Akuna Bay Cruising
Guide for Yachts
The Akuna Bay cruising guide for yachts begins at one of the most sheltered and strategically important marina harbours in the entire Hawkesbury–Cowan Creek system. Hidden deep inside Ku‑ring‑gai Chase National Park, Akuna Bay sits at the head of Coal and Candle Creek, surrounded by steep forested hills that mute the wind and eliminate swell entirely.
For yachts cruising between Pittwater, Broken Bay and the Hawkesbury River, Akuna Bay is the inland service centre, a place to refuel, take on water, complete repairs and berth securely in all conditions. Despite its remote, national‑park setting, it is heavily used by Sydney‑based yachts as a quieter, more protected alternative to the city’s marinas.
Akuna Bay Cruising
Guide for Yachts - Approach
The approach to Akuna Bay begins in Cowan Creek, where deep water and steep sandstone walls create a calm, predictable waterway free of swell and shifting sandbanks. Coal and Candle Creek branches east from the main channel, opening into a long, narrow gorge with depths commonly between ten and fifteen metres. The waterway gradually shoals as it winds inland, but remains comfortably navigable for keel yachts all the way to the marina basin. The final approach is dredged and maintained, with three to five metres available depending on tide, and the entrance remains usable in all weather. There is no bar, no surf and no tidal hazard beyond the gentle one‑to‑one‑and‑a‑half‑metre range typical of Broken Bay.
Akuna Bay Cruising
Guide for Yachts - Marina
Akuna Bay is a full‑service marina offering secure floating berths, diesel and petrol fuel, fresh water at all berths, shore power and pump‑out facilities. The basin is completely sheltered, with flat water in all conditions and excellent protection from wind. The marina supports mechanical, electrical and shipwright services, along with a slipway and hardstand suitable for antifouling, hull work and extended maintenance periods. The setting inside the national park makes it one of the most peaceful and secure berthing options in the region, and many Sydney‑based yachts use it as a long‑term base specifically because of its calm environment.
Akuna Bay Cruising
Guide for Yachts - Anchorages and
moorings
Akuna Bay is a marina harbour rather than an anchorage, and anchoring is not permitted within the basin or in the narrow approach channel due to limited space and environmental protection rules. Yachts seeking natural overnight anchorages use the surrounding bays of Cowan Creek, Yeomans Bay, Refuge Bay, America Bay and Jerusalem Bay, all of which offer deep, sheltered, all‑weather holding. Akuna Bay functions as the service hub for these anchorages, providing the fuel, water and repairs that the natural bays cannot.
Akuna Bay Cruising
Guide for Yachts - Provisioning
Provisioning for Akuna Bay is done entirely outside the marina precinct, as the harbour sits deep inside Ku‑ring‑gai Chase National Park and is accessed only via McCarrs Creek Road, a winding National Park road that connects the marina to the northern suburbs of Sydney. Because every crew using Akuna Bay arrives by vehicle, provisioning is straightforward once outside the park boundary. The closest full‑service supermarkets are in Terrey Hills, Mona Vale and Warriewood, all within a practical driving distance.
Terrey Hills offers both Woolworths and IGA, along with several fresh‑produce outlets and weekend growers’ stalls that are popular with locals stocking up on fruit, vegetables and bakery goods. Mona Vale provides a large Woolworths and Coles, as well as specialty butchers, bakeries, bottle shops and seafood outlets suitable for full provisioning before returning to the marina. Warriewood has one of the region’s largest retail centres, with a major Woolworths, Coles and Aldi, plus extensive fresh‑food options and a well‑stocked seafood retailer. These suburbs form the provisioning triangle for Akuna Bay, and most skippers complete their full resupply in one of these locations before driving back into the National Park. The marina itself offers only a café and a small chandlery, so all meaningful provisioning is done externally.
Akuna Bay Cruising
Guide for Yachts - Marine services
Akuna Bay provides comprehensive marine support within the Hawkesbury–Cowan system, with mechanical repairs, electrical and electronics technicians, shipwright services and full hull maintenance available on site. The slipway and hardstand are well suited to antifouling, structural work and extended repair periods, and the sheltered environment makes it an ideal location for haul‑outs. Because the marina sits within easy driving distance of Sydney’s northern suburbs, skippers have access to the full metropolitan marine‑services network while still enjoying the quiet of the national‑park setting.
One of the major advantages of Akuna Bay is its proximity to Whitworths Marine & Leisure, whose head office and flagship store in Terrey Hills is only a short drive from the marina. This store is one of the largest in the country, carrying the full Whitworths inventory, including rigging hardware, electrical components, plumbing fittings, safety gear, navigation equipment and chandlery essentials. Additional Whitworths stores in Mona Vale and Brookvale are also within practical reach, giving crews multiple options for sourcing parts during maintenance periods. This cluster of major chandlery outlets makes Akuna Bay one of the most convenient inland locations in NSW for yacht repairs, upgrades and refits, despite its remote national‑park setting.
Mechanical and Electrical Repairs
Resource
If you are headed somewhere remote consider the need to expand your knowledge base or have an information resource on board. Why not get a copy of my book The Marine and Electrical and Electronics Bible 4th Edition. By and for yachties, with everything from batteries and charging, solar and wind, diesel engines and marine electronics and so much more. Your complete systems guide. 650 pages of practical advice. Go to Boat Books for a copy or order through Amazon. By an Australian yachtsman for Australian Yachtsmen and Yachtswomen. Marine systems is my profession so let me help you.
Akuna Bay Cruising
Guide for Yachts - Operational
considerations
Akuna Bay is one of the easiest harbours in New South Wales from an operational standpoint. There is no bar, no swell and no surf, and the approach remains calm in all conditions. The only navigational consideration is the narrowness of Coal and Candle Creek, which requires slow, deliberate handling and awareness of small craft moving between the marina and the main channel. Because the marina sits inside a national park, access by road is limited to a single route, and provisioning requires a drive to the northern suburbs. For coastal passage planning, Akuna Bay is an ideal base for rest, refit and preparation between offshore legs, offering secure berths and complete protection from weather.
Akuna Bay Cruising Guide for Yachts - Weather
Akuna Bay is entirely protected from ocean swell, and the steep sandstone walls surrounding Coal and Candle Creek reduce wind strength significantly. Even during strong westerlies or heavy offshore weather, the marina remains flat and calm. This makes it one of the most reliable all‑weather harbours in the state, and a preferred location for long‑term berthing, seasonal maintenance and weather‑window waiting.
Akuna Bay Cruising
Guide for Yachts - Summary
The Akuna Bay cruising guide for yachts ends with a clear operational message: this is a fully sheltered, all‑weather marina harbour offering fuel, water, repairs and secure berths deep inside Ku‑ring‑gai Chase National Park. With its calm water, comprehensive marine services and proximity to the natural anchorages of Cowan Creek, Akuna Bay is a premier inland base for yachts cruising the NSW coast, a quiet, protected alternative to Sydney’s busier marinas and an ideal location for extended stays, maintenance periods and weather‑window planning. The Akuna Bay Cruising Guide for Yachts has plenty of answers.