West coast of Tasmania

Tuesday 26th January - Happy Australia Day!

Friday 15/01/10 and we are ready to leave Beauty Point Marina. We returned the car to Launceston and came back to the boat by bus. On leaving we went round the jetty into Port Dalrymple and filled up the fuel and water in preparation for nothing being available until Hobart. I followed my route up the river to Beauty Point in order to be safe returning downstream to the Bass Strait. Due to a lack of wind we then motored to the Bank Strait, catching the tidal stream of 3 knots and sailing as well, this gave us up to 11 knots of speed, a bonus. For the night we anchored off Eddystone Point, in a somewhat rolly area, but safe. There were 2 fishing boats there as well. We all slept, but a bit fitfully.

After an early start and breakfast it was off to Wineglass Bay, a full days sail south. It was a cold and lumpy sea but the boat was flying along under full jib and reefed mainsail. As we approached the bay, the swell got bigger and the waves were breaking. After a little discussion we decided to look in anyway as all ther books rave about the beauty of this bay, and it has a good bottom of sand for anchoring. A good decision as the anchorage was not rolly and we spent a good night asleep. I have never seen so many jellyfish in my life, you could almost walk on them.The anchor roller system on the bow got damaged in one of the gusts, but we hung the chain on the other roller for the night.

On Sunday we rescued the anchor and set off to Port Arthur. However the weather was so bad that in the end I turned right into Prosser Bay to the west of Maria Island. Here we picked a mooring in East Shelly Beach. We stayed here for a few days. When we went ashore I spoke to one of the friendly natives, who promptly lent us his campervan to go shopping in the town, about 8 kilometres away. Very nice too and on our return he brought us into his house for an indoor BBQ. It turned out that he and his son have a vineyard, so we came away with 3 or 4 bottles of wine. Next day we went for a 5 k walk to another nearbye beach.

20th January we left this lovely spot for Hobart via the Dennelly Canal. No problems getting Marion Narrows, but Chinaman Bay was shallow with a twisty and narrow channel. We cleaned the keel bottom a couple of times but made it to the cut and through into Storm Bay. From there it was a 4 hour motor and sail into the Royal Tasmanian Y.C. and a welcome from MaaMalni, who also fed us a welcome dinner.