On the run from Harwood to Maclean

I had it all worked out. Nicky and I would leave the car and trailer at the Big River Sailing Club at Harwood in time to get under the Harwood Bridge at low tide (11 am). My calculation was that we could just squeeze under at low tide. Initially I was going to sail the couple of kilometres up to the bridge, drop the sails and motor under the bridge. The wind was a fresh NE, so we would be on a run approaching the bridge, which I felt was a bit hairy.

At the last moment a well wisher suggested that we motor up to the bridge and raise the mast once we were clear. Knowing how little clearance we had I agreed. The outboard started fine and got us out into the river and then cut out, we tried several times and each time it stalled. Finally we anchored, got the mast up and decided to sail. The worry was that by then it was an hour after low water. We decided to risk it and made it - just. I was so relieved that I would not have to tell my insurance company that I needed another new mast.

Once under the bridge we anchored for a desperately needed a cup of tea and lunch. After that we set off under sail to Maclean which was less than 3 km upstream. It hardly seemed to take us any time at all given that we had the wind behind us and a flood tide beneath us.

Luckily I had visited the jetty at Maclean once before - approaching by road and I knew that a trailer sailor would fit neatly into either of the two inner berths, one approached from upstream and the other from downstream.

It was mid tide by the time we reached Maclean, according to the rule of 12ths that is when the tide is strongest. Sooner than I expected I was alongside the jetty, still with full sail on a run. I just turned into the wind aiming at the inner berth and hoping that we would come to a halt. We did. On the photos we approached from right to left. Nicky jumped off the foredeck onto a rock wall and secured us temporarily with a line round a tree. I rowed another line across to the jetty in the zodiac and pulled us into the berth. Not an orthodox arrival but in the circumstances (minus outboard) we were quite pleased. It worked and there was no damage to us or Little Dragon.

Then we needed more tea!

I thoroughly recommend the inner jetty at Maclean to other trailer sailors looking for an overnight stop close to all facilities.