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Sailing in Nelson

Sailing is Nelson ranges from day sailing to go away for a few nights.

Quite a few people will frequently sail over to the Able Tasman National Park and either spend the weekend over there or tour through the park at their leisure and pleasure, anchoring at night in one of the many safe anchorages - a very popular place is Anchorage (situated in Torrent Bay). A lot of these areas are only accessible by either boat or on foot. Torrent Bay has many bush walks and lagoons that can be explored and is very sheltered. In the height of summer upwards of 70 - 80 boats can be found moored in the small area. For those who don't like crowds, winter is also a good time to motor sail over to the Able Tasman Park and explore.

Nelson to Torrent Bay is approximiately 21 miles over water and takes between about 4 - 5 hours depending on conditions and size of motor in boat.

Along the way one can visit places such as Adele and Fisherman's Islands, the famous Kaiteriteri and just enjoy and marvel at the wonders of the unspoilt natural beauty of the area. If lucky, one can be accompanied some of the way by pods of Dolphins, Seals, and other aquatic mammal and bird life.

Heading up the Coast, D'Urville Island is about a six hour sail away with some safe anchorages there, but should the weather cut up, you are stuck at D'Urville until the conditions improve. A highlight is passing through the famous French Pass which is a narrow stretch of water between D'Urville Island and the mainland and which can only be safely navigated when the tide on both Tasman and Pelorus are equalised and the very strong tidal flow has ceased - this lasts for about 20 mins and then the tidal flow starts again - can be upwards of 4 knots about 20 minutes after equalisation and is considered a very dangerous piece of water that should most definitely be respected.

Heading on further, once can sail to either Pelorus or Queen Charlotte Sound (Picton). To sail from Nelson to Queen Charlotte Sound takes about 19 hours. There are anchorages and bays all through the sounds where one can spend the night. There is also a couple of anchorages between Nelson and D'Urville Island - again if the weather cuts up, you are pretty much stuck there until the weather improves.

As for Day sailing - there is the expansive Tasman Bay where one can sail away to their hearts content. In summer, the bay is covered by about a 15 knot sea breeze that is great for sailing. This sea breeze diminished in morning and evening, but as the land heats up during the day the sea breeze comes up. There is also some winter sailing when the wind does arrive, but this is quite often very squally and unpredictable - not to mention cold.

If one wants to stay closer to Nelson, there are mooring just off the old historic Nelson Lighthouse (on the inner harbour side of the boulder bank) and from there one can either drop anchor or "borrow" an unused mooring and row to shore and explore Boulder Bank and lighthouse. Alternatively, one could motor to Haulashore Island and row ashore and explore this small unique historic island that is situated between Tahunanui Beach and the end of the Boulder Bank - again the moorings are on the harbour side of the boulder bank and are normally reasonably well sheltered.

Dale Felmingham

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