The passage from Refuge Cove to Lakes Entrance was a lot easier, there was no wind so we motored for 17 hours out of 20 giving Dennis the menace (motor) a small break, Dennis purr right through out the journey which was great however we were having problems with the batteries, they were not holding charge.

We have heard that the entrace to Lakes Entrace was tricky so we radioed the Coast Guard asking for advise and they told us that there shouldnt be any problems as the channel had been trenched so we went for it !!! A short time later Steve suggested for me to go below and stay there, I wasnt sure what was happening, I later found out that he thought it was better for me not to witness a very very small passage way !!! All went well :)

We tided Bravado to a Pier and were told by neighbouring boat owners that Bravado should be ok there as the boat that normally berths there has been away for three months ! It was on our afternoon walk that we realised that we were on the Red Zone which is for permit holders and that we should be on the White zone which is for short term visitors (max 48 hours) Nevermind noone complained.

After having an auto electrician inspect the system it was noted that for some reason the alternator was never connected. He took all the batteries with him and re-charge them overnight changed a cable and problem solved :)

While Steve was working on bits and pieces I took advantage and went to the hairdressers and did a bit of shopping including buying myself a balaclava lol, that will keep my cheeks warm !!!! Steve keeps threatening to take a photo, we will see lol.

We have just spend two glorious days here in Lakes Entrance its a beautiful place, it was sunny with blue skyes, a place that we both agreed that we could easily spend quite a few weeks .

Leaving in the morning to Eden, it should take approx 28 hours and that will be our last long passage :)

A bit of info and history


Lakes Entrance is a tourist resort and fishing port in eastern Victoria. It is situated approximately 320 kilometres (200 mi) east of Melbourne, near a managed, man-made channel connecting the Gippsland Lakes to the Bass Strait.

The township was originally named Cunninghame, the Post Office of that name opening on 5 February 1870. It was renamed Lakes Entrance on 1 January 1915.
Angus McMillan was the first European to investigate the area, arriving at Lake Victoria in 1840. John Reeves charted the lakes in1843 and cattle runs were established soon after. Ewing's Marsh is named after the Ewing brothers who took up one such run around what is now Lakes Entrance in 1850. It was sold to the Roadknight family in 1855 who travelled overland from Colac, to Melbourne, by boat from Melbourne to Port Albert, by bullock wagon to Sale, and then by a steamer to their final destination. Three years later the Georgina Smith became the first large vessel to find its way into the lakes from the ocean, sailing up the Tambo River to Massiface with supplies for the Crooked River goldfields. For the next 70 or 80 years Lakes Entrance played an important role in the trade of East Gippsland.

Photos to follow