⚓ Tasmanian Anchorage Guide – 6th Edition

The Definitive Handbook to Cruising Tasmania’s Remote and Remarkable Waters

The Tasmanian Anchorage Guide has long been regarded as the authoritative reference for sailors navigating the pristine and often rugged waters surrounding Australia’s island state. Now in its 6th Edition, this comprehensive guide has been meticulously updated and expanded by the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, and features full-colour charts and annotated maps covering the most reliable and scenic anchorages across Tasmania’s vast coastline.

Originally compiled in 1992 to support participants of the Van Diemen’s Land Circumnavigation Cruise, this guide has grown into an indispensable resource for cruising yachts and motor vessels seeking to explore Tasmania’s rich maritime heritage, wild landscapes, and world-class sheltered waters.

🧭 Coverage Includes:

The guide divides Tasmania’s coastline into clearly structured cruising regions, providing detailed anchorage coverage for:

• Hobart to Freycinet Peninsula – Including Coles Bay and popular East Coast destinations

• The East & North-East Coasts – With passages, shelter options, and local guidance

• The Furneaux & Kent Groups – Remote island anchorages in Bass Strait

• The North Coast – Including the Tamar River, Launceston, and King Island

• The West Coast – Featuring Macquarie Harbour, Port Davey & Bathurst Harbour

• D’Entrecasteaux Channel & Beyond – Including the Huon River, Bruny Island & Recherche Bay

📌 Anchorage Details Include:

Each listed anchorage features practical, on-water insights, including:

• ✔️ Approach guidance – Navigation lights, leads, landmarks, and safe entry notes

• ✔️ Anchoring tips – Recommended holding zones, depths, shelter conditions

• ✔️ Weather suitability – Which wind and swell conditions the anchorage best tolerates

• ✔️ Facilities & Access – Jetty access, fuel availability, water sources, trails & bushwalks

• ✔️ Hazards to avoid – Including reefs, kelp beds, and tidal flows

• ✔️ Recreational opportunities – Historic sites, walking tracks, natural attractions

The West Coast anchorages—Macquarie Harbour, Bathurst Harbour, and Port Davey—receive special attention with extensive commentary, historical context, and even hand-drawn vintage charts, such as the 1956 soundings to Melaleuca Lagoon from A.C.N. Wyatt aboard the ketch Saona.

📘 Additional Sections:

The guide also includes invaluable planning content:

• 📜 History of the Guide – How it came to be and how it’s evolved

• 🧭 Passage Planning – Rhumb line distances between major waypoints

• 🗺️ Reference Charts – What AUS charts and publications to carry

• 📶 Radio & Communication – Marine VHF & HF stations around the coast

• 🚫 Biosecurity Information – Including current invasive species guidelines

• 🧼 Environmental Advice – Anchoring responsibly in sensitive zones

📖 Specifications:

🛥️ Who Is It For?

This guide is ideal for:

• Coastal cruisers planning a Tasmanian circumnavigation

• Charter yachts exploring remote wilderness anchorages

• Delivery skippers and passagemakers sailing between Victoria and Tasmania

• Local boat owners looking for weekend getaways in lesser-known spots

• Anyone passionate about safe, informed, and environmentally responsible boating in Tasmania

Navigate Tasmania with confidence. Whether you're dropping anchor in a peaceful East Coast bay or venturing into the wild solitude of Port Davey, the Tasmanian Anchorage Guide gives you the insight and tools to make every passage safe, rewarding, and unforgettable.