracy of our charts.

“How accurate are nautical charts? How much faith can be placed in them? Unfortunately, the answer is quite complex – far more complex than simply saying one chart is accurate whilst another is not. However, having the necessary skills should be essential for any mariner venturing into unfamiliar waters.”

That’s the beginning of a very useful paper by Mike Prince, the Director of charting at the Australian Hydrographic Service. Download it from the Hydrographic Office site.

I started a listing of magazines including their online companion sites which might be of interest to Australian Cruising Sailors.

Please have a look and comment on what you think and if you’d like to add any  other magazine to the list.

Here is an interesting account of a meeting at the Balmain Sailing Club (website) attended by NSW Maritime. It covers the use of mooring, anchoring in the harbour and various contentious issues (such as whether you can pee overboard). An excellent account which will settle many a sundowner discussion. Download the Meeting Account here (PDF).

By the way, there is another interesting document on Radio Communications at the Balmain Club’s website, written by Allan Adolphson for a cruise to Hobart in 2007. A very comprehensive guide, good to have on board. Download Allan’s Guide (PDF).

Nancy Knudsen points to the Solitary Islands (off Coffs Harbour) as a place worth seeing in a recent Sail-world article. I had never considered a stop-over there, but it looks an interesting option for those traveling the NSW coast. There are even public moorings in places. You can download further information (pdf’s) from this site.

I just discovered that Alan Lucas has posted updates to both his NSW and Coral Coast Cruising Guides on his website. Alan’s website is pretty… minimalist, but it’s good to see him make the updates available to everyone online.