Darwin is a major support centre for commercial prawn and fishing industries, and a hub for oil, gas and mining. The Australian Navy has its northern patrol boat fleet stationed here. As a result it’s an excellent place for cruising yachts to stop for repairs and maintenance. All the major engine and yacht equipment suppliers have shops and service centres here.
All vessels over 25 metres entering Darwin Harbour limits must have a pilot on board. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a commercial or private vessel. Every marina demands comprehensive paperwork and vessel insurance in place before they’ll let you into their locks. Start a conversation in advance and email a copy of your insurance to avoid the irritation of waiting on anchor out in the roads.
Darwin is a major support centre for commercial prawn and fishing industries, and a hub for oil, gas and mining. The Australian Navy has its northern patrol boat fleet stationed here. As a result it’s an excellent place for cruising yachts to stop for repairs and maintenance. All the major engine and yacht equipment suppliers have shops and service centres here.
All vessels over 25 metres entering Darwin Harbour limits must have a pilot on board. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a commercial or private vessel. Every marina demands comprehensive paperwork and vessel insurance in place before they’ll let you into their locks. Start a conversation in advance and email a copy of your insurance to avoid the irritation of waiting on anchor out in the roads.
It can be difficult to secure a berth in one of the four Darwin marinas, all accessed via locks due to the tidal range. In the dry season from April to October, marina berths are hard to come by, so book in advance. July is the most difficult month due to the influx of visiting yachts joining the ‘Sail Indonesia Rally’ and the ‘Darwin to Ambon Yacht Race and Rally’.
There are three main routes from Darwin to Singapore. The first is checking in at Kupang, West Timor then leaving Savu and Sumba to the south, crossing through the island chain via the Komodo Strait. A westerly route then follows to the north of Sumbawa, Lombok, Bali, Java and north to Singapore.
Alternatively, leaving Darwin and laying a course for the Northern tip of East Timor before turning west to follow the northern reaches of Alor and Flores joining the same route north of Sumbawa. It is possible to use any of the straits between the Indonesian Islands to traverse from the Indian Ocean to the Flores Sea, but particularly the Lombok and Alas Straits have significant current and tidal races. The rule of thumb is it floods to the north and ebbs to the south.
For those not wishing to check into Indonesia, the best route is west to Christmas Island (which is Australian territory) some 1,600 miles from Darwin, then north to the Sunda Strait past Krakatoa and onward to Singapore.
Prior to Covid-19, there were three yacht races and rallies organised from Darwin into Indonesian ports. It remains to be seen what reemerges once the pandemic has receded. It is commonplace for yachts to join these events because they offer a security clearance and mass check-in facilities, including immigration clearance and cruising permits for Indonesia.
>>> Click here for a complete list of anchorages in Southeast Asia Pilot.
On the southwest corner of the Darwin peninsula, Cullen Bay Marina is a full service facility popular with cruising yachts.
It is not a conventional marina managed by a single authority, but rather a collection of berths individually owned under a strata title system. However, some berths are usually available for short-term rental for visiting yachts, except in July.
Because of the 8-metre tidal range, as with all marinas in Darwin, there is a lock system. Inside the basin there are 140 berths and the area has been developed into commercial units with shops, offices and restaurants. Plan for higher tide arrival as approaches can get shallow.
Near the lock outside there is a commercial dock for passenger cruise operations at the fuel pontoon.
VHF Ch. 11 “Cullen Bay Lock” www.cullenbaymarina.com.au
(THE ‘DUCK POND’)
The Northern Territory Department of Lands and Planning owns and operates the Frances Bay Mooring Basin, including associated wharves Hornibrooks, Fisherman’s and Raptis. The Mooring Basin or ‘Duck Pond’ lays a short way up Sadgroves Creek.
Check tides because approaches after Stokes Hill Wharf almost dry out in the spring lows. Add two metres to your own draft as the rule of thumb for the lowest tide to approach the locks around here. The internal facilities are for the commercial fishing fleet but they do accommodate visitors, especially if your yacht is too large for the other three marinas. There is often a queue at the lock so best contact in advance to reserve a slot.
The lockmaster will allocate you a position inside on European-style stern-to the dock berths. Lasso or loop a line onto the 1-metre diameter piles driven in about 25 metres off the dock and reverse in or tie alongside another boat. The jetties are fixed and there can be minor tidal movements inside when the lock is opened so don’t tie up too short on the stern.
Inside is a real cultural treat being home to more than 50 local prawn trawlers and barramundi fishermen. It’s a short walk north to the Dinah Beach Cruising Yacht Association site, with a small bar and restaurant. This is the only basin in Darwin where you can drive a vehicle right up to your vessel for loading gear or to carry out heavy maintenance.
Up to 60 trawlers can be offloading fresh banana prawns between April and June and again with tiger prawns between August and November. A few boats will sell to you direct and will have a sign out front if they do. Lockmaster: VHF Ch. 6 “Duck Pond Lock”. +61 4 0111 7062 Small Ships Scheduler: Smallships.scheduler@nt.gov.au. +61 8 8922 0617
Further up Sadgroves Creek, between the Duck Pond and Tipperary Waters Marina, is an all-tide dinghy pontoon and ramp. It’s a short walk to Dinah Beach Cruising Yacht Association (DBCYA) with a rare old-Darwin style open-air bar and restaurant.
Formed in 1982, the club has a colourful history. It offers a laundry, hardstand, careening poles, workshop and dinghy racks. Visitors are welcome. While the club doesn’t offer repair or maintenance services, there’s always someone who knows someone (including a few Mick Dundee types) who can help you.
There is a wet season yacht race series with five classes. DBCYA is the main coordinating body for the annual Darwin to Ambon Yacht Race and Rally. www.dbcya.com.au +61 8 8981 7816
Outside, and half a mile north on the opposite side of Sadgroves Creek at the turn, are a few dozen government-managed fore-and-aft moorings at 12°26.725S, 130°51.376E. They’re well made with three rows of thick braided line, buoyed at regular intervals by large yellow-painted tires.
A convenient anchorage to wait out the tide, or if you’re on a budget, is south at the wide creek mouth a few hundred metres off the north of Stokes Hill Wharf at 12°28.099S, 130°51.244E. This spot, in 8-11 metres on mud, is open to the southeast and fishing boats’ wake to and from the Duck Pond. Here, and up at the north moorings, is popular with the local liveaboard characters because it’s cheap and close to Darwin CBD. It’s a far easier option to transit shore near here than lug your dinghy up and down the beach around at Fanny Bay.
A few hundred metres further north of DBCYA is the lock entrance for the 72-berth Tipperary Waters Marina. The lock dimensions are 22 x 6.1 metres with a minimum depth of 3.5 metres. You’ll need a 4-metre tide to be comfortable approaching the lock. It is a private marina with a few berths available for visiting yachts between 12 and 21 metres. Facilities include a bar and restaurant, supermarket, laundromats and fast food outlets. There is a chandlery and sail maker a few minutes walk away. VHF Ch. 08 “Tipperary Lockmaster”.
This residential development with a 128-berth marina is the most likely basin for a visiting yacht to secure a berth, especially in July. It’s a half-mile further up Sadgroves Creek from Tipperary Marina and needs at least four metres of tide to approach the lock. The passage is not well marked so best ask advice from the lockmaster when you’re making a booking.
There are no shops or restaurants or fuel docks at Bayview but it’s nice and quiet. It’s a 40-minute walk to the CBD, but there’s a bus stop close by. Lockmaster: VHF Ch. 68 “Bayview Lock”.
+61 4 1891 0888. www.bayviewmarina.com.au
Home to the Darwin Sailing Club, this long open sandy beach offers anchorage in 10-12 metres. Beware the 8-metre tide; do not leave your boat anchored in less than 10 metres.
It’s a long ride to shore and you must take your dinghy above the high tide mark or be prepared to swim to retrieve it. There are club trolleys to help get the dinghies up the beach. There is a laundry, toilets and showers, lockers and a dinghy rack. Afternoon sea breezes can make this anchorage a bit uncomfortable. Visiting yachtsmen are welcome at the club.
