490 TIDES AT PORT PHILLIP. 



Leaving Port Phillip* we returned to Port 

 Western to pick up the party we had left there. Mr. 

 Fitzmaurice found Cape Patterson, of which I have 

 before spoken, to lie fourteen miles S. W. by 



* The result of the tidal observations made at Shortland's 

 Bluff, gives 12h. 20m. for the time of high water on the full and 

 change days. The simultaneous ones made in other parts of 

 this great sheet of water during our stay, gave the times of high 

 water later as follows : 



At William Town . . Ih. Ora. 



Under Arthur's Seat . . 1 45 

 At Corio Harbour . ^ . 2 30 



At the entrance of Port Phillip the rise at springs is only three 

 feet and a half, when the stream makes in at 2h. Om. It also 

 continues to run out from one to two hours after the water 

 begins to rise by the shore. The outward and inward streams 

 differ considerably ; the latter being from 5 to 5| hours' dura- 

 tion, whereas the former is from G to 6| and 7. The outward 

 stream between the heads sometimes attains a strength of nearly 

 7 knots, and when opposed to a southerly gale, causes a sea 

 dangerous to small craft ; these gales heap the water up in all 

 parts of the bay, particularly at William Town in the northern 

 corner. On such occasions there is scarcely any fall of tide 

 perceptible near the entrance ; the outward stream is then also 

 much weaker. In the West Channel the flood and ebb streams 

 have a velocity of from 1 to 2| knots ; but in the south it seldom 

 exceeds two. Above the banks or in the inlet leading to Corio 

 harbour there is scarcely any stream of tide perceptible ; but 

 through the channel over the bar at the latter the flood runs 

 nearly three quarters of a knot. Outside the entrance the ebb sets 

 between S. by E. and S.S.W. for seven miles, when its strength 

 is weakened to about a knot ; from thence it trends more 

 westerly towards the mouth of the Strait. 



