Australia is an interesting country, with a lot to see and very friendly people. Unfortunately the sailing was not great. We motor sailed probably 80% of the time we spent on the east coast between Cape York and Sydney. We spent many days waiting for weather to move on – it was either calm or blowing Force 8 with big swells. There’s practically no cruising ground south of Bundaberg, with the exception of Sydney Harbour and Broken Bay and possibly a couple more (depending on the definition). There’s a long distance (50 nm) between safe anchorages, but they are usually inside barred rivers, which can only be entered at certain tidal moments – provided that the weather isn’t foul, when they may not be entered at all!
The much advertised Barrier Reef was also a disappointment, at least if you have been to the Caribbean. The water was not clear (no eye ball navigation) and the anchorages rolly. And then there was the constant risk of encountering hazardous marine creatures, like deadly Box jelly Fish, Irkundji and Crocodiles.
