After being in the Tasmanian wilderness for weeks you have mixed feelings about returning to so-called civilisation. On one hand you want to experience more of these primal places where the weather dictates your life and you feel totally in awe of nature. On the other hand you yearn for ‘normality’, creature comforts and less effort.
D’Entrecasteaux Channel from Recherche to Hobart
As we sailed up the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, settlements were reappearing in gentler, more pastoral landscape. The D’Entrecasteaux Channel is a body of water between the southeast of mainland Tasmania and Bruny Island. It is also the mouth for the estuaries of the Derwent and Huon rivers. We enjoyed a couple of lovely anchorages on the Bruny Island side of the Channel, a gradual way of coming back to more populated areas.
Sunset at Mickey’s Bay, Bruny Island
Cloudy Bay, Bruny Island
Cloudy Bay Lagoon
Missionary Bay, Bruny Island
But the closer we got to Hobart the more people, boats, and crowded bays there were, where manoeuvring a cat gets a bit difficult and stressful. Just look at the image of Kettering!
Kettering and its forest of masts!
Although we love the wilderness, it has been great to come to Hobart, all the way into Constitution Dock, to take an overdue and well earned breather. Our friends Greg and Ann left a week ago and returned to Melbourne. We have got back into our normal rhythm on the boat, just us two and Bengie and it feels good, if a little odd after 7 weeks with company.
Take It Easy in Constitution Dock – the bridge on the right opened to let us through… Narrow!
Greg actually recorded our slow entry into the Dock. Here is a link to the video he made: I was the one at the wheel, while Wade was checking I was not going to hit anything! We had to stick to one side of the wharf so as not to have our mast hit the bridge, which does not lift all the way up vertically! A big thank you to our camera man.
And here we are, all tied up and settled – Phew!
Take It Easy all settled at Constitution Dock
We have caught up with friends, family, other yachties and blog followers, enjoyed a few tasty meals at restaurants, have taken very long hot showers without counting the seconds! We have splurged on fresh food, have visited a few interesting museums, and done the tourist’s thing in Hobart. The harbour in particular is vibrant and active.
Victoria Dock, just next door to Constitution Dock
Don’t bright colours look great? One of the fishing boats at Victoria Dock
it has not been the warmest of times here and we are glad we were able to plug in our heater while moored at the dock! We could not believe it last Sunday and again Tuesday when the sky cleared after much rain and cold temperatures during the night: snow on Mt Wellington. It is not even Winter! So it goes without saying that we are now on a mission to head towards warmer climes. Take It Easy is reprovisioned, all tidied up and ready to go.
Surprise appearance of Mt Wellington covered in snow – photo taken at Bellerive
We left Hobart on Wednesday 18th April and are now heading north. We are still in beautiful Tassie for a few days and in our next post we hope to show you that the East coast of Tasmania is just as breathtaking as the wild West side!
Sv-Anui 
Yes, head north, it has got cold here suddenly. The jumpers have been pulled out and put on. Yesterday morning it was 3.5 degrees here. I loved it, but know you wouldn’t. I’m over the hot weather. Great to see the video. I love that I have been on the boat and I knew where you were and what you were doing as it was rolling along. Great stuff. Stay safe and stay warm.
Hi Leanne – we are headed for Lakes to get one of the windows fixed – small leak then off we go! Steady pace along the East Coast of Tassie. Yes the video was great – should take some ourselves to add a bit of variety and a different dimension!
When I went out with my brother in law in San Francisco they attached a gopro to the back of the boat to film while they were sailing, you could do that too. Would be great to see some stuff, you could put it up on youtube.
We’ll try!
I love that fishing boat, what a brave and creative captain, a bit like TIE’s captain & first mate. Glad you had a good time in Hobart. Did you get to Mona? What did you think? Have a great trip up the east coast. Sydney now has cool nights but warm 25 deg days. Beautiful weather. bit different to what you have experienced. Good to see the video. Again Chris wonderful steering, you have it nailed down. Bit different to when TIE was first purchased eh!
Hiya Sue – yes went to Mona – not that taken by it but loved the Tasmanian Museum and Maritime Museum. The steering of TIE at Constitution Dock was scary but went well, not the case at Kettering were the rubbing strip took a hit! I guess that’s what it’s for, but not good for confidence and pride! We are making our way to Lakes first… a small leak in the big starboard window – needs a proper fix so rot does not get in! We are lined up at the shipwrights so should not take long.
Great photos and video! I can imagine a hot shower and dinner would be great. Nice work piloting the boat through the tight space.
Thanks John! Oh the long, hot showers for a week… and heater! Back to reality now! And yes the steering in and out of the dock is always tense!
Quite the contrast from Port Davey area! Hobart looks like a lovely city, though! Really enjoyed the video – quite the nerve-wracking narrow opening!!
Yes the entrance is narrow! We have left Hobart now – back in the wilderness!
I loved your video, I was able to hear the engines of TIE. I’m so happy that you are safe and sound, returning to civilization. Enjoy yourselves, have a glass of wine and say cheers for me too! I feel I was part of your adventure. 🙂
Cheers HJ! Can you hear us clink our glasses towards you? – but the adventure continues! We are in Tasmanian waters for a while longer… following the East coast of the island, which you will see is quite striking in the next post.
That was some good boat driving, can you come and teach me?
We are finally in the Marina and are going for a sail on the weekend.
How can one person have so much talent: boat driving, writing, photography!
It’s not fair
Lol Gary, thanks for the kind words… if you had seen me run into the jetty at Kettering, you might think differently! Thank god for the rubbing strip! Fantastic to hear you are ready to sail your creation. We want to see photos. Take care.
It was great to be able to meet you both while you were in Tassy. Your journies have been an inspiration to us during our build. Safe travels North, and over the Strait.
Hi guys – we were delighted you came to visit! Tassie is special and we will be back! Hope to see you on the water next year. Look after yourselves.
If you think Tassie’s too cold for sailing, remember your ancestors sailing around Britain and France in the snow, sleet, etc. Thank goodness you have a tropical escape that most of them never had. Fair winds and following seas!
Hey Craig … not too cold when you have the right gear, but much more pleasant in warmer conditions. We are doing it for fun, remember!
Hey guys,great that you’re heading north. I’ve often thought about taking Macanudo to Hobart, but now I wonder about our 24ft beam and 71 foot mast getting through that gap at Constitution Dock!
Hi Terry – Nice to get your visit! You don’t have to go inside Constitution Dock. There are pens just outside and you can tie up against Elizabeth Wharf. We knew we fitted and it’s kind of fun to be in there – the bridge is 21m high but does not go up all the way so you have to hug one side. It is about 10m wide, so not a lot of wiggle room.
Thank you guys for the info. I just needed a little motivation. What a beautiful place. We hope to visit someday.
Cheers, Dean.
Hi Dean – hope to see you on this side of the world! Keep at it, it is worth it.
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