At dawn on Sunday 29 April, we crossed the bar at Lakes Entrance after the most sedate of Bass Strait crossings, and put a serene end to our Tasmanian Voyage.Just as a reminder, here is the map of our entire trip, roughly a thousand nautical mile voyage:
It is funny how you wait for a Southwest change with a bit of trepidation. They normally come with strong winds that promise a fast ride. But this time it was just a fizzle: light, variable conditions, 0-5 knot breeze. So it goes without saying that Take It Easy really did just that! It was a slowpoke motor most of the way once we left the Tasmanian mainland at Eddystone Point.
Eddystone Point
Since our last post we stayed at Long Point, just north of Bicheno for two nights, waiting for the fabled SW. We then actually sailed to Eddystone Point, enjoyed a spectacular sunset for our last night along the Tassie coastline, had an uneventful crossing of Banks Strait to come and spend our last night in Tasmanian waters on the eastern side of Flinders Island. From there we very calmly left for our 24 hour leg due north across an incredibly flat Bass Strait.
Bass Strait, flat as a tack!
It feels odd to be back in the Gippsland Lakes: like a home coming, like the end of the holiday and back to work… except that there is no more work and the ‘holiday’ continues! We have a busy few days in Paynesville, our old home port. We have some boat maintenance to do, the main reason for us calling in here, and of course there is lots of catching up with friends. Then we are off to warmer climes.
Here is a gallery of the last few days of our voyage. For those of you interested in more details on our Tasmanian expedition, the anchorages we explored and our impressions along the way, we will be publishing our cruise journal shortly.
Sv-Anui 
Welcome home. YOu are looking cold in some of those photos.
Hiya Leanne! It is pretty chilly in the morning and at night now – that photo Wade took of me at Flinders Island was not that cold – 12 degrees may be… it was very misty earlier which indicates the ocean is warmer than the air. We still needed the bib and brace and gloves!
Ohh…You’re almost at the end of your journey, I hope that you will continue posting because I’m going to miss reading your words and being your imaginary crew member. Your photos are fantastic as always! Thank you for posting the gorgeous picture of TIE. You didn’t forget…Take care my friends! G-d bless you always! 🙂
Hi HJ – yes the adventure will continue and so will the posts, so stay on board with us! We are getting a few bits and pieces done on TIE for the next week or so, then we are off again, heading north to the tropics. So there will be plenty to photograph and write about. Thanks for commenting on every post. It is so nice to get your regular commentary and know you are interested in our stories.
Good to have you back. I hope the various jobs on TIE go well. Have fun with your friends
Thanks Sue – it is nice to catch up with all the people we know here. It is more like home than Melbourne! We’ll be here for a week or two.
Well done you two. We are preparing for our journey north too. Beaching Chi tomorrow for a bum clean,lots of odd jobs, supplies, repairs and all those last minute “oh yeah” stuff. Would love to catchup with “Take it Easy ” along the way. Thanks for your fantastic blogs We love forward to tales of your adventures.
Take It Easy 👍
See you down the Rhumb line
Janne and John sailing Chi ⛵️
Hiya Janne and John! When are you thinking of leaving and where from? We are at the Lakes for at least another week … you know how it goes – always longer than you’d hope to get things done! Would really like to catch up! So let’s keep in touch!
Most definitely keep in touch. Having our headsail recut now. Working for our daughter at “The Rock” JanJuc the next 2 weekends while she is away. Then will be real close, weather permitting. We have you on Marine Traffic so we have a general idea where you maybe. High and dry on the sandbank at the Lagoon Boat Club this morning just having coffee and fruit toast to warm up before we start cleaning Chi. Great day coming up.
Cheers TIE 😎
Goodie – can’t hide with Marine Traffic and AIS. Happy scrubbing today. Enjoying the nice weather here too!
Congrats on yet another Tassie tour successfully completed!
Calm Bass strait seas in April. Do you happen to know which month has the weakest Bass strait winds on average? What about the month with the weakest winds with a southerly component? You might need a meteorologist for that last one. Hang on, I am a meteorologist and I have no idea. Hahaha. But maybe brother Wade already knows? .
Well Mr meteorologist, meteoblue.com shows April gets the calmest days closely followed by May. We haven’t got a wind rose by month for Bass Strait, but have it for Vic and the SW are weakest in April. So yes we knew it was going to be a weak one, but not that weak!
Lovely! I’ll miss your Tasmanian postings, but looking forward to hearing where you head next!
As soon as the maintenance is done, we will head north to the tropics! Trying to avoid winter.