Cruising Notes

Moorings

South Australia offers remarkable cruising opportunities that often take years to discover. Most of the recognised anchorages present safe and secure holding, provided you are there in the right winds and have appropriate ground tackle. A number of them contain moorings, owned either by individuals or clubs like our own.

In any event the onus is on you, the skipper, to determine whether your safest option is to pick up a mooring or use your own anchor. If you decide on the former, there are some unwritten rules you need to follow.

If the mooring carries the owner’s name and/or phone number pay him/her the courtesy of a phone call to seek permission and enquire about the suitability of the mooring for your vessel.

If it’s a Club mooring like ours at Stansbury or Black Point, contact the CYC office, book it and arrange to pay the small fee which goes towards the maintenance.

Inspect the mooring line as extensively as you can to determine its condition. Try to check on the shackle at the deep end of the rope for example. Never assume that a stranger’s mooring has been recently serviced.

If you decide to pick up the mooring, make sure you positively identify the load-carrying loop and then use a rope line of your own between your vessel and that loop. You will be playing your part to extend the life of that mooring and in some anchorages appeasing the owner, who may be watching your every move from onshore.

It also pays to remember that should the owner suddenly appear in his boat, the onus is on you to move on. There is a feeling this won’t be expected after dark but don’t count on it.

Finally, as you leave the next morning, let your boat drift back away from the mooring. Never drive forwards over it!

Happy cruising.
Chris Morphett