2019 HCC Tides and Boat Choice from Tom Simmat
As at 20 Oct 2019 start times have been adjusted to better accommodate the bridgeworks at Windsor:
BUT this is subject to change - check on HCC website here
Tides
Everyone starts WITH the tide, but the tide turns against you, generally between checkpoints B and C. there is a brief tide against you, through Snackville, then the tide turns with you; (the fast guys at about Checkpoint G and the slower guys between E and F. So somewhere about the big W. The tide is with you then through Wisemans to the finish for the fast ones and slower ones will catch the turn at about Spencer.
You need to try and finish before the tide turns near the finish at about 2:30am. That is a race time of about 10hr 45min for women and 9hr 30 min for men, otherwise you will be battling a very strong tide against you between Spencer and the finish.
So in order to avoid the second tide against you this year, pick a fast boat or a double. Stop at Sackville when the tide is against you. Do not linger at Wisemans when the tide is with you. Landcrew this year the tide at Wisemans is high and going out...
LCRK Paddler | HCC/Dash? | Class | Age Div | Boat | Start p.m. | Record | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Duncan J and Jeff H | HCC | Vindicator | ||||
2 | John 'Denver' Duffy | HCC | BoB1 | Sonic | |||
3 | James P | HCC | Think ION | ||||
4 | Tony Hystek | HCC | Vajda Spirit | ||||
5 | Peter Fitz | HCC | Ski | ||||
6 | Trevor Nichols | HCC | Ski | ||||
7 | Ruby Ardren | HCC | K1 (Civet Cat) | ||||
8 | David Young and Peter Manley | HCC | Double Ski | ||||
9 | Naomi J | HCC | K1 (Bettong) | ||||
10 | Tom Simmat | HCC | Collins Class | ||||
11 | Wade R | HCC | BoB1 | Ski | |||
12 | RLJ | HCC | Ski | ||||
13 | Gareth Stokes (which blue shirt though?) | HCC | |||||
14 | Barnsey | HCC | BoB1 | ||||
15 | Kenji | HCC | BoB1 | ||||
16 | Chris Thompson | HCC | Lrec1 | ||||
17 | Eric Filmalter | HCC | Lrec1 | ||||
18 | David Veivers | HCC | Ski | ||||
19 | Rich and Keg | HCC | Slade Supersonic | ||||
20 | Brendan Trewartha | HCC | |||||
21 | Don Johnstone | HCC | BoB1 | Stellar Ski | |||
22 | John Law | Dash | Dashing |
Plenty of room here for more!
Volunteer's Name | Location | Job | Comment |
---|---|---|---|
Naomi J and her correspondents | Omnipresent | Write race report | |
Oscar C with Paul Van K Fiona Rae | From Shed to Windsor | Transport club stuff from the shed | |
Paul Van K, Oscar C Fiona Rae | Windsor | Set -up marquee, table, chairs etc | We'll be setup by around 8:00am is usual claim |
Tony Carr | Windsor | Sell Club caps and shirts and issue club cylumes (already procured by John D | Wear a white cap on the water Get your land crew to wear a club shirt or cap |
Ian W, Tom H, Jana O, Oscar | Windsor | Photos | |
Many (anyone still there) | Windsor | Take down marquee, clear club site, pack cars | From 4:45 |
Caroline and Mark Oscar Chris | Windsor/Wisemans | Transport marquee, table, chairs, etc to Wisemans and set up | |
Ian W | Pitt Town | Photos & cheer squad | |
? | Cattai | Photos & cheer squad | |
Tim McN | Sackville | Paddler checklist and arriving paddler lookout | Good eyes and operates radio |
Peter Harris | Sackville | Coordinator /checklist coordinator | |
Paul VanK | Sackville | Coordinator /checklist coordinator | Good eyes also |
Justin | Sackville | Boat handling coordinator, also with radio to find landcrews | Assists land crew at beach |
Adrian Clayton | Sackville | In-water assistance | |
Jana O & Marg-FM | Sackville | Photos | |
Oscar | Wisemans | Direct transport | Bring clock/battery, hose, BBQ gas bottle(s), tables (2), folding chairs, urn, toolbox |
Caroline and Mark | Wisemans | Setup marquee, clock, lights generators, etc. at Wisemans site | |
Adrian CLayton | Wisemans | Paddling checklist, arriving paddler lookout, departing paddlers list | |
Tony Carr Chris Deng | Wisemans | SPECIAL free catering for LCRKers | |
Jana O | Wisemans | Photos | |
Jeff Tonazzi | Wisemans | Boat Handler 1 | Mud lark or cold water lark organising/supporting land crews |
Mark Hempel | Wisemans | Boat Handler 2 | Mud lark or cold water lark organising/supporting land crews |
Chris Johnson | Wisemans | Boat Handler 3 | Mud lark or cold water lark organising/supporting land crews |
Caroline | Wisemans | The Boss | |
Tony C and everyone still there | Wisemans | Take down and load all items | From 1am |
Oscar C with Chris J | Transport from Wisemans | Load and transport some items to Shed/home | |
Oscar | Wisemans to home (next day) | Transport all remaining items | morning |
Mooney Mooney | Club member welcome (with LCRK flag) and assistance, video recording | from arrival at Deerubbin Reserve 1:00am until at least after peak paddler arrival period | |
Any LCRK landcrewer | Mooney Mooney | Photos + | 1:00 am onwards |
The conditions for 2019 (at least from a moonlight and tide perspective) are likely to see some high and low tides. Noting the current change lags the changing of the tide. There's a new moon due on 28 Oct which means no moonlight, besides which it sets at 5pm Saturday! It's going to be a DARK night!
LCRK is please to provide this Microsoft Excel based 'calculator' which is preloaded with HCC 2019 Tides all the way up to Windsor and incorporating associated tidal and riverine flows (all other things being equal which they never are!!). To use, download the tool, open up Excel, adjust ONLY the yellow shaded cells ie:-
For those wanting more detail. The new calculator identifies tides at Fort Denison (HH, LL, H, L), then adjusts that tide all the way up to Windsor some 5-7 hours later. Current patterns have been modelled for 4 sections of the river (between stops) using data from MHL, DPW etc. Your ETA at a particular checkpoint is adjusted based on your base paddle speed and the anticipated current at the time you are travelling. Short or long stops will affect the tide you catch (or are caught by). Further fine tuning CAN be done - but no point over-engineering it, you might be affected by winds, broken down ferries, unplanned swims etc. Good luck!
With a full competition calendar, including the Wyong Ultra Marathon, the Myall Classic and the Clarence 100 the week before this year’s Hawkesbury Classic there are good opportunities for getting some excellent competitive kilometres under your belt.
For this reason and to try and help you improve your preparation we have added some distance into the Club’s Hawkesbury training paddles. They are designed to help you with refamiliarising yourself with where you should be and when on the night given the expected tidal conditions.
The first of this year’s training paddles will be focusing on the section below Wiseman’s from Low Tide Pitstop through to Bar Point, Milson’s Passage and to the finish.
The second training paddle will focus on maximising distance and time through the Big W where the tide is expected to turn to carry you to the finish.
Training Paddle 1
Aim: To get some distance training and plan route approaching Spenser, Bar Point through Milsons Passage to finish.
Date: Sunday 15th September - Mooney Mooney to Low Tide Pitstop Return
Distance: 45kms OR choose your own distance to return but paddle at least to Spencer 21kms return
Meet: 7:00am at Deerubbin Boat Ramp and Car Park. Briefing: 7:40am First start at 8:00am
Tides: Mooney Mooney Bridge High at 09:14am, Singleton Mill (Low Tide Pitstop) High at 10:21am
The idea is to paddle up with the tide and return on the outgoing tide.
NOTE: This paddle is weather dependent.
Training Paddle 2
Aim: To work out best route through Big W for the Hawkesbury
Date: Sunday 13th October - Naughty Wiseman’s Beach to Lower Portland Ferry Return
Distance: 37kms OR choose to return at 14km mark to return through the Big W. (option for 47km return to Dargle but requires an even earlier start - see the PDF)
Meet: 8:00am sharp at Naughty Wiseman’s Car Park. Turn left off end of Old Northern Road opposite Wiseman’s Ferry Public Wharf.
Briefing: 8:30am First start at 9:00am
Tides: Wiseman’s Ferry High at 10:28am (1.4m), Lower Portland High at 11:39am
If you need a last stop on your down-river run and succumb to the "sirens", you will, as usual, be offered smiles, "mud angel" landing and re-launching services, sometimes "paddle through" service; fire for warmth; smiles; hot food and drink; and more smiles - this is not a club facility but a wonderful service volunteered annually to all participants. Remember the location this year is about half a kilometre upstream from its old spot –it is at a boat ramp (= less mud!)
For planning and safety purposes please note: The HCC is not 111km, it is actually 100km. Also, it does not finish at Brooklyn, it finishes at Mooney Mooney (Deerubbin Reserve)
LCRK members past and present currently hold over 20 class records.
Boat | Class | Name | Year | Time |
---|---|---|---|---|
K1 | Ladies 40+ | Ruby Ardren | 2018 | 11:08:15 |
K1 | Vet60+ | Tom Simmat | 2009 | 11:09:12 |
K1 | Ladies Vet60+ | Ann Lloyd Green | 2016 | 13:57:29 |
K2 | Vet50+ | Bruce Goodall, Jeremy Spear | 2014 | 9:33:57 |
K4 | Ladies 40+ | Anjie Lees, Jana Osvald, Wendy Andrews, Kerrie Murphy | 2018 | 12:27:40 |
K4 | Ladies | Margaret Cook, Merridy Huxley, Buzz Powell, Sandra Burwood | 2006 | 9:29:40 |
K4 | Mixed Vet40+ | Margaret Cook, Merridy Huxley, Warren Huxley, Bernard Craggs | 2008 | 10:07:36 |
K4 | Mixed Vet50+ | Margaret Cook, Merridy Huxley, Warren Huxley, Rob Cook | 2010 | 10:18:23 |
K4 | Ladies Vet50+ | Our Rae Duffy with Merridy Huxley, Dee Ratliffe and Clare McArthur | 2013 | 10:53:59 |
TK1 | Ladies | Margaret Cook | 1985 | 10:44:49 |
TK2 | Ladies Vet40+ | Margaret Cook, Merridy Huxley | 2003 | 10:46:04 |
Short Rec | Vet50+ | Tom Simmat | 2007 | 9:58:35 |
Short Rec | Vet60+ | Tom Simmat | 2012 | 10:35:24 |
Short Rec | Vet70+ | Tom Simmat | 2018 | 11:24:30 |
Med Rec | Open | Toby Hogbin | 2010 | 9:18:22 |
Med Rec | Ladies Vet50+ | Rae Duffy | 2012 | 10:55:09 |
Med Rec | Vet60+ | Tom Simmat | 2010 | 9:54:05 |
Long Rec | Open | Bruce Goodall | 2000 | 9:37:50 |
Long Rec | Ladies Vet50+ | Liz Winn | 2008 | 10:59.33 |
Long Rec | Ladies Vet60+ | Ann Lloyd-Green | 2013 | 14:02:57 |
Long Rec | Vet50+ | Bob Turner | 2014 | 10:02:49 |
Long Rec | Vet60+ | Tom Simmat | 2011 | 9:59:07 |
Long Rec 2 | Mixed | Kristy Benjamin & Bob Turner | 2012 | 8:58:02 |
Rec 2 | Vet40+ | Kenji Ogawa, Genkai So | 2000 | 10:36:34 |
Long Rec 2 | Mixed Vet 50+ | Urs Mader, Arni Mader | 2007 | 10:06:20 |
Ocean Racing Ski | Ladies Vet50+ | Roz Green | 2015 | 12:47:59 |
Ocean Racing Ski | Ladies Vet40+ | Anjie Lees | 2014 | 11:08:12 |
Ocean Racing Ski | Vet40+ | Brendan Trewartha | 2017 | 8:38:47 |
Ocean Racing Ski | Vet60+ | Tony Hystek | 2016 | 9:06:32 |
SSK2 | Mixed Vet40+ | Joy and Rich Robinson | 2015 | 9:28:31 |
Unrestricted | Open | Toby Hogbin | 2012 | 8:18:19 |
Unrestricted | Ladies | Julie Stanton | 2006 | 10:13:30 |
Unrestricted | Ladies Vet40+ | Anjie Lees | 2015 | 11:41:14 |
Unrestricted | Vet60+ | Tony Hystek | 2018 | 10:12:14 |
Unrestricted | Vet70+ | Adrian Clayton | 2017 | 11:54:12 |
Unrestricted 2 | Mixed Vet40+ | Bruce Goodall, Christine Lalor | 2007 | 8:57:57 |
Unrestricted 2 | Mixed Vet50+ | Alanna Ewin, Tony Hystek | 2017 | 8:50:42 |
Unrestricted 2 | Vet50+ | Tony Hystek, Timothy Hookins | 2007 | 8:57:00 |
SSK2 | Mixed Vet40+ | Joy and Rich Robinson | 2016 | 9:05:38 |
Completed | Name |
---|---|
35 or more | Richard Barnes |
20 or more | Kenji Ogawa |
15 or more | Margaret Cook, Don Rowston, Merridy Huxley, Peter Fitzgerald, Tom Simmat, John Duffy |
10 or more | Martin Dearnley, Bruce Goodall, Rob Vallis, Warren Huxley, Urs Mader, Derek Simmonds |