The Long Way Around-Tassie-Stanley to Franklin

          It's two months since the last blog post and we're only two-thirds of the way around Tasmania-we're at Franklin,a quaint historic village,moored next to The Wooden Boat Centre,on the Huon River.As usual,the weather has dictated our route-east across the north coast of Tasmania,then clockwise around.After a brisk sail,we landed at historic Stanley,where everything was closed for winter,then on to Wynyard,where we received a warm welcome first from local boaties showing us in and locating a spot on the town jetty,and then former Lighthouse Beach dwellers, Sue and Pete.                         We had a great time catching up,being treated to home-cooked meals,as well as being taken around all the best features of this region.

Ice on the deck!

Enjoying his morning porridge

Our next port of call was Devonport,where we were made honoured guests at the Yacht Club,moored at the visitor pontoon, with a front row view of the 'Spirit of Tasmania'arriving and departing,making precision 360'turns in the narrow river.Further east,to reach Launceston required a 75km.trip up the Tamar River,with stopovers at George Town,then Rosevears, outside the historic pub,to Home Point Pontoon right in 'Lonnie'.It was an interesting old city,apart from the mandatory Boag Brewery,the walk up the scenic Cataract Gorge,then steeply down through the old part of town,amongst the elegant old houses.After several busy days it was back down the Tamar with the tide,in perfect weather,to Beauty Point,and a fascinating tour of Seahorse World.Back at George Town,Bill was given a lift in a ute to the distant local servo to top up our diesel-no on water fuel anywhere in the Tamar!
Continuing east,we stopped over outside Bridport,then with lively winds behind us averaged 9-13knots sailing through Banks Strait,Flinders Is. in the distance, but as we rounded the corner we had to speedily down sails with 'bullets'of strong winds 30+ hitting us.After passing miles of beautiful coastline,we spent a quiet night in the calm clear water of the bay north of Eddystone Lighthouse, then on past the Bay of Fires to Georges Bay,and the sheltered St.Helen's.This was to be entered via a bar,and a narrow,shallow channel,so we were grateful for the radio offer of the local Sea Rescue group to guide us in.While we waited in the bay we were treated to visit from a whale family,Mum,Dad and baby very close by for almost half an hour.
      We spent a few days at friendly St.Helen's to avoid strong winds,enjoying fish and chips at the floating paddlewheeler cafe,and walks around the bay,then after a bumpy,wet bar crossing we were off again south,staying at Long Pt.,not going into Bicheno as seas were still not settled enough for comfort in Binalong Bay.The scenery was spectacular all down this east coast,but particularly on the Freycinet Peninsula,and our visit to Wineglass Bay was superb,including a great sunset glowing on the surrounding rocky peaks.From here we decided to sail through the Schouten Passage,across Great Oyster Bay,and up the narrow,shallow channel to Triabunna,an historic fishing village.Here we were directed to squeeze in at the jetty amongst the local trawlers,then we walked around the town with its old pub,churches,ex boarding house for staff of Maria Is.,historic houses,and Dead Isle-a cemetery which flooded at extra high tides.
Another perfect day as we set off to visit nearby Maria Is.in earlier days site of a convict settlement,whaling,flour and cement enterprises.We were alone except for the Cape Barren geese wandering everywhere,and the young ranger and family who drove by to say g'day,among the well preserved buildings of the former prison,a site of desolation and despair.That night we anchored further south on the island in tranquil Chinaman's Bay,near a convict-built stone jetty and roadway,and found ruins of former farmhouses.
The next section of the coast was even more spectacular,along the Forestier and Tasman Peninsulas,with huge rocky cliffs,amazing rock formations,like the Tasman Arch,the Blowhole and the Devil's Kitchen boiling and erupting as we sailed close by.To reach the calm anchorage at Fortescue Bay,we had to motor almost to the shore,past giant kelp beds,and in behind an old shipwreck,which prevented surge and swell entering.Leaving here we passed close to Cape Hauy and the rugged rock outcrops called The Lanterns.The passage between Tasman Is. and the mainland is said to be navigable only 40 days a year,saves a rough trip around,so we gave it a go-feeling the surge and the boiling effect as the waves rebounded off the sheer cliffs beside us-but it was actually more uncomfortable for the next hour after we emerged from the passage,as the winds had increased as predicted.
We were glad to reach the calm waters of Port Arthur,sailing right into the bay in front of the historic site,tying up at the public jetty.However we moved to a nearby vacant mooring next day because of the surge against the jetty as bad weather came up.We spent two days here,wandering around this eerie but beautiful site,mindful of how miserable it must have been for the earlier guests in the bad old days.
The weather turned for the better-we had a good sail around the peninsula into Storm Bay,past Wedge Is.and into peaceful White Beach,near Nubeena,then next day motorsailed on up the Derwent to Hobart-we sympathised with the Sydney-Hobart racers as lack of wind made this last section such a long haul.After a sail-by of Hobart docks we crossed to the east and tied up at the friendly Bellerive Yacht Club.
     This proved to be a very convenient location-within 500m we found cafes,bakery,newsagent,laundromat,fruitmarket,doctor,dentist,chiropractor and vet and the watertaxi picked us up at our boat to cross to the Salamanca Markets Also nearby was Eastlands Shopping Centre,with Bunnings etc. close by.
We had a great two weeks in Hobart,caught up with Gill and Ken Procter,with whom we had lost contact when we all moved from Port Mac.about 40 years ago.Sadly they are no longer together,but we all got together to enjoy reminiscing.As well as taking us sightseeing to Richmond,Mt.Wellington and all over Hobart,Gill lent us a car for a week,so we were able to go to Opossum Bay,Dunally,and other areas we were unable to visit by boat,as well as provisioning easily.It snowed on Mt.Welli. several times during our stay-a great novelty to view from the front of Two XS!but it was only cold when windy.

      After Hobart,we called at Margate,the only place in Tassie we could obtain a new prop for our dinghy motor,conveniently delivered to the jetty.Then to Kettering,and over to Barnes Bay on Nth.Bruny Is.where Bill gathered a yummy feed of huge oysters-nearly as good as Kimberley memories.As strong winds were predicted we headed back to the mainland and up the Huon River,dodging fish farms,admiring the forests of huge golden wattle lining the hills,and the snow-topped Harzt  stayed at Surges Bay-calm despite its name-then on to Port Huon,where we dinghied as far as the weir up the Kermandie River,then walked to Geeveston the timber town,with carvings of local identities and the Southern Design Centre.
    Moving further up the Huon,we stayed at Franklin,then spent a few days up through the channels at Huonville,where a local friend of a friend lent us a car.We are now back in Franklin,having been able to go exploring by road up the mountains and down to Cygnet,across the hills east to Peppermint Bay,a very scenic drive with views across to Bruny Is. and beyond.
    We're still keen to do the West Coast,but weather predictions are not promising,so we may have to return via the East Coast,maybe visiting different places along the way.