It’ s mid June now. The days are getting shorter and a bit colder. Especially when the southerlies roll through. Then, the sun will come out and we will have nice days where the temperature reaches +15. We are still loving Tasmania. For the past six weeks we have been out cruising. Enjoying many of the anchorages we missed on the way down the east coast in January. This time of year we have most anchorages all to ourselves.

 

Walking the beach and hiking trails fill our days along with painting and music.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A couple of times we tried to leave for Port Davey, but the boat had other ideas. That’s now on next summers plan. Here is a highlight of some of the areas we have explored:

Recherche Bay -One of our favourite anchorages. It is the last stop on the south east coast before heading out into the southern ocean to Port Davey. There are great all-weather anchorages in the bay, as well as a wonderful two hour walk in Southwest National Park to South Cape. Stunning scenery.

Bruny Island / D’Entrecasteaux Channel -Great sailing in protected waters. Out of the ocean swell. Some of the best protected anchorages. More developed, less of a sense of isolation. Salmon farms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Huon River / Cygnet – We enjoyed the town of Cygnet. Music there (we played at an open mic at the Red Velvet). Huge Folk Festival in January that we would like to see next year. We will also be doing some house / pet sitting near Cygnet in July.

Eastern Tasman Peninsula -Fortescue and Pirates Bay. We started noticing thousands of leather jacket fish washed up on the beaches. Apparently they get pulled south by the current into colder water and die. We saw them on every beach north of here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maria Island -Our favourite spot. The whole island is a national park. No houses or vehicles (except for the park rangers). Full of wombats, wallabies, kangaroos, birds and of course Tasmanian Devils.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shouten Island & Freycinet Peninsula. – More wild and beautiful anchorages. Wineglass Bay, the most photographed spot. We stopped there on the way down the coast last January and shared the spot with about 15 other boats. This time we had the place to ourselves. At Shouten Island, there is a walk up to a waterfalls with natural pools on the edge of the cliff. It was cold but inviting!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are now back in Hobart getting ready to do some house & dog sitting for a few weeks. Dark Mofo is on, it is a winter festival celebrating centuries old winter solstice rituals. There are a lot of happenings downtown over the next 10 days. We went to the Winter Feast. It was pretty amazing.

We signed up but are trying to work up the courage to do the nude solstice swim at dawn June 21st, celebrating the return of light after the longest day of the year. If we do it, there won’t be any pictures posted!

Here are a few other interesting pictures in our travels: