The pristine waterway is more than twice the size of Sydney Harbour and home to NSW's biggest marine park. It's renowned for its beaches, offshore islands and large schools of bottleneck dolphins, as well as being a sportsfishing and sailing paradise.

Boaties are spoiled for choice when it comes to marinas, with three of the best you'll find in NSW - d'Albora Nelson Bay, The Anchorage Marina and Soldiers Point Marina.

These fill to the brim when Sail Port Stephens rolls into town during April. A year after its COVID-enforced cancellation, the 2021 regatta rebounded in record style, filling not only the marina berths and moorings but motels.

The weekend series featured more than 180 yachts, sports boats and dinghies.

It's simply the perfect place for yacht racing, offering a wide variety of courses on clean and relatively protected waters, while the scenery rivals that of more distant tropical destinations.

Broughton Island for example, nine nautical miles north-east of the Port Stephens entrance, would look at home in the Whitsundays.

There's two sailing clubs, both at Soldiers Point - Port Stephens Yacht Club near Soldiers Point Marina and the Bay Sailing Centre, formerly known as Port Stephens Sailing and Aquatic Club, nestled in front of Bannisters Port Stephens resort.

The latter has a 40-year history of hosting local off-the-beach sailing as well as world, national and state championships. It faces east towards the headlands and a body of water that's widely regarded as offering one of the best sailboat racing tracks in Australia.

Fluctuating tidal flows provide a degree of challenge, yet race officers have myriad opportunities to set fair courses for all wind directions and distances - include passage races.

A long stretch of white sandy beach and two grassy reserves either side of the clubhouse provide rigging and launching opportunities for dinghies, skiffs, catamarans and sailboards alike. In addition, there is a public wharf and concrete boat ramp.

As part of a new chapter, Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club has attained the licence to run the club.

IN THE NEWS:

It is bringing a higher degree of professional staffing and resourcing to the sailing and sail training operations, while enhancing community access.

There's pointscore racing throughout summer in Lasers and O'pen skiffs, plus a raft of sail training opportunities for young or novice sailors keen to try the sport.

The upper floor of the centre is the perfect place to watch sailing activities or enjoy a post-race get-together, either inside or on the veranda.

It has a cafe serving coffee and snacks, while also being available for functions.

Speaking of which, one of the best views and lunches you'll find in Port Stephens is at the Inner Light Tea House at Nelson Head. It's where Marine Rescue Port Stephens has its radio base as well.

Catching a ferry from Nelson Bay, or cruising across, to Tea Gardens for a pub counter lunch is another must-do.

Finally, as dusk descends, there are few better cruising anchorages than Fame Cove.

I've spent so many chilled afternoons watching sunsets in this sheltered little bay that, with every new boat I test, I ask myself: "What would it be like in Fame Cove?".

Comfortable outdoor seating and table, a good sound system, barbecue and icebox are prerequisites.

Meanwhile, a great place to evaluate the boarding platform and dinghy launching system, if you like swimming and fishing in crystal-clear water, is Jimmys Beach on the western side of the Hawks Nest sand spit. It's at its absolute best in summer, providing shelter from the prevailing nor'easters.

PS: You're incredible.

Newcastle ocean racing yacht Mako is renowned for making older guys look, feel and act younger once they step aboard, such is the fun had on and off the water.

Now, though, they've injected some real youth to the crew with the aim of providing experience.

Last Friday, young guns Jack Buchan, Marcus Busch, Brad Dodds, Felix Prince, Courtney Smith and Alicia Watt headed offshore aboard the syndicate-owned Sydney 40 to clock some sea miles ahead of the Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race.

They weren't deterred by the forecast, which correctly predicted a sou-west front and heavy rain, because training opportunities are scarce.

As it turns out though, the race has just been postponed from July 31, with October 15 potentially the revised date.

It's likely the team will now aim for Hamilton Island Race Week in August before a trip to the NT for the inaugural Elliott Interclub Challenge - an initiative between Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club and Darwin Sailing Club.

Incidentally, Mako claimed some impressive silverware at this year's Sail Port Stephens, winning Performance Racing Division 1 with co-owner Tim Dodds at the helm.

"We've had some podium finishes before at Airlie Beach, but I think this is the best result for the boat," Dodds said at the time.

"Most of the owners have been on board but we also like to bring a few newbies in, so they get the experience as well."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: