March 2022
When we arrived in the Hawkesbury River it was in the early hours of the morning after a long 70nm motor sail. It seemed at the moment that more often then not we would leave an anchorage with a perfect 10-15kt forecast, for it to never arrive. That day we were either completely becalmed or had such little wind we couldn’t sail. We couldn’t believe our luck especially as when we did have a brief puff of wind it arrived at the most inopportune moment and left as soon as the drama was over. It was about midday when the wind suddenly picked up to 15-20kts, a very welcome wind strength, however as Allagai picked up speed she became a bit lively for our liking and it was just as I was about to put a reef in the mainsail that the fishing rod went off. With the extra speed from the wind our lure must have finally been going fast enough to attract a fish, which after a brief struggle we managed to bring alongside. To our delight it was a mid sized tuna which with a little manoeuvring we managed to gaff and bring on-board. However with all the excitement Allagai was still charging along at a lively six knots and was in need of a first reef to balance the tiller. So while Hugo dealt with his fish I put the reef in the main and although Allagai continued to charge she stopped burying down with each wave and was sailing along much more comfortably. Although it seemed that no sooner was everything complete that the wind eased and we were once more bobbing along under engine the sails flapping limply above us.
Eventually with no more fish dramas or great winds we made it to the Hawkesbury river entrance a little after midnight and weary from our long day anchored behind Barrenjoey Head. This was a perfectly suitable spot to spent the night and get some much needed sleep but by first light it wasn’t a pleasant anchorage at all. Every time a boat went past we were rolled from their wake and so decided that as soon as the sun rose over the nearby hills that it was time to keep moving. That day we had an errand to run that required a post office, so before heading up the river was made a quick detour into Pittwater.
However as soon as we did what was need we left the busy waters of Pittwater behind and aimed for Refuge Bay. We had briefly visited this little bay on our way north and were keen to see it during its quiet time. By the time we arrived in the anchorage it was approaching late afternoon and although Refuge Bay was much quieter then our first visit we opted to pick up a mooring in the empty American Bay first. The twin bays were just as lovely and peaceful as we had remembered, even if it did seem to rain every time we went outside. Without knowing it at the time we had arrived at the beginning of what later became to be known as the 2022 east coast floods. Although when we arrived we had a few days before things got really wet so spent most of that time exploring the amazing river system.
Our first day was spent waterfall searching as with all the recent rain they were all running a considerable amount. In America Bay there were two waterfalls, the obvious one tumbling down the cliff at the head of the bay and one at the base of a small creek which ran into one side of the bay through a little nook in the forest. Both left us awed but it was the one that cascaded off the cliff that we spent the most time exploring as it was attached to a walking trail.
When we visited the American Bay waterfall we started at sea level and climbed/ hiked our way to the hill top where we discovered the parks trail. Since we were in need of some exercise we decided to follow this out to the road and back. Along the way we passed many creeks and even an Aboriginal Art carving rock. However what left us most amazed was the sheer amount of water running down the track as if we hadn’t known better we would have thought we were following a running creek and not actually a designated track.
Following our walk we headed back to Allagai and after a quick lunch decided to head over to Refuge Bay as we were keen to see yet another waterfall. This was the fall that most people visited as it was the first thing you would see when you entered the bay as it cascaded right down onto a sandy beach at the head of the bay. Once again we picked up a mooring and wasted no time in heading over to the the beach, bathers on so we could enjoy a dip under the waterfall. The water coming off the cliff fell about 50m before tumbling over a heap of moss covered rocks. These rocks made the perfect platform to stand on to enjoy what was an absolutely freezing but refreshing fresh water shower. Once thoroughly soaked we explored the area around the waterfall and discovered that you could get in behind the fall to a small rock cave. This was an amazing experience but it wasn’t long before the freezing water had us shivering and retreating back to Allagai, in perfect time as well as a rain squall descended moments after we arrived back on board.
That day we were on a nature high and unable to resist further exploration we decided to leave Refuge Bay behind and headed up Cowan Creek. That afternoon we travelled with the incoming tide and made it as far as Waratah Bay which was about halfway along the seven mile long creek. Both of us were in awe of our surroundings, unable to believe that such a beautiful and pristine looking national park was barely an hours drive from the bustling city of Sydney. After our busy day you would think that we would have been too tired for more exploration. However on our arrival we found ourselves in a calm little valley with the sound of yet more running water coming from its end. Naturally we were unable to resist seeing another waterfall and so decided to inflate the paddle board to go exploring. The bay was only 100-200m long but it was well worth getting the board out and so with myself on the paddle board and Hugo paddling in the dingy we made our way up the quaint little creek to the end where we stumbled upon yet another waterfall. The sheer amount of water running off the land was astounding, and we weren’t even considered in the flood zone yet.
After our brief paddle we headed back to Allagai, by this point the sun was just setting below the hill which meant this was to be our anchorage for the night. The following morning we woke to pouring rain, in fact it had been raining on and off all night and with all the rain the small waterfall from the night before had swelled considerable. So as soon as we had a break in the weather we decided to take the dingy ashore for a closer look. Our research of the area also suggested that there was meant to be a walking track beside the creek that was meant to lead to a nearby town, which we found with little effort. The track led us as promised along a cliff of a raging creek through a very soggy forest however we only made it about halfway before the rain began once more. Luckily we had been smart enough to bring rain coats however with the track still being so soggy from the previous night and the river below flowing fast we decided to not push our luck and headed back to Allagai. However it was as we arrived back at the dingy that the rain briefly stopped and we noticed a track along the bays edge in the opposite direction. This trail only continued for about another 50m but led us to yet another waterfall set about 30m back into the forest and after the all rain was running hard. Unable to resist we walked right up the falls and found yet another cave behind it and although I wasn’t up for a shower under the waterfall Hugo couldn’t say no to another refreshing waterfall shower.
Following our morning wander we headed back to Allagai and decided to move anchorage once more as we wanted to see as much of Cowan Creek as possible before the predicted flooding began in a day or twos time. So once back on board we dropped the mooring with little delay and motored to Cotton Tree Bay where we picked up yet another public mooring in another idyllic little bay. By this point the rain had barely let up all day so there were waterfalls falling off almost every cliff face in sight. Even though this was only our second day in the Hawkesbury area we had been up close to 5-6 flowing waterfalls and were keen to see as many as possible. So even though it was still raining lightly outside we donned our raincoats and took the dingy on a mission to see the fall at the end of this bays creek before the out going tide made it impossible to reach.
Once again we were in awe of the amount of water falling off the surrounding cliffs and with the tide only just high enough were able to reach the end of the bay where we were greeted with another low water fall which at high tide would be more like a set of rapids. However with the tide still falling and no where to get ashore this was only a short outing, so after viewing the falls we headed back to Allagai with one little detour along the way. With so much water falling off the cliffs and all the cliff overhangs dripping with water we decided to park the dingy under one of the more waterfall like overhangs. This was so that we could enjoy an impromptu fresh waterfall shower, which although still freezing was absolutely refreshing and the perfect way to finish off our exploration of the bay.
Feeling refreshed from our impromptu wash we decided that there was plenty of daylight left in the day and so headed the rest of the way up Cowan Creek to Bobbin Head. Originally we had thought to check out the national park and the walking tracks at this end of the creek. However this was the first time in several days that we’d had reliable internet and once connected quickly realised that the flooding situation which was forming up and down the eastern coast of Australia from southern Queensland to southern NSW was much worse then expected. It looked like we were going to be in for some major flooding and although nothing suggested that Cowan Creek would flood we knew that the sensible thing to do was to get as close to river entrance as possible and to not travel unnecessarily through debris laden flood waters. So with this in mind we only spent a couple of hours in Bobbin head before deciding to move down the creek a little to Houseboat Bay.
Our reasoning for this move was to get out of the creeks main flow for the night and then to continue out the creek the following day with the morning tide. When we arrived in Houseboat Bay you really wouldn’t have believed the weather that was to come. For the first time that day the rain had completely stopped and we had cloudy blue skies. So knowing that this was likely to be our last evening of clear weather for a few days we decided to have one last outing off Allagai to visit one last stunning waterfall. This fall was once more located at the head of the bay and spanned the entire width of the creek as raging white water. After and entire day of rain this waterfall was flowing hard and was absolutely spectacular looking. However since the sun was setting below the hills this was only a short outing before we headed back to Allagai.
The following morning we were up early and after receiving yet more rain overnight decided to stick to our plan to head out of the creek. Thankfully the tide was in our favour and so after a quick breakfast we dropped the mooring and with the outgoing tide headed to Yeomans Bay. This was one of the first bays at the entrance of Cowan Creek, deep enough to be out of the creeks flow and orientated in a way that would protect us from several days of forecast strong winds. This bay proved to be the perfect place to weather the incoming stormy weather. Once again we were surrounded by water falls and creeks turned to rapids and if there wasn’t so much debris in the water we would have loved to have spent more time exploring them. Throughout or stay in Yeolans Bay, which was two nights and three days, we recorded on our own boat rain meter 170mm. This was an unbelievable amount of rain, especially as at times we were recording 30-40mm in the space of only 1-2 hours. The landscape around us changed with every heavy rainfall as waterfalls literally appeared out of nowhere in the cliff faces above us. However we couldn’t complain about our situation at all as at no point did the rain cause us any more inconvenience other then keeping us indoors for three days. We knew that all around us that nearby towns were flooding and people were being evacuated. From what we heard on the radio and saw on the news the rain was causing devastating floods all around us. So when the rains finally broke we left our little hidey hole ready for some new scenery and to see if the river was at all navigable.
That day we decided to head to Jerusalem Bay, in hindsight we probably should have waited one more day though before moving. Although the river wasn’t flowing all that much faster then normal the amount of debris in the water was hazardous. There were logs and sticks to be dodged as well as other random household flood debris so with Hugo at the tiller I was on the bow pointing out logs which needed to be dodged. The trip though was thankfully short and so it wasn’t long before we were picking up a mooring in Jerusalem Bay and even getting in the dingy to go exploring. As it appeared that this bay also sported yet another waterfall which we were keen to see.
This ended up being an anchorage for just the one night as it appeared that the rain wasn’t over. It was being forecast that NSW was going to be battered by yet another east coast low and more rain. So after a quick stop at Cottage Point for fuel we decided to weather this next set of weather in Refuge Bay. Although it was while at Cottage Point we had a rather unusual experience as a sea plane moored nearby us to let off a few lucky passengers.
Refuge Bay ended up being our home until we had the right weather to leave and once again we were awed by the amount of water that fell from the sky. We spent eight nights anchored and moored in various places between the two bays and so witnessed both main waterfalls running so hard the were just walls of white. There was no way you could stand under either as the water falling off both cliffs was absolutely incredible. Throughout this second low we caught 185mm on our own rain gauge over the four days that it rained.
But once the storm passed we were greeted with the first sunny days and blue skies in over a week. We couldn’t believe the change of weather and preceded to enjoy our last couple of days in the Hawkesbury. With the passing of the weather we washed and dried nearly everything washable on the the boat using the raging waterfall, in fact it was the first time either of us actually had ever actually enjoyed a laundry day. This was followed by rowing and paddle boarding around the bay where we followed a little creek up to a beautiful little waterfall cave.
Later that week we also completed one last walk to the top of the Refuge Bay waterfall, which after only an afternoon free of rain was back to its usual leisurely flow. It felt as if the last weeks worth of rain had never happened as the exploration of the bay recommenced. However eventually the promised northerly arrived and we were able to continue our way south aiming for Jervis Bay.