Tassie by Sea

Well!  My original plan to cross to the mainland in early Jan 2012 was revised with the opportunity of joining the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania's summer cruise!  And where better to start an Around Oz trip than on this unique island? 

Starting down the D'Entrecasteaux Channel on 20th January, we visited Bruny Island, Port Esperance and Recherche Bay on this leg.  Weather was kind, seas were kind and the scenery was, well, typical Tassie spectacular.  About 30 boats were signed up for the cruise but didn't necessarily travel as a fleet.  We partnered with another boat whom we traveled with the entire time.     stops included Stringers Creek in Port Esperance and a couple of spots in Recherche Bay, near the SE corner of this fair island. 

Australia Day saw us in Mickeys Bay on Bruny Island, where we had a bit of a celebration!  A brilliant meal was prepared, lots of wine was consumed and silly hats, singlets and other Australia Day paraphernalia saw tradition upheld!   

We then departed the Channel, passing through The Friars, off the south tip of Bruny Island, sailing to Port Arthur with a night's stopover in Adventure Bay along the way.  The dolerite cliffs along the way provided an everchanging panorama to our west, while to the east was the neverending ocean.  In Port Arthur we were fortunate to be offered a mooring right near the public jetty and the sites in this most popular tourist attraction.

Moving on to Mercury Passage, separating off Maria Island, we stopped at Chinamans Bay for the night but the next day bad weather was forecast so we pulled into Triabunna, on the main jetty for three days while it blew & blustered, taking the opportunity to do some shopping and a visit (or three) to the laundromat.  There is an excellent fish & chip van near the wharf so we also had our junk food fix!

Moving on up Mercury Passage past the seals on Isle de Phocques to Schouten Passage, separating Freycinet Peninsula from Schouten Island.  From here we went up to Wineglass Bay for a day trip, then back and into Coles Bay with the superb Hazards in the background. 

This was the top end of our trip and we then turned south, stopping in Triabunna again in what we thought would be a sheltered area from the strong northerly winds forecast.  We rafted alongside our partnering boat, which had anchored, and went aboard for tea:  Just as coffee was being served, a 60 knot wind sprang up from the west in less than a minute, catching us well & truly exposed!  We raced out to cast free, having to cut our bowline such was the hurry to separate lest the boats crash together!  The sea was whipped to a white froth as we moved around to a sheltered cove, sheltered being relative, as the wind howled most of the night and little rest was had as we were ever vigilant lest the anchor start dragging - even though we had 60 metres of chain out!  The weather settled down about 4am, allowing a couple of hours of light sleep (every time the wind picked up a bit, it was Eyes Open and checking to see if we were dragging anchor.  But it was calm enough in the morning to continue south to Dunalley for the night:  This involved going through the very narrow entrance into Blackman Bay. 

Going through the Dunalley Canal involves having to radio to have the bridge on the Arthur Highway lifted, and the tradition of presenting the bridge operator with a $2 coin taped to a can!  We entered into Norfolk Bay, visited Taranna and spent two nights as close to Eaglehawk Neck as we could safely traverse up the narrow channel:  It gave excellent protection from most winds.  All too soon we were passing into Frederick Henry Bay, past Black Jack Rock, around The Iron Pot and back to Hobart, arriving on 9th February.

On our travels, we managed to catch few flathead and the Master of the other boat hauled up the odd cray in his pots, the odd squid, a few abalone plus we had enough food of a broad variety on board to stave off any hunger and scurvy.  To encourage socialising, BBQ's were scheduled in at predetermined spots open to all who wished to attend.  Ad hoc visits were also welcome, with a dinghy or two from neighboring boats tying up to the fantail, usually involving much wine being drunk, jokes & the resulting loud laughter, singing and the odd dance until wee hours, much to the chagrin of others within hearing.  What a great start to this venture!  There is so much more to see and do in the travels to come, the challenge being can it get any better?