Spring tides at montebello islands

 Gday guys

Well the plan is to head to the monties in a couple weeks weather permitting looking at launching on the 21st and head over for 5 days camping on one of the islands looks like it might be hard work to find a good Anchorage close to shore so we dont have to swim to far in. 

Are we better off trying to sleep on the boat so we can anchor in deeper water. 

Cheers

Rod


Posts: 51

Date Joined: 16/09/17

Spring tides Montebello Islands

Wed, 2020-08-05 07:32

 Hi Roddo, from what I have herd, it pays to have plenty of rope out, if you anchoring, as the tides very a lot, & your boat will drag the anchor, if you only have short rope, good luck, have fun, cheers Don.

VaSSagO's picture

Posts: 126

Date Joined: 09/12/09

I take a plastic wave ski to

Wed, 2020-08-05 09:00

I take a plastic wave ski to paddle out to the boat so I dont have to swim. Doesn't weigh too much.

 

I have an 6.5m ally and run a 45lb plough anchor with ~6m of 13mm chain (chain weighs more than the anchor) and only a short length of rope, helps reduce the swing if it is a small bay or other boats in the area.

ranmar850's picture

Posts: 2702

Date Joined: 12/08/12

depends on your boat

Wed, 2020-08-05 09:41

 If your boat is comfortable to sleep on, yes. But if you are doing what many do, ie, going over to fill a freezer , which means running a generator, etc, obviously not. You will need somewhere to put your extra fuel ashore, anyway.  If you are on springs, there will be a lot of water movement. This will affect everything. Including your trip over--if you get wind running against tide, the middle stretch--about 20 miles or so-- can get REALLY nasty. Run-out tide means it will be pushing against any wind from East-Nor'east. Any wind over 17 knots sustained, gusting higher, you'd better think twice about the crossing, either direction, on a run-out spring tide. The warning about Tide Rips on the chart for that section should be heeded.   If the tide is running in, definitely better. Remember you are a long way from anywhere, probably no help anywhere, out of site of land for a long way. This is not a trip to Rotto. It is something like 45 nautical miles from Fortescue River to the first islands. About 6 NM to Fortescue island. If it's bad by the time you get out  to Fortescue Island, go back. That's the calm part of the trip.

As for camping, there are bays which dry out completely. Others might have a little pocket of deep water, typically near the entrance, but you may actually be stranded in that little pool until the tide comes in. I would strongly advise you to get the paid Navionics app. So useful for sitting around and planning. It even comes with a Google earth overlay, which actually shows you the deeper patches by colour, that may not be apparent from the chart. A good MFD with the tides included is very useful, there are tidal stations out there. The Navionics app won't show you them far enough ahead  for long-term planning.   You are mostly looking at needing protection from the east wind.  Assuming you want to stay out of the Sanctuary zones, you'll be limited to camping in the middle stretch. Home Lagoon and Champagne Bay dry out completely, apart from the deep patches at their entrances. Others further north, like Alpha and Bluebell, mostly have water, but beware of radiation risk areas if you want to camp ashore. Trimouille is popular with yachties.  Not a real lot of camping westside, others may care to comment. 

HTH, and take care.

roddo's picture

Posts: 481

Date Joined: 16/10/09

 Thanks for the detailed info

Thu, 2020-08-06 20:27

 Thanks for the detailed info much appreciated

Posts: 4561

Date Joined: 01/02/10

 I'd take bluebell on those

Wed, 2020-08-05 21:28

 I'd take bluebell on those tides. Actually you'll probably see me there if the weather is ok. Got a mate up for a bit and he wants a trip over. 

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Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?

slugger's picture

Posts: 156

Date Joined: 17/02/11

Don’t help this bloke rodo

Wed, 2020-08-05 21:38

It's people like you that stuff this web site up 

you went of your way to track me down in 2015 via pm and I went out of my way to send you paragraphs and paragraphs of info the same day  and you didn't have the common decency to say a simple thank you .

ive helped so many people out with monties info , including ranmar and he at least had the decency to reply 

there's you and a few others I sent info to and you're too fkn lazy to thank people for their help then just go there and work it out yourself 
 

 

 

sea-kem's picture

Posts: 14833

Date Joined: 30/11/09

 I've  actually met  Roddo a

Thu, 2020-08-06 06:56

 I've  actually met  Roddo a few times  and find that out of character. I'm sure there was a misunderstanding or something lost in translation as I know he'd be very thankful. Maybe a pm before spray on here.

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Love the West!

Pescatore70's picture

Posts: 183

Date Joined: 03/12/19

That's a real shame and I

Thu, 2020-08-06 13:57

That's a real shame and I hope you do get a reply even as late as now.

This site is a wealth of information/advice at times and a simple 'Thank You' is the very least anyone can give especially when it's advice that may well save your life.

roddo's picture

Posts: 481

Date Joined: 16/10/09

 Not sure what happend back

Thu, 2020-08-06 20:39

 Not sure what happend back then I can see that you sent me a PM along with a couple of other members I reached out to whom I replied to most but must of missed a couple i dont remember reading but its defenatly there so I appolagise for not replying I defenatly dont see the need for your comment though was a simple miss from my behalf and I defenatly appreciate the information. 

Shame the weather was crap last time I tried to head over wind was howling so went to dirkhartog instead. Hopefully better luck this time and maybe I can catch you around the traps one day and buy you a beer. 

Cheers

Rod

timboon's picture

Posts: 2924

Date Joined: 14/11/10

 Ouch...

Thu, 2020-08-06 06:08

 Ouch...

roddo's picture

Posts: 481

Date Joined: 16/10/09

 Thanks for all the info very

Thu, 2020-08-06 20:18

 Thanks for all the info very valuable.

Posts: 4561

Date Joined: 01/02/10

 Still heading over?  Weather

Tue, 2020-08-18 20:06

 Still heading over?  Weather window looking decent. 

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Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?

roddo's picture

Posts: 481

Date Joined: 16/10/09

 Yep looks pretty good

Wed, 2020-08-19 19:46

 Yep looks pretty good fingers crossed it stays that way. We will be leaving dampier around 10am.