Sailing The Rip into Port Philip Victoria

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

Tide Predictions for Australia, South Pacific and Antarctica

This also looks very handy!

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Now that is really helpful all the previous discussions and I had not found that before. I'll book mark this one.

I'm not even sure how you found this link. I've book marked it, but without doing that I can't seem to find it.

[Snowpetrel]

Bom》marine and ocean》tidal predictions. Then the map comes up with all the red balloons. At the top of the map are two tabs, one says locations map, the other location list. Hit the list and scroll down till you find it.

Alternatively on the locations map hit the dot at the bottom right of the map for tidal streams.

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[Oceanride007]

Yes, it is pretty good. I had a look at the next couple of days comparing to Williamstown High and low and the correlation is very good, so if your planning is off a little so long as you have tidetables, your good.

[Rustic Charm]

My son and I left yesterday morning at 9:30am for Flinders. We are currently 60 miles out. Eta 8pm I suspect. We have been motor sailing as the wind for the past 12 hours has been below 10 knotts and my new auto pilot set up doesn't like it when our speed drops to below 4.

Tomorrow we will probably be up early to be around at the rip for a 7:10am low. Tonight I'll just borrow a mooring at Flinders for the night.

Odd thing about this trip there has been absolutely no, nothing, nada other traffic. I even have my AIS set at 20 miles and still nothing.

[GILow]

Excellent news!

Re the traffic, I heard a rumour that marine cargo traffic is at 15% of it's peak before the GFC, which, if true, may account for the relative quietness. I know when we crossed the entrance to Port Phillip Bay a few years ago I felt like the proverbial tortoise crossing a freeway.

Re Flinders, it can be a bit of a bouncy anchorage. Don't ask me how I know this.

[Jim Cate]

RC, we recently did th Macquarie Harbour to Eden run, and I also noticed what seemed like sparse traffic. Saw one ship visually before crossing the traffic separation area where we saw one other. Several on the AIS, but well out of visual range. Only one fishing boat, too, somewhere off Malacoota. Pretty lonely, it was!

Enjoy your sailing...

Jim

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by GILow

Excellent news!

Re the traffic, I heard a rumour that marine cargo traffic is at 15% of it's peak before the GFC, which, if true, may account for the relative quietness. I know when we crossed the entrance to Port Phillip Bay a few years ago I felt like the proverbial tortoise crossing a freeway.

Re Flinders, it can be a bit of a bouncy anchorage. Don't ask me how I know this.

I've just estimated it will take about 4 hours to position ourselves for the 7:10am low tomorrow. Which would mean a 3am departure. not sure what do do. I think I need a coffee.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

RC, we recently did th Macquarie Harbour to Eden run, and I also noticed what seemed like sparse traffic. Saw one ship visually before crossing the traffic separation area where we saw one other. Several on the AIS, but well out of visual range. Only one fishing boat, too, somewhere off Malacoota. Pretty lonely, it was!

Enjoy your sailing...

Jim

I've now picked up Forrest Harmoney 12 miles away to the north. That's the first vessel at all for the trip. Last year, especially near Wilson's Prom we were up all night keeping an eye on freighters in the lanes.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

I've just estimated it will take about 4 hours to position ourselves for the 7:10am low tomorrow. Which would mean a 3am departure. not sure what do do. I think I need a coffee.

4 hours? That's faster than I'd make it. That assumes a bit over a six knot average. That French boat must be a rocket sled in comparison to our old tub.

From the weather forecast it appears you'll have a reasonable but slightly bumpy night at Flinders, and a downwind run in very light conditions to the entrance tomorrow morning. In those wind conditions I'd be lucky to make three knots, so I assume you are planning to motor?

Matt

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

My son and I left yesterday morning at 9:30am for Flinders. We are currently 60 miles out. Eta 8pm I suspect. We have been motor sailing as the wind for the past 12 hours has been below 10 knotts and my new auto pilot set up doesn't like it when our speed drops to below 4.

Tomorrow we will probably be up early to be around at the rip for a 7:10am low. Tonight I'll just borrow a mooring at Flinders for the night.

Odd thing about this trip there has been absolutely no, nothing, nada other traffic. I even have my AIS set at 20 miles and still nothing.

That looks to me like the 0710 slack water is the start of the ebb. You would be better waiting west of the leads until 1409 and catching the start of the flood.

0300 ish is the busy time at the heads with timed arrivals to be up in town at the start of the day shift.

10 years and three days since I retired from the day job... how time flies when you are having fun.... so best double check that info.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by GILow

4 hours? That's faster than I'd make it. That assumes a bit over a six knot average. That French boat must be a rocket sled in comparison to our old tub.

From the weather forecast it appears you'll have a reasonable but slightly bumpy night at Flinders, and a downwind run in very light conditions to the entrance tomorrow morning. In those wind conditions I'd be lucky to make three knots, so I assume you are planning to motor?

Matt

Yes, I was planning on motoring. Perhaps I should head tonight to that little town near the entrance ? Is there somewhere I can hold out

I'm doing 5.2-5.5 now with not quite my normal 2000 revs. My son is trying to sleep so I'm trying to keep the noise down.

[El Pinguino]

Memory not failing me... water level falling at Williamstown from 0725 to 1412 means water going out through entrance....water rising from 1412 to 2040 ...water coming in

Lookee here Tide Predictions for Australia, South Pacific and Antarctica

Simple when approached in this way and less likely to confuse than looking at HW and LW at Pt Lonsdale..

They used to name the slack water in the tables back in the dream time... Slack water ( start of) Flood, and Slack Water (start of) Ebb.

Dunno why they don't still do that.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Memory not failing me... water level falling at Williamstown from 0725 to 1412 means water going out through entrance....water rising from 1412 to 2040 ...water coming in

Lookee here Tide Predictions for Australia, South Pacific and Antarctica

Simple when approached in this way and less likely to confuse than looking at HW and LW at Pt Lonsdale..

They used to name the slack water in the tables back in the dream time... Slack water ( start of) Flood, and Slack Water (start of) Ebb.

Dunno why they don't still do that.

My reception keeps fading. Yes, I think that 7:10am is the start of the flood.

The 2:09pm would suit me better, it will give us all morning to get into position. But will we have enough time to get through at the 2pm time before the tide starts rushing out?

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Memory not failing me... water level falling at Williamstown from 0725 to 1412 means water going out through entrance....water rising from 1412 to 2040 ...water coming in

Lookee here Tide Predictions for Australia, South Pacific and Antarctica

Simple when approached in this way and less likely to confuse than looking at HW and LW at Pt Lonsdale..

They used to name the slack water in the tables back in the dream time... Slack water ( start of) Flood, and Slack Water (start of) Ebb.

Dunno why they don't still do that.

I'm not sure you have this right Ping. At the rip the 7:10am is a low, which means from then until 2:09 it's going to flood into the bay?

[Wanderlust]

I'm not seeing where low tide is at 7:10. It looks to me that the tidal outflow commences about 07:10 tomorrow (from high tide) and reaches 6+ knots mid morning (direction 200 degrees).

On that basis you would be better to time the entrance for the inflow after 14:09, which would give you plenty of time to find an anchorage. Strongest inflow is 16:46.

Note: I have never been through the rip, so this is just my analysis from the table linked by El Pinguino. I thought I would post in case El Pinguino does not respond for some time.