I am writing on behalf of the Twofold Bay Yacht Club at Eden to request the assistance of Yachting Queensland in conducting a survey of yacht clubs whose members might use a marina in Eden if safe, all weather moorings were available in Snug Cove.
As you may be aware, Eden port is currently not safe for yachts in southerly weather, yachts cannot be left unattended and there is a long history of local and visiting vessels suffering significant damage in storm conditions. For this reason most cruising and racing yachts avoid the port unless urgent repairs are required. Many Sydney to Hobart yachts have been forced in over the years and have often had great difficulty trying to avoid damage in the port.
Twofold Bay has excellent deep water access in all conditions and good services are available in the port, also it is close to the town. Potentially it is one of the most favourable ports between Sydney/Melbourne/Hobart and other eastern and southern Australian ports. There are Customs facilities for overseas arrivals.
The yacht club, other local organisations and the Bega Valley Shire have had a long running campaign for the construction of a safe, all weather marina in the port. In recent months a wave attenuation study has been carried out which shows where a breakwater or similar structure could be placed to provide a large protected area for a marina.
Our aim is to develop the project to the development approval stage. In this context the proponents have been asked to provide an estimate of the number of yachts likely to visit the port if safe marina berths were available. Therefore we are requesting that Yachting Queensland carry out a brief survey of all relevant clubs asking for an estimate of how many of their members would pass Eden each year and how many would call at the port and length of stay if a marina was available.
I attach a draft questionnaire which you may like to use.
A survey by Yachting Queensland would carry much more weight than anything that we could do directly with other clubs.
The members of the Twofold Bay Yacht Club, the south east NSW boating fraternity, the Eden community and many cruising and racing sailors will be very grateful if Yachting Queensland can support and assist this project.
Yours sincerely
Robert Bain
Committee member
0418622791/02 64943064