On 23 January I joined some seasoned paddlers for a trip from Point Lonsdale, on the Western side of Port Phillip Heads, across the Rip and down the Mornington Peninsula.
We crossed the Rip early in the morning on slack water, encountering some short chop near the middle of the channel. The Rip has a reputation for producing difficult conditions, but on this occasion it was relatively benign.
From Point Nepean we headed down the Mornington Peninsula stopping for a break at Diamond Bay. This spot was nicely sheltered from the prevailing swell. After a short break we headed South-East again in near perfect conditions. There was little wind and only a moderate swell. Conditions were perfect for concentrating on my forward stroke and taking in the cliffs and platforms of the Peninsula from a safe distance behind the surf. 
We turned around somewhere near Gunnamatta Beach and returned to Diamond Bay for lunch.
We recrossed the Rip on the incoming tide. It was not a difficult paddle across, but the sight of boils and eddies provided an illustration of how tidal flows in the sea can come to resemble the flows of a river.
A coffee in Point Lonsdale concluded a great paddle.
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