Port Phillip

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Sat 1 Apr 2023 05:06

Noon Position: 38 15.7 S 144 42.2 E
Course: ENE Speed 5.5 knots
Wind: SSE F3
Sea: slight Swell: nil
Weather: overcast, mild
Day's run: 97 nm

We rounded Cape Otway at 1400 yesterday and bore away to the NE towards Port Phillip Heads before a freshening S'ly breeze. We ran wing-on-wing with one reef in the main and made good time, though it was a going to be a near run thing as to whether we were going to make the Heads in time for slack water at 2330.

As it turns out we made it a little after slack water but, as we crossed the Rip, the tide was only just beginning to turn and conditions were relatively quiescent. Once passed this potential Charybdis, we altered course to the east for a pleasant sail in the cool night breeze and flat seas with clear skies and a half moon behind us lighting our way, coming to anchor off the Portsea jetty at 0050.

This morning after a bit of a sleep in we got underway at 1115 with a moderate S to SE breeze behind us. We sailed up the Western Channel, again mostly wing-on-wing, then across Port Phillip dodging a lot of weekend sailors out racing along the way. Now we have just a short distance to St Kilda where we will anchor for the night behind the the breakwater. Our ETA is 1730 and I look forward to a quiet night at anchor and a good night's sleep.

All is well.