LIGHTHOUSES, PORT PHILLIP HEADS VICTORIA.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 48, 24 April 1863, Page 2

LIGHTHOUSES, PORT PHILLIP HEADS VICTORIA.

(From the Gazette, 18.) The accompanying notice to mariners resp°ctinjr alterations in the' light at Port Phillip Heads, nnd sailing directions rendered necessary by the alterations In question, are published for general information. ItnanitT R. AST>EKSOK, Oommi-.=ionor nf Tra'lo and Cu'fnms. Department of Trad" nnrl Customs, Melbourne, March }'2, ISP3. Notice to Hatuxers. POttT PHILLIP DEAP3 LtGHTUOr SF.3. Navigators are hereby informed that in ncvordance with a notice to mariners: dated the 27th <>f December, 1?H"3. th". alterations in t-h< eland's Bluff and Swan Sp't Lights, ami the exhibition f,nthe first time of a ligui <>n P-->inf L<-nsdnlp. :is n.»iifind on the 3rd February, ISO 3, were earned into ■pffect on the respective dates mentioned in such Consequent upon these chnngrs. the following sailing directions are punished for th<» gpida-.f^ <.f vessels navifating the cntr.ince to Port Phii!i:> at ni.-ht:— Vessels from the soudiwara and eastward will Bee th" hiirh light (fixed wh'Ui-) on a N .V W hoaring, and tho white lowli^ht (fixed white nnd re !) onaVi'K bearing; as thov propcod to t'.ryw to brin-Ahe twn ligh's in on.-, <lv low l:^-',f; w:l! change its color frc.n white to red ou a N-\ E •.• L beariri":. „ , , . Vessels from the soutaward and westward si^htini- tho h^h li'?ht <■> the eastward of NIC 1-v xfshouTrl, to avoid t'.-.o Uai-v.\.n bi.'iit, haul out to the eastward to open tho kvv light, which w:!l bfirst sjen white on a NE byE bearing, and as they proceed to bring th« two lights in one the low light will change its color from white to red on a JN r E \ E bearing. \' reference to tho chart w)ll show that, as liitlu'rto the best nnd safe 4 course between the Heads is to 'Keep tho twn ShovtlnftrVs Bluf!" lights in one line on a N K T>y N and SAY by S bearing ; but should the wind become scant and the vessel compelled to maV.e a tack wlien in the vicinity of the Corsair Rock or the Poii-.t Lonsdnle Kcef, these dangers will be avoided by vessels of light drsusht ao long as the Shortl.inil's Bluff low red ]i<rbt~is kept in sight. Vessels so circumstanced must be careful to go about or haul towards midchannel before the low light changes from red to white. . The li"lit (fixed red and green) on Point Lonsdale has ""been established to warn vessels entering c<- departing at night, of their vicinity to, and ■when they are clear of, the Lonsdalc and Ferguson "Vessels steering from sea for Port Phillip, and near the entrance, will first see tho Point Lonsdale green light on a KW by N \ jST bearing, anr] so Ion"- as they hnvc it full in view they are to seaward of the Lonsdule and Ferguson rocks ; when the two colors, red and green, begin to Wend, it indicates vicinity to the lirie which passes on aIS W by W bearing from the light over these When the Lonsdale red light opens out full, vessels are inside of them; and when they shut it in .on a TV £ N bearing, they are inside of the CorVessels steering towards tho West Channel will avoid the reef offShortlnnd's iSluff, and the bank between it and Swan Spit, and also clear the IRoyal George sand, when in their vicinity, by not opening out the white light on Swan Spit, but keepin" the red light in sight until within three cables' length of it, when they will be above the Koyal George buoy, and should haul to the eastward and open the white light, giving the lighthouse a berth of three-quarter's of a cable's length in passingVessels navigating the South Chunnel are reminded ibat the low light on Shortlands "Bluff now shows whitoi'rom sea up to the South Channel to the east end of Capel Sound. Vessols below Capel Sound, White Perch Buoy, will be aided in their passage up or down the South Channel, and avoid the north sand, by not shutting .the light in, it being masked on a west by north bearing. • . With the view of keeping the fairway to the "West Channel clear, vessels of light draught are recommended, when anchoring off Shortland's Bhiff, to bring up as dose over towards the shore as possible on the "NW side of the fairway, indicated j at night by the Swan Spit light changing from red to white oa'aNE £E bearing, and by day the Swan Spit lighthouse just open E of No. 1 black buoy. ,'■'■ Vessels of heavy draught should anchor on the SE side of the fairway^vehich is indicated at night ! by the Swan Spit HgW changing from red to white

on a NE % N bearing, and by day the Swan Spit Lighthouse just open W of No. 2 White Perch Buoy. Masters of vessels about- to anchor at night off Shortland's Bluff are requested to note that the low-light-shuts in on a N by W bearing. All bearings are magnetic. Charms Feeo-uson, Chief Harbor Master. Department of Ports and Harbors, Witliamstown, 11th March, 1863.