Position: 37 50.53 S  144 55.08 E
At anchor Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip
Wind: W – F4 moderate breeze
Sea: slight  Swell: S  0.5 meters
Weather: mostly cloudy, occasional showers, cool
Day’s run: 29 nm

Yesterday afternoon, after settling and considering options, we decided to investigate the Queenscliff Boat Haven as likely being more sheltered than our anchorage off Queenscliff.  So we weighed anchor and motored round Shortland Bluff with its numerous lighthouses that have guided many countless ships safely in through Port Phillip Heads, to the Boat Haven channel.  We had to wait a short while for the ‘Searoad’ ferry to depart its berth then, once it was clear, we motored into the channel’s ebbing stream and into the tiny estuary where the Queenscliff Cruising Yacht Club is located.  The yacht club’s dock had a sign on it saying no cats or dogs so we thought better of tying alongside and went to anchor in the waterway’s confines.  Directly after dinner, we turned in for an early night but were awoken by the anchor alarm and the wind picking up from the north.  With only very limited swinging room, I leapt out of bed into some warm clothes and went out on deck to investigate.  I wasn’t sure whether we had dragged or not but to be safe I shortened in, started the engine and dragged the anchor back up the channel to make sure we had more room and then let out some more chain.  Once satisfied that we were snug I returned to the warmth of the V-berth.

This morning a front was due through and with the limited swinging room we chose to weigh anchor and depart the Boat Haven before it arrived.  Back into the broad waters of Port Phillip, the wind was freshening rapidly.  We hoisted the main with two reefs, set a bit of jib then made our way up the Western Channel towards Melbourne.  The wind was blowing 25 to 30 knots and with the flooding tide assisting us up we were making good a steady eight knots. Consequently, we made excellent time across the bay, covering the 30 miles in four hours.  At 1430 I furled the jib, rounded Sylph into the wind, handed the main, and dropped the anchor Hobsons Bay in five meters of water.  I think we can safely say that we have officially arrived.

All is well.