At anchor Portarlington
Wind: South, F4 moderate breeze
Weather: cloudy, cool

I spent another very enjoyable evening with my brother Mark and his family last night, but this morning the breeze had swung into the south which, with where I had left Sylph at anchor in Hobsons Bay, put her on a lee shore. The breeze was only light in the morning but was forecast to freshen during the day so after breakfast I said my farewells to Mark and family and caught the train and tram back to Port Melbourne. By the time I got to the dinghy the wind had already picked up a bit and as I pushed the dinghy off the beach into the small waves they broke over its bow and threatened to drench my backpack and gear and fill the dinghy. This clearly wasn't going to work too well. Fortunately I had left the dinghy tied up to a rock groyne which was providing a bit of shelter on the side opposite to us, so I emptied the dinghy of its contents and the water it had collected, dragged it over the rocks, re-launched it and rowed out bobbing over the short little seas to Sylph. It didn't take long to get things sorted out and I soon had the anchor up and we motor sailed off the lee shore and out into clear water in the Bay, where we hoisted sail and punched our way into the freshening breeze to find some better shelter. With the wind forecast to remain in the southeast for the next day or so we have sailed over the other side of the Bay to Portarlington where we will stay the night.

Now I am feeling close to being ready to continue on our way once again. I have very much enjoyed the company of Mark and his family over the last several weeks, and have had a good dose of being in a big city, including catching a cold, so , having just about got over the cold, am now feeling sufficiently reinvigorated to spend some time doing what I like best … sailing.

All is well.