Heaven can Wait – Australia

The Heaven Can Wait sailing race is a charity fundraising yacht race that is raced on Lake Macquarie in NSW Australia. The fleet is variable in size dependent on expected weather conditions.

How much time do I need?
The race is for a maximum of 24 hours and as a result you need to allow the full weekend for the event.
Depending on the crew and the recovery times, sleep or ale/rum intake that you manage may involve a recovery day.

How many yachts compete
Depending on the weather the number of yachts may range from 15 to 50 or more.

The race track.
The track covers a large amount of Lake Macquarie which is one of the largest lakes in Australia and includes laps from one end to the other. The track gives a great opportunity for visitors and locals alike to view the many and varied places around the lake.
The track includes a path around Pulbah Island that is located in the lake.

Pre Event
The prevent activities are generally located around the Toronto Royal Motor Yacht Club and have included BBQs, fundraising activities and stunt plane fly overs.

Post Event
Depending on the time that your race selection finishes will determine the options available. Most clubs do not have a 24 hour licence.

Where to stay
There are numerous locations to stay around the lake and it is dependent on the location of your mooring for your yacht. The motor sail to the start is generally less than 1 hour from most locations around the lake.

Accommodation options include hotels, pubs and airBnB. Newcastle is also about 30 minutes drive away which also includes many options for accommodation, restaurants and entertainment.

Challenges
The 12 and 24 hour options for the race includes night sections in close proximity to other yachts and in shallow areas of the lake. Be alert for your depth.
The course generally has long up hill sections and long spinnaker runs.
The weather and land formations around the lake can create gusts in some locations including high wind speeds mixed with very quiet areas around the lake.

Location 
The beautiful Lake Macquarie located in NSW Australia. Adjacent to the city of Newcastle and about 2 hours drive from Sydney.

Local Facts

Lake Macquarie or Awaba is Australia‘s largest coastal salt water lagoon. Located in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, it covers an area of 110 square kilometres (42.5 sq mi) and is connected to the Tasman Sea by a short channel called Swansea Channel. The channel is tidal and can have very large currents running at peak tide change. Most of the residents of the City of Lake Macquarie live near the shores of the lake.

Lake Macquarie is twice as large as Sydney Harbour and is one of the largest salt water lagoons in the Southern Hemisphere. It is slightly smaller than Port Stephens, which is about 43 kilometres (27 mi) to the northeast of the lake.

Entry Fees
The usual entry fee is around $500 or more but this money does directly to the charity. The fees for the race are established by setting up a web page to ask your friends and family to sponsor to meet
the targeted entry fee. Many yachts raise a substantial more than the base entry fee. Any entrance that does not meet the minimum fee are required to make the difference.

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