Port Phillip Heads & Southern PP Flashcards
Q1. What precautions /actions should be taken on approaching the Heads? (Note: completion of these items does not need to be broadcast to Lonsdale VTS).
- Confirm the following:
▪ VHF on channel 12
▪ Anchors clear and ready
▪ Steering system tested
▪ Navigation equipment and aids available
▪ Engine tested astern
▪ Master/Pilot information exchange completed
▪ Passage plan presented and discussed
▪ Any other items / actions required by the Safety Management System you are operating under. - Prior to entering port limits (3nm from entrance) contact Lonsdale VTS and provide / receive the following information:
▪ Deepest draft
▪ Name of pilot, and if applicable, name of trainee pilot. (May be provided via Pilot Office)
▪ Name of Exempt Master
▪ The vessels intended route, including the channel to be used to transit the heads.
▪ If vessel is constrained to the Great Ship Channel
▪ If the vessel requires ‘One way passage through the Heads’
▪ Clearance to proceed
(NB: Vessel type should have been given by ship 2 hours prior to arrival at the PBG). - On or before arrival at Port Phillip Heads contact Lonsdale VTS and advise ETA at:
Melbourne bound:
▪ Hovell Pile and Fawkner Beacon
▪ Tug requirements
Anchorage bound:
▪ Hovell Pile and Fawkner Beacon (A1 –A3) / Outer Anchorage (S1 –S13, G1 – G4)
▪ Nominated Anchorage
▪ Intended route around the northern Spoil Ground
Q2. Where is the Pilot Boarding Ground?
▪ 5 nm south-west of Point Lonsdale for boat operations
Q3. Describe the information lights shown from Point Lonsdale Light House
Tide Stream
Flood stream is denoted by:
▪ First half – one green light
▪ Second half – two green lights
Ebb stream is denoted by:
▪ First half – one red light
▪ Second half – two red lights
ROW (Right Of Way)
Flashing Green.
▪ Entrance closed * to all inward bound vessels to allow the departure of an outward bound tanker /cruise vessel and a vessel constrained to the Great Ship Channel.
▪ Entrance closed to all inward bound vessels to allow the departure of a Hampered vessel and a vessel that has requested one-way transit.
▪ An inward bound vessel must not enter the fairway through Port Phillip Heads while the flashing green light is displayed.
*Certain coastal vessels can pass the named vessel types in point 1 when the coastal vessel can remain to the east of the Great Ship Channel and there is a three way agreement between the ships and Lonsdale VTS. (Not all coastal vessels are named, i.e. the Goliath, John Duigan, Siem Topaz, Siem Amethyst and Siem Aquamarine are not named).
Flashing Red.
▪ Entrance closed to all outward traffic to allow the entry of an arriving tanker, cruise or hampered vessel.
▪ An outward vessel must not proceed west of an imaginary line joining Popes Eye bcn and South Channel Entrance bcn.
Fixed Red-Green-Red.
Entrance closed to all inward and outward traffic.
Notes:
▪ Tide height information can be obtained by contacting Lonsdale VTS.
▪ There are no tidal stream or right-of-way (ROW) lights displayed from the lighthouse during daylight.
▪ There are no tide stream lights displayed when ROW lights displayed.
Q4. Describe Port Phillip Heads and the Fairway through Port Phillip Heads.
▪ Port Phillip Heads (PPH) means an imaginary line joining Point Lonsdale and Point Nepean.
▪ The Fairway through PPH means the fairway north of PPH marked by the eastern boundary of the High Light White sector extending to Point Nepean, and the fairway south of PPH between the eastern boundary of the Outer Eastern Channel and the western boundary of the Outer Western Channel extending 2 nm to seaward.
Q5. Where is the deepest water in the Rip Area?
▪ Deepest water is 88m in the Entrance Deep.
▪ This is an area marked generally by the intersection of the transit of High Light & Murray Tower and the line joining Lonsdale light house and Point Nepean.
Q6. Define the ‘Great Ship Channel’.
▪ 17.0m deep
▪ 245m wide
▪ Leading line defined by the transit of the High Light and the Low Light (042.5°).
▪ A central fairway 120 metres wide (60 metres each side of the main leads) is marked by two sectored PEL’s (Port Entry Lights)
▪ The first PEL, located on Fort West Bcn, is to the west of the main leads. The western red/white boundary (042.5) is 60 metres inside the western toeline of the Great Ship Channel.
▪ The second PEL, located on the Queenscliff Harbour Observation Tower, is to the northeast of the main leads. The eastern green/white boundary (042.5°) is 65 metres inside the eastern toeline of the Great Ship Channel.
Q7. Define the ‘Western Ship Channel’
▪ Lies to the western side of the Great Ship Channel.
▪ Depth of 11.4m
▪ Width of 95m.
▪ Western limit has no marks along its entire length but it is parallel to the main leading line and 215m from that line.
▪ Eastern limit is marked by Queenscliff High Light in line with Fort Flagstaff on a transit of 043.9. (Note: Fort Flagstaff whilst lit is hard to distinguish at night).
Q8. Define the ‘Outer Western Channel’
▪ Leading on the western side of the Western Ship Channel.
▪ Depth of 10.3m.
▪ The western limit is marked by Hume Tower light in transit with Queenscliff High Light (046°).
▪ Clears Lonsdale Rock by 152m.
Q9. Define the ‘Eastern Shipping Channel’
▪ Lies to the eastern side of the Great Ship Channel.
▪ Depth of 11.9m
▪ Width of about 185m.
▪ Eastern limit is marked by Murray Tower light in transit with Queenscliff High Light (038.7°)
Q10. Define the ‘Outer Eastern Channel’
- Leading on the eastern side of the Eastern Channel.
- Depth of 10.1m.
- Eastern limit is marked by Murray Tower Light in line with Lookout House close west of Queenscliff High Light bearing (034.8°).
- Clears Corsair Rock by 335m.
Q11. Where is Lonsdale Rock, what depth of water is over it and what are the clearing marks
• Lonsdale Rock lays 133° x 0.625 nm from Pt. Lonsdale Lt.
• 6.1m of water over it.
This danger is cleared by:
▪ Hume Tr. on with High Lt. (046°), clears by 152m
▪ It is in the red sector of Lonsdale Lt. (272° – 325°)
Q12. Where is Corsair Rock, what depth of water is over it and what are the clearing marks
- The reef off Pt. Nepean extends for 0.5nm in a westerly direction to Corsair Rock, drying for the first 0.35nm from land.
- Corsair Rock has 1.8m over it.
This danger is cleared by:
▪ Murray Tr. on with Lookout House (034.8°) clears by 335m in 10.1m of water (Outer Eastern Channel)
▪ Murray Tr. on with High lt. (038.7°) clears by 560m in 11.9m of water (Eastern Shipping Channel)
▪ Low Lt white/red blend (032°) clears by 210m
▪ Lonsdale red sector (272°-325°) clears 0.4nm to the north and 0.75nm to the south.
Q13. Decsribe the ‘Boat Channel’ and what are the marks for entering between Lonsdale Rock and the reef off Point Lonsdale
▪ Channel 0.2nm wide
▪ Depth 4.9m.
▪ Axis is (052°/232°).
▪ Provides clearer water than is present in the Rip and can be used to advantage after SW-ly gales and strong ebb tides.
The leading marks for the channel are:
4-fingers west
▪ Fort West Bcn. on with High Lt (052°) clears Lonsdale Reefs by 230m
▪ Fort West Bcn W/R blend (052.7°) clears Lonsdale Reefs by 135m
▪ Fort West Bcn. eastern edge of white sector (048.7°) clears Lonsdale Rk. by 85m.
Q14. How does the Flood and Ebb tide set in the vicinity of the Heads?
▪ Tide does not turn at times of high and low water.
▪ Slack water occurs when water levels inside and outside of the Rip are approximately the same.
▪ The force of the tide depends on the relative water levels inside and outside of the bay.
▪ Force is greatest at times of high and low water.
▪ Stream can run up to 9 knots, with 6 knot being normal. Anecdotally, stronger streams than predicted can be experienced for short periods.
▪ The ebb sets through the channels and strongly into Lonsdale Bight and then out through the Heads heading SE at Lonsdale, and then along the coast towards Cape Schank. This sets a vessel to the east when abeam of Lonsdale.
▪ The flood flows through the Heads from the SE into Lonsdale Bight and then through the channels. It sets vessels to the west when abeam of Lonsdale.
▪ Water levels within Port Phillip is much affected by winds blowing for a long period in one direction. Northerly gales cause the tidal levels in Port Phillip to remain low while southerly gales can cause tidal levels to remain high.
▪ Water levels are also affected by extremes of barometric pressure – low air pressures uplifting the water levels and high air pressures having the opposite effect.
Q15. Describe Point Lonsdale Lt., its sectors and their purpose.
Characteristic is L.Fl(2).WRG.15s 37m 12/10M.
▪ Fog signal: Horn (2) 30s
Sectors:
White
266° - 272°
(266° cuts 0.1nm north of Pope’s Eye Bcn; 272° cuts over #2Bcn South Channel) (272o marks the start of the CRT)
Red
272° - 325°
(325° cuts 0.75nm south of Corsair Rock and clears south of the shoal patches off the Point)
Green
325° - 342.75°
Deep draught vessels are clear to turn to the west.
White
342.75° - 069°
(069° Red/White blend cuts 2.0nm south of Barwon Heads and clears the dangers inshore)
Red
069° - 110°
Covers Barwon Head
Q16. Describe Queenscliff High Light, the sectors and their purpose
Characteristic is F&Occ.15s 40m 14M.
Sectors:
F.
244° - 059°
(visible outside Heads (014°-059°), clearing Victory Shoal)
Occ.
029° - 053°
(029° cuts over Corsair Rock; 053° clears 10m contour off Victory Shoal)
Occ.
224° - 228°
(over Coles Bcn & No.8 Bcn forms the West Channel leading line 226°/046°)
Q17. Describe Queenscliff Low Lt., the sectors and their purpose.
The light characteristic is Oc.WRG.15s 28m 12/6M
Sectors:
Red
241° - 252°
(covers Tuckey Reef and shoals to Swan Spit)
White
252° - 260°
Green
260° - 267°
(267° cuts north of Pope’s Eye Bank)
Red
267° - 316
(covers Popes Eye Bank)
White
316° - 356°
(356o marks the start of the CRT) (316o marks the Western edge of the 13.1m area south of Popes Eye Bcn)
Red
356° - 032°
(032° cuts 210m west of Corsair Rock)
White
032° - 046°
(046° cuts 152m east of Lonsdale Rock.)
Q18. Describe Hume Tower, its sector and their purpose.
- Situated 20m NW of Low Light.
- Characteristic is Oc.R.15s 28m 11M, synchronized with Low Lt.
- Sector: Red(032° - 046°)
- Hume Tr. on with High Lt. (046°) marks the western limit of the navigable channels through the Heads. This line clears Lonsdale Rock by 152m.
