small vessels will find good shelter under Swan Spit in
three and a half (3½) fathoms, the upper lighthouse
just shut in with Swan Point, about half a mile off
shore; and vessels bound up and caught in the South
Channel with a northerly or N.W. gale will find
anchorage in Capel Sound, by bringing the White
Cliff to bear S.W., and the top of Arthur’s Seat east,
in from five (5) to seven (7) fathoms sandy bottom,
but if daylight permits it would be better to run back
to the anchorages off the lighthouses.

Northern end of West Channel.—Ships detained
with southerly gales at the north end of the West
Channel, will find good anchorage by bringing the
lightship to bear S.W., just shutting in Station Peak
with Indented Head.

Hobson’s Bay.—Hobson’s Bay is capable of affording
shelter to upwards of eight hundred (800) sail. The
holding ground is excellent, the depth from three (3) to
five (5) fathoms over a bottom of stiff clay and mud.

Point Henry.—The best anchorage at Point Henry
is with the hospital open clear of the Point, in four (4)
fathoms of stiff clay and mud, about three-fourths
(¾) of a mile off shore.

Port Phillip Bay.—Vessels navigating the bay
above the channel may, if necessary, ride with good
ground tackle in any part of it, there not being a
greater depth than fifteen (15) fathoms all over the
bay, and the holding ground good; but the north side
is preferable, as the wind usually veers from north
round westerly to S.W., making it the weather shore.

Lead to be always kept going.—In these directions
it is taken for granted that when a ship is under weigh
in pilot waters the lead will always be kept going;
no man can be held blameless who neglects so valuable
a guide.

TIDES IN PORT PHILLIP BAY.

The tides are so much influenced by the prevailing
winds that only an approximate time of high water at
full and change can be arrived at, which, with observations made at the undermentioned points, are as follows:—

Flood tides at the Heads—Swan Point, West Channel, and South Channel.—The flood tide comes from the southward and eastward, increasing in strength as it nears the Heads, setting right into the entrance across and through the opening in the reefs with great force, spreading towards Shortland’s Bluff and Point King, and decreasing in strength as it enters the channels, setting towards Swan Point, and through the West Channel in an oblique direction, tending towards the Duck Ponds and Indented Head, and

above the lightship to the N.W. across Prince George’s
Bank, spreading from thence towards Geelong Bay,
Point Cook, and Hobson’s Bay. In the South
Channel, the flood sets to the E.N.E. across the
middle ground through the Pinnace Channel and
spreads along the eastern shore towards Hobson’s
Bay.

Set of Ebb Tide in the Bay. Set of Tide at the Heads.—Rate of Tide at the Heads.—Current in Hobson’s Bay.—The ebb tide sets out of Hobson’s Bay towards the S.E. for a few miles, when it takes a more southerly direction towards Prince George’s Bank; thence tending through the various channels in an oblique direction, the stream from Simon’s Channel joining and turning that of the West Channel below the Royal George buoy, setting away towards the bight between Shortland’s Bluff and Point Lonsdale; thence out through between the Heads with great force, the body of the tide setting athwart the entrance towards Point Nepean, and away to the S.E., along the land and into the bight between Nepean Point and Cape Schanck. Between the Heads the tide runs from five (5) to seven (7) knots; in the West and South Channels between two (2) and three (3) knots, and about a knot and a half in the bay above the channels. In Hobson’s Bay, during the winter months, there is always a surface current running out, owing to the freshes which run down the river; this current frequently sets along both sides of the bay at the rate of two (2) knots. The tide is weak in Geelong Bay, except in the Ship Channel, where it sets two and a half knots across the bar, and becomes weaker as it spreads over Corio Bay.

Influence of the Wind upon the Tides.

The prevailing winds have a great effect upon the tides, both as regards their height and the time of high water.

A gale from N.N.W., N., and N.E., will keep back the flood tide for an hour, or even an hour and a half later than the time by calculation, and also decrease the height of the tide.

Winds from W. to S.S.W. considerably increase the height of the tide.

Charles Ferguson,
Chief Harbor Master.

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