Camden Haven
This information was written by our previous Port Officers.
Camden Haven Yacht Club was formed in the early 1980’s by a small group to help support yachting in the region and promote Camden Haven’s obvious attractions to the wider sail cruising community.
In association with the Laurieton United Servicemen’s Club a wharf for visiting boats was built using largely volunteer labour from the CaHYC. Combined with creature comforts provided by LUSC’s amenities an idyllic stopover for coastal cruisers was created. When that original visitors wharf collapsed, the LUSC with State and Local Govt assistance built a more substantial structure. Our yacht club contributed its accumulated wealth toward the new wharf then wound up - in the face of exorbitant Public Liability premiums.
Boats sailing north or south need pretty good reasons not to call into Laurieton and a regular throughflow of waterborne visitors attests to this. Each visiting boat we see at Laurieton’s wharf is a realisation of the vision held by that small group of “Salts” who formed the CaHYC back then.
Visiting yachts may tie up at the visitors wharf free of charge for a limited time - 5 days. Use of fender boards is advised. These are known as Crowdy Boards up here as they are essential when mooring alongside in Crowdy Head’s small harbour! If there is no room at the wharf visiting vessels may anchor opposite the LUSC keeping a clear channel between them and the western river bank.
A key to the LUSC shower facilities is available at reception on payment of a returnable deposit. The shopping centre of Laurieton is just two blocks from the wharf.
While there is good holding for anchored craft in the river, there is a strong tidal influence coupled with possible strong winds from the SW or NE. Consequently, it is advisable to allow plenty of swinging room when in company as not all vessels move in concert under this combined influence of wind and tide.
A submarine cable, clearly signposted, crosses the river upstream from the visitors wharf adjacent to the swimming pool. Commercial swing moorings are available at the Dunbogan Boatshed.
To further inform members of CCCA we recommend one-time member of CaHYC Alan Lucas’ publication, Cruising the NSW Coast in which he describes the approaches, the entrance, navigating the river, mooring, the town’s attractions for cruisers, photos, etc.
Below are some points which may help first time visitors the area have a safe and enjoyable stopover:
1. Approaching Camden Haven from the south be sure you know your position in relation to Mermaid Reef, north of Crowdy Head. You may safely and prudently pass inside this dangerous patch of broken water, you may pass outside it, but you will surely not pass over it.
2. The same can be said of Telegraph Rock, always awash and lying off Point Perpendicular 1 mile from the Camden Haven entrance. You may safely pass inside Telegraph Rock but it is not prudent. Give it a wide berth to seaward. At low tides and/or with a sea running Telegraph Rock is marked by regular breaking waves. However Telegraph Rock is not always obvious, especially in calm weather and high tide. It was a calm, clear day in 1867 when the steel paddlewheeler “Telegraph” found that unnamed rock in the worst possible way.
3. Camden Haven’s entrance is a river bar. This is one of the less intimidating of the North Coast’s barred river entrances. Camden Head and Pt Perpendicular give the entrance significant protection from the prevailing southerly swell. Time your arrival to cross the bar with an incoming tide and follow the leads in. An uneventful and possibly uplifting crossing will be your reward. If waves are coming in from the east or NE which can occur in association with Low pressure systems and during strong summer nor’easterlies the bar is not safely navigable at any state of the tide. No matter how innocuous the entrance may look, skipper and crew must navigate your vessel with due diligence in this zone where so much wave and tidal energy is concentrated.
4. Call Camden Haven Sea Rescue Squad (VMR Laurieton) for advice on bar conditions. They maintain 24hr radio watch on VHFch16 and 27mHz Ch88. Their radio base is part of the network of radio bases ready to log your progress up or down the coast. Volunteer marine rescue organisations provide a service many of us take for granted. And if ever you need assistance on the water...who you gonna call?!!