LIGHTHOUSES, PORT PHILLIP HEADS. VICTORIA.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 51, 5 May 1863, Page 2

LIGHTHOUSES, PORT PHILLIP HEADS. VICTORIA.

(From the Gazette, March 18.) The accompanying notice to mariners respecting alterations in the' light at Port Phillip Heads, and sailing directions rendered necessary by the alterations in question, are published for general information. RoaBKT S. Anoetcson, Commissioner of Trade and Customs. Department of Trade and Customs, Melbourne, March 12, 1833. Notice to Mariners, port phillip heaps lighthouses. Navigators are hereby informed that in accord ance with a notice to mariners dated the 27th of T>eeeraber. 1862. the alterations in Shortland's RluffandSwan Spit Lights, and the exhibition for the first time of a light on Point Lonsdale, as notified on the 3rd February. 1863, were carried into effpet on the respective dates mentioned in such notices. Consequent upon these changes, the following •sailing directions are published for the guidance of vessels navigating the entrance to Port Phillip at night : — Vessels from the southward and eastward will see the high light (fixed white) on a N \ W hearing, and f.he white low light (fixed white" and redl on a N bearing; as thev proceed to the N~W to bring the two lights in one, the low light will c"hangcits color from white to red on a NNE J E bearing. Vessels from the southward and westward sighting the high light to the eastward of NE by E should, to avoid the Barwon bight, haul out, to the eastward to open the low light, which will be first s^en white on a NE bvE bearing, and as they proceed to bring the two lights in one the low fight will change its color from white to red on a NE I E bearing. A reference to the chart will show that, as hitherto, the best nnd safest course hetween the Heads is to keep the two Shortland's Bluff hghts in one line on a NE bv N and SW by S bearing ; but should the wind become scant and the vessel compelled to make a tack when in the vicinity of the Corsair Rock or the Point Lonsdale Reef, these dangers will be avoided by vessels of light draught so long as the Shortland's Bluff low red light is kept in sight. Vessels so circumstanced must be careful to go about or haul towards midchannel hefore the low light changes from red to white. The light (fixed red and green) on Point Lonsdale has heen established to warn vessels entering or departing at night, of their vicinity to. and when they are clear of, the Lonsdale and Ferguson rocks. Vessels steering from sea for Port Phillip, and near the entrance, will first see the Point Lonsdale green light on a NW by N £ N bearing, and so long as thev have it full in view they are to seaward of the Lonsdale and Ferguson rocks when the two colors, red and green, begin to blend, it indicates vicinity to the line which passes on aNW by W bearing from the light over these dangers. When tbe Lonsdale red light opens out full, vessels are inside of them ; and when they shut it in .on a W^- N bearing, they are inside of the Corsair rock. Vessels steering towards the West Channel will avoid the reef off Shortland's Bluff, and the bank between it and Swan Spit, and also clear the Royal George sand, when in their vicinity, by not opening out the white light on Swan Spit, but keeping the rediight in sight until within three cables' length of it, when they will be above the Royal 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 passing. „. Vessels navigating the South Chunnel are reminded that the low light on Shortlands Bluff now shows white from sea up to the South Channel to tho east end of Capel Sound. Vessels below ,Capel Sound, White Perch Buoy, willbe aided, in. their, passage up or down the South Channel, and:av6idlKe north sand, by not shutting the light in,ifc being masked on a west by north bearing. ' Withthe view of keeping the fairway to the WestChaitiiel cloar, vessels of light draught nre

; l^mmon-ded, whenyanohoring off Shortland's i , : ffluiF > ''!tO'l)^^up..aS:cl(^id N o7er towards the shbre as : posßible ; ;cin the NW side Jof the fairway, indicated ' at night b^ttfe Sw^;spitlight>changing from red I to;white;ftn?a;NE =|^E*bearing, and by day the : SwanvSpit'B^hthottse j'uit open E df No. 1 black ! babyy'-y-y^' '^A: 7 Az -, ' Vessels oif hea -y draurcbt shotfld anchor on _'the SE side of the fairway, wliich is indicated at nigfht by the Swan Spit light changing from red to white on a NE f N hear >g, and by day the Swan Sp't Lighthouse just open W .of No. 2 White Perch , Buoy. Masters of vessels about to ancbor 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. Charles Ferg-uso-n-, Chief Harbor Master. Department of Ports and Harbors, Williamstown, llth March, 1863.