Notice to Mariners

Port of Mallacoota Inlet

Bastion Point Boatramp, Mallacoota

DATE:  10 February 2020 DETAILS:  Notice to Mariners No.253(T) of 2019 is referred and cancelled. Recent continuous Easterly weather conditions and associated seas and swells have caused the Entrance and Approach Channel to the Bastion Point Boat Ramp to shoal. East Gippsland Shire has reported that shoaling has encroached across the width of the approach channel creating a sand bar at the entrance to the ocean access boat ramp. Least depths at the entrance and approach channel are unknown but surf is observed to break across the entrance. East Gippsland Shire will mobilise the Shire Dredger when environment conditions improve. Mariners are advised that transits of the approach channel and entrance should only be carried out during fine weather conditions and if there is sufficient height of tide taking into consideration the vessels draft, the existing sea state, predicted weather conditions for the duration of the voyage and the expected conditions and tide height for the time of return.   Passage through the approach channel should only be attempted by experienced vessel operators who possess sound knowledge of the conditions to be expected during the transit of the channel taking into consideration the prevailing weather and sea state at the time.