Gotta say that I got a shock the first time heading out the Cut. 1.2m swell, 8kn easterly and a very low tide. We trolled out the northern side and up to Avalon and back and it was very easy going coming in we came back in through the southern side of the Cut and it was very rough with small steep waves standing up on us out of nowhere.

The next day we went out with a 12kn westerly on a 1.5m swell and a high tide and I went up to the entrance and back but this time it was like a millpond at the entrance.

Lesson, there is a fuckload of water moving in and out of the Cut and an outrunning tide can hit even slight swell and intensify it.

 I was in my new boat years ago coming across the bar in New Zealand when my fuel tank slid into the steering cables when we slightly broached after a 5ft wave hit the stern and the boat ended up on the sand bar. Fortunately no injuries or damage except to my pride. You definetly learn from your mistakes.

The skippers that were interviewed all said the same ting "it went wrong so quick" that was the thing that made me take real notice.
Skippers said they lined up their entry line, then suddenly looked over their shoulder and from no where a big rolling wave had appeared.
These where comments from full time skippers not weekend fishos.

I used to work on garden Island WA and on a few occasions I have seen it close out with white water between Point perron and the south of the island, and on more than one occasion on days with reasonably flat seas I have seen very big swells break all the way across from the north end of GI to Carnac. If you where there at the time in your trailer boat you would be in very serious trouble.

 Yea that's right,

and these full time skippers had probably been through the same bar over a hundred times with no issues.

Most of the time in situations like this conplacency is the undoing factor.!

Just shows that it can happen to the best of them.