This is from the EPA web site. If you intend kiting, make sure to clean those cuts afterwards with bacterial soap or bath with dettol. Kited today at Brighton. It smelt like a petrol refinery but at least it wasn't sewerage like St Kilda. Lots of debris in the water, branches, wheely bins, etc. Sunday 6 February 2011 EPA Victoria's Beach Report bacterial water quality forecast is Poor for all monitored beaches. EPA recommends against swimming near stormwater drain, rivers, streams and other outlets into Port Phillip Bay during and 24 hours after rain. The Beach Report forecasts are a prediction of bacterial levels, based on the latest weather conditions, beach water quality history and recent bacterial sampling results. Check your beach to see the summer 2010-2011 bacterial sampling results.

Much better at inverloch today and no smell of poo :)

Was an interesting drive there. 3 hours due to flooding so it forced some alternative routes. Best session was in the morning.

Day off tomorrow, was going to Altona. Not so sure now.

id be giving it 4-5 days. the bay is filth at the mo. If you have the day off, trip down to torquay - point danger or somewhere out of port phillip/western port

I kited Altona on Sunday and it was very brown but not too stinky. Made extra sure to close eyes and mouth when crashing and I don't think I really swallowed anything. Yet, I woke up today not feeling great, sort of mild headache and wonder if it was related. No digestion issues though, thankfully. Post-rain Port Phillip just goes to show what a dirty business it is running cities the way we currently do. As Tim Flannery says, the ocean only seems to withstand the abuse we give it because it's 500 times heavier than the atmosphere, but still there are limits. We can't just keep washing our crap out to see and hoping the oceans will deal with it. As kiters we are among the frontline (of our species at least) to experience certain pollution effects. I reckon we should direct that experience however we can to reduce ocean pollution.