Sydney Harbour venue guide

RYA guru Jim Saltonstall tells you all you need to know about this great natural harbour

Tide
This can be quite strong in the main channel during springs. It tends to follow the main channel, stronger as always in the deeper water channels and weaker in the shallower areas. There are lots of back eddies as you would expect behind the main headlands, like Milsons Point and Middle Head, and should the race area get close to them, keep it in mind. The tide floods to the west in the harbour, east on the ebb. For more tidal information see www.ntf.flinders.edu.au or www.mhl.nsw.gov.au.

Race area
Eyes out the ship! Shifts and gusts are the order of the day as are other water users, so KEEP A GOOD LOOK OUT! The worst wind direction for racing in the harbour is from the north or the south across the harbour. From either direction it is very much a case of eyes out of the boat, use the gusts and the shifts.

The best wind direction is easterly or westerly along the harbour. If racing in the area off Double or Rose Bay, then the NE wind will give you a more stable direction. When the wind is from either the west of the east and you are racing in the area between the bridge and Bradley's Head on the north side, Rose Bay on the south side, look out for wind bends around the headlands, as well as an increase in wind velocity, as the wind is accelerated around the headlands.

Don't forget also the basic theory while facing the wind direction with land on your starboard side, there is more wind on that side because of the wind convergence area. This theory also applies whilst racing in the area between Double Bay and Manly with the wind coming in from the north east. As you get closer to North Head in the north-easterly wind direction, so the shifts/gusts/lulls become greater as you approach this high land mass.

A great area in which to race, very much a head exercise, eyes out of the boat, making sure you are in phase with the shifts, carrying with you an element of luck, you must just hope that the main shift of the day has got your name on it!

Some more useful phone numbers:
Emergency 000
Non-emergency 131444
Ferries 131500
Tourism 132077
Sydney Port Corporation (02) 9296 4999.

Have a great event, in a great place. The Aussies will do a good job as always, they did us proud during the Games.

Good luck!!

Jim Saltonstall.