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Escaping Ballina to Sail Australia's Wild East Coast
November 23, 2025 · 23 min · 24K views · Ballina
What this video covers
Adam and Luke depart Ballina, New South Wales, after a three-week stay, bound for Pittwater near Sydney — a 300-mile passage south along Australia's east coast.7:51 The Ballina Bar forces a delayed departure timed to the outgoing tide between 2 and 3 p.m.; swells had made it impassable for days.8:32 Before leaving, they anchor half a mile away in Mott Bay to test a new Rocna Mk220 anchor for the first time, laying 27 meters of chain through 30-knot winds and heavy rain without dragging.2:48 Heavy rain also reveals multiple leaks aboard: the inverter blows up from water ingress, a crack at the mast base lets water in while a new aerial cable is being run, and a cabin window needs re-bedding.5:42 The planned route south includes contingency stops at Coffs Harbour (90 miles), Port Macquarie (140 miles), Newcastle, and Nelson Bay, depending on a patchy northerly that is forecast to drop out before rebuilding.8:20 They fit a block to the end of the spinnaker pole to ease genoa sheeting downwind, and wrap conduit pipe around the shrouds with rope to prevent sail chafe.14:02 Fishing boats without AIS crowd the overnight passage.18:00 Light winds slow progress to 2–4 knots, forcing a stop at Coffs Harbour to wait for the next northerly window; the harbour proves open and exposed in thundery conditions.18:58
Boats in this video
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