Noon Position: 38 54.8 S 145 57.9 E
Course: SW Speed: 5 knots
Wind: WNW, F5 - strong breeze
Sea: moderate Swell: negligible
Weather: sunny, cool
Days Run: 91 nm sailed, 54 nm made good

The wind arrived out of the west around 1530 and gradually freshened and veered into the WNW. At 2300 I put a reef in the main as we tacked past Wilsons Promontory and clear of its traffic separation scheme. At 0705 I reduced sail further, rolling the jib down to 70%, the wind now up to force five, and we continued on a NNW heading into Waratah Bay, where we gained a short respite from the boisterous wind and seas, and which we are now just coming out of and back into open water. The hour spent in the sheltered waters of Waratah Bay allowed me to give the upper deck a good look over (the anchor needed some additional lashings), have some breakfast, and, that all important task, clean the cat tray.

We have made reasonable progress for the conditions, sailing some 91 miles in the last 24 hours and making good 54 miles in the right direction. We still have 74 miles to Port Phillip Heads, which, based on this rate of progress, we should be off at around midnight tomorrow (though I am hoping to do better). Slack water at the Rip is at 0047, so we will see how our timings work out as to when we will be able to enter. Once inside Port Phillip, we will of course still have another 35 miles to go to get across its broad expanse to Melbourne, but I will worry about that tomorrow.

All is well.