[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":183},["ShallowReactive",2],{"leaderboard-total":3,"spot-seo-chinaman-s-hat-south-channel-fort":9,"spot-chinaman-s-hat-south-channel-fort":51},{"entries":4,"total":5,"period":6,"type":7,"generated_at":8},[],0,"all_time","reports","2026-10-03T06:32:05.526386Z",{"title":10,"description":11,"canonical_url":12,"og_image":13,"structured_data":14,"breadcrumbs":44},"Snorkeling Conditions at Chinaman's Hat (South Channel Fort) - How's the Spot","Check snorkeling conditions at Chinaman's Hat (South Channel Fort), Victoria. Fair conditions, water 14.2°C, waves 0.15m","https:\u002F\u002Fhowsthespot.com\u002Fspots\u002Fchinaman-s-hat-south-channel-fort","https:\u002F\u002Fhowsthespot.com\u002Fog-default.png",[15,28],{"@context":16,"@type":17,"name":18,"description":19,"url":12,"geo":20,"address":24},"https:\u002F\u002Fschema.org","Place","Chinaman's Hat (South Channel Fort)","Chinaman's Hat is an octagonal shipping-channel marker and seal haul-out platform in Port Phillip's South Channel, a magnet for snorkelers wanting to swim alongside playful Australian fur seals. Th...",{"@type":21,"latitude":22,"longitude":23},"GeoCoordinates",-38.306658,144.801812,{"@type":25,"addressRegion":26,"addressCountry":27},"PostalAddress","Victoria","Australia",{"@context":16,"@type":29,"name":30,"description":11,"url":12,"breadcrumb":31},"WebPage","Snorkeling Conditions at Chinaman's Hat (South Channel Fort)",{"@context":16,"@type":32,"itemListElement":33},"BreadcrumbList",[34,39,42],{"@type":35,"position":36,"name":37,"item":38},"ListItem",1,"Home","https:\u002F\u002Fhowsthespot.com",{"@type":35,"position":40,"name":26,"item":41},2,"https:\u002F\u002Fhowsthespot.com\u002Fexplore?region=victoria",{"@type":35,"position":43,"name":18,"item":12},3,[45,47,49],{"label":37,"href":46},"\u002F",{"label":26,"href":48},"\u002Fexplore?region=victoria",{"label":18,"href":50},"\u002Fspots\u002Fchinaman-s-hat-south-channel-fort",{"id":52,"name":18,"slug":53,"latitude":22,"longitude":23,"description":54,"difficulty":55,"image_url":56,"status":57,"tide_constituents":58,"hazard_entries":109,"access_info_structured":123,"area_boundary":56,"routes":56,"created_at":129,"updated_at":130,"today_conditions":131,"today_verdict_view":153,"images":179,"submitted_by":180,"region_name":26,"verification_status":182,"verified_at":56,"disputed":149,"verifier_count":5,"last_verified_display_name":56},"228037e2-1c22-4aea-b541-1ffb17ae329c","chinaman-s-hat-south-channel-fort","Chinaman's Hat is an octagonal shipping-channel marker and seal haul-out platform in Port Phillip's South Channel, a magnet for snorkelers wanting to swim alongside playful Australian fur seals. The Parks Victoria structure, built in 2002, replaced a WWII-era naval defence post and now serves as a basking spot for dozens of resident seals. The clear, sheltered waters around the beacon offer excellent visibility and close encounters with these curious marine mammals, making it one of Melbourne's most iconic wildlife snorkeling destinations.","beginner",null,"published",{"name":59,"amplitude":75,"phase":91,"latitude":22,"model":107,"epoch":108},[60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70,71,72,73,74],"2N2","J1","K1","K2","M2","M4","MF","MM","N2","O1","P1","Q1","S1","S2","T2",[76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90],0.007591566582148018,0.009040209248519554,0.1526262503047553,0.005171002929225015,0.27829728931687436,0.004993906648372256,0.0075363762236353915,0.002847499208487909,0.03443014246176458,0.07170938868717905,0.03347049410623045,0.029654516626158586,0.016589218530843823,0.08991870202568018,0.018807611187444086,[92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99,100,101,102,103,104,105,106],38.355639755684535,311.80787919668177,288.66888746039405,63.284702038544935,21.190746409329655,176.0416148258853,154.49911905725202,222.49955702215198,12.360001109443886,279.72901199528843,282.8112901575661,274.62907767863504,15.15138937416663,211.514425520752,191.6170169132214,"EOT20","1992-01-01T00:00:00Z",[110,114,117],{"name":111,"description":112,"severity":113,"season_start":56,"season_end":56},"Tidal currents in South Channel","Strong tidal flows can occur through the South Channel, especially on an outgoing tide near The Rip. Check tide charts before visiting.","warning",{"name":115,"description":116,"severity":113,"season_start":56,"season_end":56},"Boat traffic","The area is a busy shipping channel. Boats and large vessels transit regularly near the marker.",{"name":118,"description":119,"severity":120,"season_start":121,"season_end":122},"Cold water temperatures","Water temperatures in Port Phillip Bay drop significantly in winter, ranging from 10-14°C (50-57°F) June-August.","caution",5,8,{"directions":124,"parking":125,"facilities":126,"fees":127,"access_method":128},"Chinaman's Hat is located in the South Channel of Port Phillip Bay, approximately 5 km ESE of Queenscliff, Victoria. Private boat access is possible, but most visitors join a guided snorkel tour departing from Sorrento or Queenscliff. The structure is about 3 km east-south-east of Pope's Eye.","Parking available at launch ramps in Queenscliff or Sorrento if using a private boat.",[],"No fees for the site itself, but requires a boat or tour booking. Guided seal snorkel tours from Sorrento\u002FQueenscliff cost approximately $120-$160 per person.","boat","2026-07-27T02:58:18.904794Z","2026-08-04T05:30:44.786630Z",{"verdict":132,"evaluated_at":133,"models":134},"marginal","2026-10-03T02:15:57.103700Z",[135,142,147],{"model_name":136,"is_favourable":137,"value":138,"threshold":139,"unit":140,"operator":141},"Wind Speed",true,2.12,10,"kn","lte",{"model_name":143,"is_favourable":137,"value":144,"threshold":145,"unit":146,"operator":141},"Wave Height",0.15,0.5,"m",{"model_name":148,"is_favourable":149,"value":150,"threshold":40,"unit":151,"operator":152},"Visibility",false,0.99,"","gte",{"verdict":132,"rating":154,"evaluated_at":133,"generated_at":133,"source":155,"confidence":156,"visibility":159,"parameters":160,"models_passed":40,"models_total":121},"Fair","precomputed",{"level":157,"value":158},"High",100,{"score":150,"rating":56,"confidence":56},[161,163,168,171,176],{"name":143,"value":162,"label":56,"unit":146,"favourable":137,"score":43,"optimal_max":145,"marginal_max":36},0.15000000000000002,{"name":164,"value":165,"label":56,"unit":166,"favourable":149,"score":36,"optimal_max":122,"marginal_max":167},"Swell Period",11.95,"s",12,{"name":136,"value":169,"label":56,"unit":140,"favourable":137,"score":43,"optimal_max":139,"marginal_max":170},2.1187856000000003,15,{"name":172,"value":173,"label":56,"unit":174,"favourable":149,"score":5,"optimal_max":121,"marginal_max":175},"Precipitation",32.1,"mm",20,{"name":177,"value":56,"label":178,"unit":151,"favourable":149,"score":36,"optimal_max":56,"marginal_max":56},"Tidal Phase","flood",[],{"display_name":181},"Daniel","unverified",1791009141684]