Hi, I have just moved to the Rocks and would like to find the best spots for sailing.
120Lt board and sails 5.4 to 7.4
I have had one sail so far on Trial Bay in a south westerly about 16knots.
Is the Mcleay river a safe alternative when the wind is the wrong direction for the bay? 
Hi,
I used to live fairly close to SW Rocks and sailed there regularly. The best wind direction for sailing in Trial Bay is the NE seabreeze. Westerly winds are good in winter but its best not to sail past the point as the wind is directly off shore. NW winds are good. I've sailed there in a southerly and it was okay but a bit sketchy.
I haven't sailed in the Macleay River but sailed a fair bit in the Nambucca River. The biggest issue is access to somewhere with a decent run. Usually where there would be access, the wind would only allow short reaches across the river, so you'd get runs of only around 100 meters.
THERMO - you will love it in summer up there. I camped at Trial Bay camping grounds next to the Gaol about 3-4 year ago in summer. When launching from this side of the Bay (the east side) you actually sail on the opposite tack to the normal coast/beach sailing direction in NE in NSW. So you launch starboard tack instead of the usual port tack in NE. The fun thing I found about the joint was the small waves wrapping through to the inside of the bay. Even if it is just wind swell, you would get uniform waves coming through that were unreal for jumping. Then past the point its absolutely smoking and full on bump and jump ocean swells. That Bay has so much to offer for you. Even in winter with the westerlies as Mobydisc mentioned. For the gear you are riding you will have a heap of sails in summer. I would love to sail it when there is a big NE swell running just for the jumps. What I couldn't get over was the strength of the NE coming around the point. It must get whipped around, pushing it up a few knots. And smooth on the inside. Personally I wouldn't bother with river sailing if you have crystal clear blue water to sail in the Bay.
Peto is right, it is unreal and very different in summer in a cranking sea breeze.
But dont forget a howling southerly. Years ago we sailed from under the gaol all the way to the beach near town in pretty flat water and cranking wind.
just beware of the sunken pilings near the beach, they just pop up and very hard to see. Although probably gone by now!!
Great after sailing beer spot under the gaol too!
Hi Guys, thanks for the reponces.
The ship wreck pilings are still visiable, even more so now because of the storms that they have had here this year.
where exactly are these pilings? im going there in september and don't want to spear myself on one of them 
Hi Dutchy,
There are two ship wrecks that are in the water on the town side of the bay.
One is quite visiable but the other is only visiable at very low tide.
Best to keep well away from them.
