We had considered leaving Port Fairy at 3am in order to cover the 80nm and reach Apollo Bay in daylight. But we decided to have a lazy day in Port Fairy, leave before sunset doing an overnighter and arrive in Apollo Bay at daybreak.
Sent prof up the mast to resecure the radar to the lower spreaders. It wasnt loose but some of the lashing had become worn so he replaced it.

We cranked up the bbq at 4pm for an early dinner of bratwurst sausages before departing for Apollo Bay at sunset.

When dawn broke over Cape Otway it was obscured by rain. It is the second most Southerly landmark on the Australian mainland. The most Southerly is Wilsons Promontory which we will round after we leave Queenscliff.  We arrived at Apollo Bay at 8.30am and were directed to a marina berth for $20 a night by the port officer.

Went to the bakery for breakfast and on the way we passed a pub called the Great Ocean Road Brewhouse. Prof thought he had died and gone to heaven.

Normally we wouldn’t attempt an overnighter along this coast because of the likelihood of cray and crab pots getting caught in our props and rudders but there is a break in the season from 2 weeks ago till November 15. Certainly back in Western Australia we had to dodge them and you needed daylight to see them.

I have been asked several times if we are including Tasmania in our circumnavigation.  As Apollo Bay is the logical stepping off point for Tassy I wanted to explain our rationale for not going there. Having been born in Tassy and spent my first quarter of a century there I have already done it and so am claiming Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). I have crossed Bass Strait over 20 times including seven Sydney Hobart races, crayfished on the Westcoast, dragged for scallops near Babel Island (East of Flinders Island) and rounded Southwest Cape twice. Do I really have to do it again? Even though Port Davey and Freycinet are two of my favourite anchorages I have elected not to revisit.