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lockie · 13-11-2023, 13:54

For the Victorian coast. Bass Srait and the Rip into Port Phillip, you need this:

https://www.cyav.com.au/cruising-victoria

Cheers, Graeme

Fidsplice · 13-11-2023, 14:20

Others have covered the east coast well. Gabo island is a cape, and can be busy. Some claim Gabo is an acronym for “got a bit on”. Bass strait is subject to two swells. From the east and from the west with west being dominant. Generally the south westerly winds are what concern you. If you need to, you can hang out snug anchored on the ENE side of Gabo.

Next opportunity is Lakes Entrance. Great harbour. Used to be a very tricky bar but is now constantly dredged. Line up the blue light leads. Talk to harbourmaster before for advice.

Then Wilsons Promintory (“the Prom”). About 100nm from lakes entrance. Mentioned earlier, Refuge Cove is wonderful and safe. Busy in an easterly. Good for westerlies. I prefer Waterloo bay, a bit further south. Snug in the SW corner. And - mobile phone reception! Which refuge cove has not. Oberon bay, west side of the Prom, is great for shelter from easterlies, but usually only relevant if you are heading east.

Tide stream is significant. My adage is “home on the high, leave on the low”. Meaning time your rounding of the Prom (or Cape Otway on the west side of Bass Strait) to high/low water at the heads. If you are coming to Melbourne (“home”for me) plan to round said cape at around the time of high water at the heads. You’ll get favourable tide assist for some time, and likely arrive at the notorious heads at around slack water. Vital! Slack water is around midway between high water and low water (great trap for those who don’t know). It’s about 100nm from the prom to the heads, about 15 hours at 6 knots or two and a half tides. So you’ll pass the prom at high tide, travel a low tide, then a high tide, and arrive at the heads slack water flood. Perfect. Get there an hour or so earlier even better. Gentle flood tide to give you an extra knot.

Western Port bay can be useful, has strong tides, and Hastings is first useful port. Tricky entrance for the first timers down a flooded creek bed.

Approaching the heads announce yourself to Lonsdale VTS on ch 12 for traffic info. I prefer to track towards Lonsdale light until the High and Low light line up (you are right on the great ship channel) then alter course to NNW until across the channels and in Lonsdale bay. You will then be what is known as “4 fingers west”. Queenscliff is great to stop at, and tides should still be slackish, but if you continue on (probably up the West Channel), you’ll punch a soft tide for a while.

Sorry, bit of a lengthy essay but no one else seems to have addressed it yet.

girdasso · 13-11-2023, 14:44

Lots of good advice above I will not repeat but if you are able to choose the time of the year wait till after October to avoid colder southerlies and wait for good weather windows for your next hop south to a good safe port such as Coffs, Port Stephens, Pittwater, etc. I would not try to enter where there is a bar.
BOM has excellent information on offshore currents to help get the best assistance from southerly currents.

Buzzman · 13-11-2023, 16:46

Another spot to mention near Eden is Towamba river, at the old Davidson whale works. good safe anchorage in a southerly but really only for shallow draft vessels.

**JPA Cate** · 13-11-2023, 17:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buzzman

Another spot to mention near Eden is Towamba river, at the old Davidson whale works. good safe anchorage in a southerly but really only for shallow draft vessels.

But a super dinghy trip up the river there!

jipcho · 18-11-2023, 15:33

Yamba (Same entrance as Iluka) has a comfortable marina with good services, and a pretty straightforward approach and entrance. Yamba town is walking distance, and has a few pubs and restaurants.