Houseboat Holiday Navigation

16 February, 202416 February, 2024in Guides, Navigation Rules and Etiquette by editor

Navigating with Beacons: A Guide for Houseboat Hirers on the Coomera River and Northern Gold Coast Broadwater

Red and Green Beacon on the Coomera River

As you embark on your houseboat adventure along the Coomera River and the Northern Gold Coast Broadwater, understanding maritime beacons is essential. These colorful markers guide mariners, ensuring safe passage through the waterways. Let’s explore the world of beacons, their meanings, and how they help you navigate.

1. Lateral Marks

Lateral marks indicate the port (left) and starboard (right) sides of navigable waters. Here’s what you need to know:

Port Mark (Red):
- Shape: Can-like
- Color: Red
- Light: Red flashing light at night
  Travelling up stream to Coomera Houseboat Marina with Red Beacons on Left and Green Beacons on Right.
- Pass on the port side when traveling upstream (away from the sea).
Starboard Mark (Green):
- Shape: Cone-like
- Color: Green
- Light: Green light at night
- Pass on the starboard side when traveling upstream.

2. Cardinal Marks

Cardinal marks guide mariners using compass directions. Imagine a clock face:

North Cardinal Mark:
- Top cones point up (North).
- Flashing white light (quick or very quick).
East Cardinal Mark:
- Top cones resemble an egg (think ‘e’ for East).
- Flashing white light (quick or very quick, 3 times every 5 or 10 seconds).
South Cardinal Mark:
- Top cones point down (South).
- Flashing white light (quick or very quick, 6 times followed by a long flash every 10 or 15 seconds).
West Cardinal Mark:
- Safe water to the West.
- Flashing white light (varies).

3. Remember the Rule

Travelling up stream to Coomera Houseboat Marina with Red Beacons on Left and Green Beacons on Right.

When a single lateral mark is present:
- Upstream (away from the sea and heading North in the Broadwater): Keep port marks on your port side (left) and starboard marks on your starboard side (right).
  Travel downstream from Coomera Houseboat Marina with Green Beacons on Left and Red Beacons on Right.
- Downstream (towards the sea and heading South in the Broadwater): Reverse the sides.

Conclusion

As you cruise the Coomera River and the Northern Gold Coast Broadwater, keep an eye out for these beacons—they’re your guides to safe navigation! Whether you drop anchor for a fishing break or enjoy a BBQ on the upper deck, let the beacons lead the way.

HIRER’S HINTS WITH LONGYING

28 March, 202318 July, 2023in Guides, Houseboat Holiday 101: From Novice to Expert, Prior To Hire Tips by editor

There is no better person to give first hand tips and tricks for a Houseboat Holiday than the hirer themselves.

Please enjoy these stories, images and memorable moments captured and shared by our guests. Hopefully they will shed some insider knowledge for those considering or returning to hire a Houseboat and inspire the Skipper in all of us!

Let’s go on a journey with Longying, who has travelled with us on three occasions, once of Kea Lea and twice on our Luxury Spa Boat Aegean. She is a well seasoned Skipper now.

How many times have your hired a Houseboat?

I have hired the houseboats three times.

Which Houseboat from our fleet have you hired?

First time was on Kea Lea and my friend organised everything. Then I hired Aegean twice. My friends and I all like Aegean. The four spacious bedrooms are really comfortable. Perfect for families and friends to catch up during a holiday. Every facility on Aegean is good and it is easy to control.

What is it about Houseboating that keeps you coming back?

It’s really a fantastic getaway to spend holiday with children. Definitely better than just renting a hotel. Lots of things to do on a houseboat, fishing, crabbing, steering the boat, swimming, walking on the beach…everyday beautiful sunrise and sunset!

What is your most memorable Houseboating experience?

Last December the kids all enjoyed the dinghy with the outboard engine. Next summer holiday we will definitely hire again!

What is your favourite anchorage in our cruising ground?

We like 13 , 17 where we got some eels. Anchorage 11 is a good place for the kids to play in the water.

What is your top tip for a first time Houseboat Hirer?

Be careful when you are steering the boat

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HIRER’S HINTS WITH DAZ

30 March, 202218 July, 2023in Guides, Houseboat Holiday 101: From Novice to Expert, Prior To Hire Tips by editor

There is no better person to give first hand tips and tricks for a Houseboat Holiday than the hirer themselves.

Let’s go on a journey with Daz and Amanda who travelled with us for the first time in March 2022, on Getaway . This was a week long hire to celebrate Amanda’s birthday, with many memorable tales to tell.

How many times have your hired a Houseboat?

This was our first time but hard to imagine it will be our last as we loved every minute of it.

Which Houseboat from our fleet have you hired?

We took the Getaway out and it was perfect for us, small enough to feel confident maneuvering it around when we picked up and dropped off our daughter and her boyfriend from Jacobs Well for a couple of nights and yet so spacious inside to relax. Space upstairs to escape and read and relax if needing some time alone. The full size oven even meant I was able to bake a cake for my wife’s birthday! Plenty of room for fishing out the back or to enjoy a drink admiring the stunning views. A great size boat for either a couple or 4 people.

What is it about Houseboating that keeps you coming back?

Well this was our first time but it is the most relaxed holiday we have ever had, no having to carry everything to a fishing spot or even plan as you simply drop a line in. Same with the kayak, no lugging it to the water, simply drop it in the water and off you go. Having everything just feet away makes it so easy. Being able to see dolphins, turtles, pelicans, ducks, stingrays, birds and wallabies all from the boat is pretty cool. The serenity! So quiet falling asleep listening to the water lapping and the fish jumping or the birds singing was such a treat.

What is your most memorable Houseboating experience?

Funnily enough the most memorable experience was the one that should have been the worst, we managed to ground the boat in some mud and spent 5 hours waiting for the tide to rescue us ! Ben on the support line was so calm and supportive that we ended up relaxing enough to catch more fish than any other day and enjoy the peace and quiet for most of that time, I rang support a couple of times to get more reassurance that all would be ok and it turned out to be fine.

A 30 minute storm that woke us one night was pretty memorable too.

As far as the memory that will keep us coming back, I guess being forced to relax whether that meant a cold drink staring at a sunset or the surroundings or just having a fishing line in the water even though I am not a keen fisherman like the wife I found myself loving just popping a line in.

What is your favourite anchorage in our cruising ground?

We spent most of our time at Dux Anchorage as we didn’t see a reason to move until we had to pick up our visitors. Caught some fish each day here, took the dingy ashore and walked across the island to the sand dunes and stunning beach on the other side, had daily visits by the local ducks, saw a dolphin cruise by. Nice protection from any wind meant calm water for kayaking or dingy trips most of the time. Half a dozen boats anchored there during our stay so a lot quieter than some of the other spots we saw. (Spent 2 nights at Tiger Mullet which was even quieter with good fishing and one final night at Neverfail Island where we were the only boat).

What is your top tip for a first time Houseboat Hirer?

Use insect repellent from the first minute you stop lol. In the excitement of anchoring for the first time and setting up we got eaten alive by sand flies!

Second tip would be to not be afraid to contact support if you have any questions as they are brilliant and don’t make you feel silly no matter what the question.

On a less practical tip, just go with the flow, don’t plan or over think things, let things just happen and enjoy every moment.

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HIRER’S HINTS WITH LISA

9 February, 202218 July, 2023in Guides, Houseboat Holiday 101: From Novice to Expert, Prior To Hire Tips by editor

There is no better person to give first hand tips and tricks for a Houseboat Holiday than the hirer themselves.

Let’s go on a journey with Lisa, who travelled with us for the first time in August 2021 on Seaview and recently returned again in November aboard Sapphire Lady. Lisa is a local lady, and she has taken both her trips with her beautiful family.

How many times have your hired a Houseboat?

Twice.

Which Houseboat from our fleet have you hired?

Sapphire Lady and Seaview. Loved both boys but Seaview was perfect for us 2 adults and 3 kids (10, 9, 9).

What is it about Houseboating that keeps you coming back?

The fun, the laughs and being on the water with the beautiful scenery changing minute by minute. You forget all your worries and just breathe in the sea air and live in the moment!

What is your most memorable Houseboating experience?

Too many! For me, it was waking up earlier than everyone else and sitting on the front deck with my coffee and doing some fishing! Absolute bliss!

What is your favourite anchorage in our cruising ground?

To date, would have to be Tipplers passage. As we have only been twice, we haven’t explored too much but it was just so relaxing and beautiful there. We could also just dinghy to the South Stradbroke Island and the kids would play on the sand.

What is your top tip for a first time Houseboat Hirer?

Relax! I was way more relaxed the second time. Don’t be afraid to just stop and regroup! Much easier to have a rough plan of where you would like to explore and check it out on the map first.

Also our skipper who did the run down with us at the start, gave us a great app to use! Made navigating around so much easier for someone like me who had no idea about water rules!

And most of all, enjoy every second because as soon as you get home, you’ll want to be back on the water in one of the amazing boats!!

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HIRER’S HINTS WITH PATRICE

30 December, 202118 July, 2023in Guides, Houseboat Holiday 101: From Novice to Expert, Prior To Hire Tips by editor

There is no better person to give first hand tips and tricks for a Houseboat Holiday than the hirer themselves.

Let us go on a journey with Patrice on board Getaway, who returned in August 2021 to Houseboating after a few years break, and fell right back in love with the journey from the get go.

How many times have your hired a Houseboat?

This is my 4^th time over a number of years.

Which Houseboat from our fleet have you hired?

We hired a small one level/one bed houseboat approx. 30 years ago.

Then the same type of houseboat but larger a few years later.

Then a larger boat again (that had mirrors in the living area), I cannot remember the name and this was also a few years later.

Then our most recent trip was in August on Getaway.

My favourite boat was the small one level boat with the large deck at the front, only because it allowed you to be close to the water, with plenty of deck space to be outdoors on the one level. I think this is why we chose Getaway, as it is a similar setup with the large deck but not overly large.

What is it about Houseboating that keeps you coming back?

Boating is in my DNA having grown up in the Redlands with Moreton Bay as my backyard. My Great Grandfather, Harry Sullivan, built the first passenger ferry on the Brisbane River and that is just the start of our history on the Bay. My Grandpa and Nana, Pete and Marg Taylor, owned Bay Islands Transport for many years and we also lived on Russell Island. My father worked his own Trawler in the bay as well.

Having owned boats myself which have now been sold, I miss the peace the water creates in your whole being, and to be able to hire a houseboat and get back to doing what you love is just perfect.

What is your most memorable Houseboating experience?

The most recent on Getaway, we had an incident which capsized our Tinnie and had no idea what we were going to do, it was too heavy to right ourselves and we were stuffed. Then we met a wonderful couple, Marty and Tess that were moored close to us and came to see if we needed help, cut a long story short we were able to make it to shore and were able to turn the boat over, which would have been impossible without them.

Also, the service we received from Coomera Houseboats in the wake of the above adventure. After I emailed them to advise what had happened and they called us the next morning and and offered to bring us a new tender and motor and kindly towed our wounded tinnie and outboard back to the base. As our new outboard had been submerged in saltwater for some time they also changed the oil and ran new fuel through the engine which saved it seizing. We were so grateful to Coomera Houseboats for that.

What is your favourite anchorage in our cruising ground?

Our favourite spot would be Tipplers, especially through the week when there is less traffic. Weekends get crazy mainly with Jet skis.

What is your top tip for a first time Houseboat Hirer?

Take your time, it is not a race!

Listen to your Skipper when doing the handover and ask questions if not sure.

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HIRER’S HINTS WITH JAMES

24 November, 202118 July, 2023in Guides, Houseboat Holiday 101: From Novice to Expert, Prior To Hire Tips by editor

There is no better person to give first hand tips and tricks for a Houseboat Holiday than the hirer themselves.

Let us go on a journey with James and his wife Geri, who have travelled four times in 2021 from Brisbane, on Dusk Breaker, Osprey, Getaway and Sapphire Lady. It is safe to say James and Geri are well seasoned Houseboat Captain now!

How many times have your hired a Houseboat?

Five trips so far and hopefully many more to come!

Which Houseboat from our fleet have you hired?

A couple of the boats from earlier trips are no longer part of the Coomera fleet, but more recently we’ve hired Getaway, Dusk Breaker, Osprey and Sapphire Lady. All are great boats, but I’d have to say Sapphire Lady suited us nicely for a trip with only a small group on board.

What is it about Houseboating that keeps you coming back?

I’ve always loved being out on the water. Houseboating really allows you to step away from the stresses of day to day life and find that peaceful place, while still having most of the mod cons to keep you comfortable. Days for me mostly revolve around eating, fishing, chatting and maybe a drink or two (or three). Exercise might not be high on the agenda each day, but surely a quick trip out in the dinghy to find some yabbies’ counts for something, right?

What is your most memorable Houseboating experience?

That’s a hard one – they’re all good. A few memories really stand out, mostly of friends and family marveling at the wonderful waterways and wildlife north of the Gold Coast. Where else can you watch pods of dolphins swim past your home or feed bacon rinds to circling eagles? As a keen but not particularly talented fisherman, I can say I cherish every fish I land, but apparently I’m best at leaving all the good ones for others to catch!

What is your favourite anchorage in our cruising ground?

Has to be Tiger Mullet… plenty of deep water, room to avoid other boats and a good yabbie bank exposed at low tide. Fishing can also be really good – just ask the locals who drift up and down the anchorage fishing in close to the mangroves or the ospreys that circle overhead.

What is your top tip for a first time Houseboat Hirer?

Don’t try to do too much – find a nice spot and enjoy it for a bit. From bitter experience, I’d also say don’t forget the jar of coffee (:-o) and if the dinghy outboard conks out you’ve probably left the valve on top of the petrol tank closed!

HIRER’S HINTS WITH SAM

17 November, 202118 July, 2023in Guides, Houseboat Holiday 101: From Novice to Expert, Prior To Hire Tips by editor

There is no better person to give first hand tips and tricks for a Houseboat Holiday than the hirer themselves.

Let us go on a journey with Sam, a local photographer from the Gold Coast who surprised her partner for their Anniversary in March 2021 aboard Aristocat.

How many times have your hired a Houseboat?

I have hired a houseboat once and it was with Coomera Houseboats. It was for an anniversary present for my partner to get out of the house – away from the kids and phones for a full long weekend. Best present ever.

Which Houseboat from our fleet have you hired?

We hired Aristocat which was perfect for the 2 of us.

What is it about Houseboating that keeps you coming back?

The freedom and the experience was sensational and takes you away from the busy world we live in. AWAY being the key word and not even leaving our state. Perfect.

What is your most memorable Houseboating experience?

When my partner and I were on the houseboat I was watching him catch 5 fish in a row which was exciting and I was able to capture some of the amazing wildlife around the areas on my camera. Sun rises and sun sets were magical out on the water and having our meals on the deck just gives you that sense of freedom and space that your are far away from everything. And you are. Far away enough to enjoy the quiet times until the music goes on and the champers comes out.

What is your favourite anchorage in our cruising ground?

Finding a favourite place for me is hard to pick as there are so many hidden corners we went to and having that space away from everyone else was more of my favourite time as opposed to one place. All surroundings were fabulous and I’m excited to go back on board again.

What is your top tip for a first time Houseboat Hirer?

If I was to give a top tip, it would be to book a boat big enough for the people you are going with.

We booked a boat for 4 – 5 people and there was only 2 of us. Not sure about anyone else, but I like my space, so go big I say to feel open and not so cluttered in one small space. Our boat was prefect for just us 2 and I would not have liked it if others were with us. Too crowded otherwise.

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HIRER’S HINTS WITH HAYDYN

21 October, 202118 July, 2023in Guides, Houseboat Holiday 101: From Novice to Expert, Prior To Hire Tips by editor

There is no better person to give first hand tips and tricks for a Houseboat Holiday than the hirer themselves.

Let us go on a journey with Haydyn, who travelled with his crew from Tasmania to hire our Luxury Spa Boat Aegean for the first time in June 2021.

How many times have your hired a Houseboat?

Just once.

Which Houseboat from our fleet have you hired?

Aegean Spa and clearly it’s our favourite… its large… has a spa… very comfy

What is it about Houseboating that keeps you coming back?

Just love the ability to relax and do your own thing.

What is your most memorable Houseboating experience?

The freedom.

What is your favourite anchorage in our cruising ground?

We really enjoyed our stop up near Steigletz, just in a little channel east of that. We had the most wonderful sunset and storm view from there.

What is your top tip for a first time Houseboat Hirer?

Understand how the anchor works. We had a sleepless night one night not fully understanding if we were going to be washed away!

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HOUSEBOATING, THERES NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME…

31 August, 202128 March, 2023in Guides by editor

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HOUSEBOATING,

THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME

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Ticking off bucket list activities is something travelers all desire to do. We have those overseas countries we dream of, the luxurious hotels we save up for, the rugged escapes that inspire us and all the unique places in between that meet our wanderlust and keep us coming back for more. With our international borders currently on pause we are being asked to reimagine new ways of topping up our travelling cup in our own backyard.

Australia is a vast and amazing country, from pristine coastlines, enormous deserts and towering waterfalls; to surf, snow, hiking, island hopping and four-wheel driving; to resorts, boutique bed and breakfasts, one of a kind air bnbs and caravan parks. We are rich with choice when it comes to choosing our next backyard holiday. Surprisingly though, for a country surrounded by water, many of our Aussie adventures are land based despite the world of water that is on our door step.

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This is where a Houseboat Holiday comes in! For travelers looking for something different, where the east coast of Queensland’s beautiful warm waterways could become your floating home, a houseboat is the vessel that will make your next holiday an unforgettable one. What especially sets this apart from other water based tours and excursions is you are the Captain of your own ship, with a splash of comfort, independence, adventure and the accolade of skippering your own boat.

When we try to make comparisons to overseas plans it can be challenging to find something that ticks all the excitable boxes of jetting overseas, so we have to begin to think outside the box. For many, hiring a Houseboat of their very own is precisely the exclusive holiday they are yearning for, as they get to experience the freedom of holidaying on the water with gorgeous swimming spots, an abundance of fishing and crabbing, access to south Stradbroke Island, meals shared with friends and family with the water lapping by the boat, sunbaking in style on your private boat deck and sunsets that feel like you are a million miles from land.

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For travelers who are wondering when they will be able to rekindle their love of foreign travel again perhaps it is time to try your hand at captaining your own boat, for there is no greater feeling of freedom than standing at the helm of a boat navigating your way to a secluded anchorage. Maybe you have never heard of Houseboating and you are wondering why you have not tried this earlier, or maybe you have been on a houseboat holiday before and it’s time to dust off the Captains hat again; either way we have a large fleet of Houseboats on offer, from our smaller more intimate boats to our larger luxury spa vessels, with options for all your crewing needs. Plus a cruising ground that is one of the largest, safest and most sheltered areas for exploring on a Houseboat.

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The Coomera Houseboat Crew love to make every visitor’s holiday experience match or exceed their expectations. Please call us to discuss the various Houseboating options with our team

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Cook That Thing On Your Hook!

9 March, 202027 June, 2023in Fishing, Guides, Houseboat Holiday Activities, Recipes by editor

Fresh fish and chips taste completely different from the cardboard filled cups of soggy chips or paper wrapped greasy fish and chip dishes you buy from your local takeaway. I know that there are some great takeaway places who can produce amazing fish and chip dishes, but seriously, if you can catch, clean and cook a fish within an hour, you will not believe the difference in the taste!

I am salivating as I type this for you, and I may just need to go and put a line in the water so I can enjoy this dish for dinner tonight! Just follow the 5 steps below and you can experience the magic of this taste bud tantalising delicacy yourself.

Step One:

Head to Coomera Houseboats and book in the best vessel for your fishing adventure. Check out the recipe below and make sure you take the couple of ingredients that you will need – except for the flathead, as it is almost guaranteed that you will reel in the biggest, tastiest flathead on the Gold Coast!

Step Two:

Make sure you bring your fishing rods or grab a couple for your crew at our bait and tackle shop on-site. We also sell the best bait and accessories to ensure that the local fish bite!

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Step Three:

Untie your houseboat, put on your captain’s hat and head out to one of the best fishing spots around.

The fishing and crabbing on the Gold Coast is great! One of the features of our magnificent cruising area is the abundant fish and crab life that inhabit our waterways and are available to you – if you can catch them.

Step Four:

So, for today’s mouth-sized morsels you now need to catch the best flathead around. Easier said than done? Not at all!

Speak to our staff when you arrive and they can give you hints and tips on how and where to catch a good size flathead for your dinner. You can also ask the staff at the bait and tackle shop on site when you are buying all the necessities you need for a victorious fishing trip.

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Step Five:

OK, you have the equipment, you have circled the best flathead fishing spots on the Coomera Houseboats Cruising Map, everyone is aboard, and the frying pan is at the ready…. Look out flathead, here we come!

After a relaxing hour or so motoring to your secret fishing spot, throwing the lines in the water, and having a lovely beverage or two (except for the captain who is, of course, completely sober and in control of the vessel) … you have done all the hard work and the flathead has been caught, cleaned and is ready to cook!

“But” you say loudly, “How do we cook this thing on our hook?” This is the easiest part of the day! Here is my tried and true, easiest ever and most mouth-watering recipe for fresh flathead fillets and crispy potato wedges.

Fresh Flathead Fillets and Crispy Potato Wedges

Ingredients:

Baby potatoes
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled and bruised (or garlic and herb seasoning)
Salt & pepper
Olive oil
An amazing flathead, freshly caught and expertly filleted, cut into thick strips
Flour
1 tablespoon chopped chives (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat your houseboat oven to 210°C.

2. Cut the potatoes into wedges and microwave on a microwaveable plate for 4 minutes.

3. Transfer potato to a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper.

4. Add the garlic, (or garlic and herb seasoning) and sprinkle generously with salt, pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil.

5. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes (while your flathead is cooking) or until crispy and golden.

6. Toss the flathead fillets in a little flour, salt and pepper, and shake off any excess.

7. Heat a non-stick frying pan with a little olive oil and cook the fish in batches for 4 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

8. If desired, sprinkle the chives over the potato and serve immediately with the fish.

And … there you go, the easiest, tastiest dinner for your family, just like that!

Now that you are salivating and wanting to taste amazing fish for yourself, head over to our website, choose the best vessel for your fishing adventure and book it.

Make sure you send us pics of your mouth-watering flathead dinner dishes that you have created aboard one of our Coomera Houseboat vessels. Happy sailing (and cooking!).