Travellers to Port Macquarie from Sydney and the North Coast were serviced by somewhat regular coastal steamer services.  In 1900, the SS Rosedale advertised it would leave Port Macquarie ‘about every four days’. The travel time between Port and Sydney was around sixteen hours. Sea travel could be unreliable or uncomfortable depending on the weather conditions and even perilous. The steamer Macquarie operated in fair and rough weather without accident or mishap, largely due to the navigation skills and seamanship of its captain, F. W Merrett.