Our adventure in Tasmanian waters is coming to an end. We left St Helens for a return to the Furneaux Group of islands, this time on the eastern side, stopping at the islands of Cape Barren, Babel and Outer Sister.
Here is the updated track of our voyage and the details of this week’s passages. We have completed our circumnavigation of Tasmania, but are still in Tasmanian waters, until we get back across Bass Strait.
Jamieson Bay – Cape Barren Island
We made it in good time across Banks Strait, bound for a favourite of ours: Jamieson Bay on Cape Barren Island. It was a lively and fun sail accompanied by dolphins and Shy Albatrosses.
Jamieson gives protection from the west through to northeast, depending on which end of the broad bay you anchor in. We have sheltered in there in westerly gales a few times, but thankfully this week it did not blow hard. Fishermen say: “the wind is made here”, and when it does blow, the bullets from Mt Kerford are mean.
With the breeze in the northwest, Sarisha and Liquid Insanity, the guys we first met in St Helens, were unable to get to Clarke Island as they had hoped, and instead joined us a few hours later. The next morning was sunny with low wind, enabling us to fly the drone. The shots really show how rugged the coast is.
Jamieson Bay is a very scenic anchorage, with sandy beaches and granite outcrops covered in the characteristic orange lichen of the Bass Strait islands. A beach walk and scrambling over the boulders really highlight how bright and striking they are.
Later that morning, we went for a brief snorkel. Wade and Chris wore thick wetsuits so were not cold, but it was quite an undertaking to get in and out of them. You get exhausted just getting suited up! At 15oC in the water, Murray found it a bit fresh in his surfing wetsuit! As for Maree, she was happy to check out the photos without having to get wet and chilly!
We had hoped that the kelp would be varied in texture and species, but we mainly saw Crayweed. Never mind, these provide food and habitat to a diversity of fish and invertebrates, including abalones. Wade got us a few good size ones, which all but Murray enjoyed… this business of being on a Vegan diet has its advantages on these occasions: more abs for the rest of us, while you know who opens another can of beans!
Here are a couple of underwater shots.
With a forecast of changing conditions over the coming two days and the wind going right around the compass, we left at dawn the next morning to make progress northward.
Babel Island
From Jamieson, we motored to Babel Island, halfway up the eastern shores of Flinders Island. We covered the 30nm well before the strong wind picked up and enjoyed a calm afternoon.
Babel Island is another granite isle in Bass Strait. There is a sandspit which links it to Flinders islands at low tide, called Sellars Point.
The island was named by Matthew Flinders from the calls of the many seabirds that roost there, including the little penguins, shearwaters, cape barren geese and oystercatchers. When you hear the cacophony of calls at night you do appreciate how aptly named the island is. It is not unusual to see huge flocks of shearwaters coming back on masse at dusk from their day’s foraging in the ocean, and leaving again at dawn.
We anchored in the sandy Bull Cove on the southern side of Babel in gorgeous aqua water, and could not resist having another snorkel, but in the neighbouring little bay at Cow Cove which is covered in kelp attracting lots of fish, abalones, even a cray which Wade caught. It was a world of colours and textures. The swaying of the kelp in the tidal flow was mesmerising, as were the rays of sunlight through the water.
Here is a gallery of underwater shots.
We stayed at Babel Island for two nights, while the strong wind and rain passed. As we post this, we are moving to the Outer Sister Island, past the northern tip of Flinders Island. On Saturday we will head off in the afternoon for an overnighter back to the Gippsland Lakes, thus completing our voyage in Tasmanian waters. Talk to you about that last passage across Bass Strait next week!
Sv-Anui 
Love the over under shot. Beautifully composed. Safe crossing.
A favourite and the best over/under shot I have ever taken. They are hard to get especially in less than calm waters!
Loving your blogs, hope to go there in 2027 on my boat Seapod.
Russ
Lots to see, Russ! Thanks for the feedback too.
Wow, such an exciting trip you guys have had!! thanks for sharing the beautiful photos! ❤️🇦🇺
Pleasure John! It has been varied.
An epic journey! 👍🏻😎
It has been a good adventure.
Magic underwater shots! Great to see some healthy weed too! I hope Wade had the hot water turned on for you ❤️
Autumn has arrived with a chilly blast this morning down in Southport. Those northern reefs are calling.
You bet! Not cold in those thick wetsuits but boy is it hard to get in and out of them and then you really feel the breeze on the sugar scoops!
We have had the heater on a few times… It has been a good trip and we have done what we wanted, except for seeing the Aurora. Those shots of yours made me envious!
All I can say is ‘Oh !!!’. What wonderful photos! I do not think I have ever seen as many dolphins together in the one photo and the underwater shots should be in a book and I am absolutely peagreen with envy looking at those abalone – LOVE them and methinks have forgotten the taste 🙂 ! Hope you have an uneventful crossing . . .
Hi Eha, the dolphins have been numerous and great fun. A pod arrives then they somehow call their mates and you see them rushing towards the boat from all directions!
They stay for ages if we are sailing fast. The abs were tasty – we briefly pan fry the slivers in different condiments – the hot favourite is lemon and ginger! The cray was very sweet too.
Did you have to mention the cray . . . ?
Yap, to acknowledge Wade’s effort! Hand caught, legal size, cooked perfectly and enjoyed… 😝
definitely should have bought a new, tight fitting 3mm/4mm wetsuit before trying snorkelling in Tasmania. My loose fitting, holy, 3/4/5 wetsuit not good enough
Yes, it makes a big difference to your comfort level and ability to stay in that water. Probably not as cold as in Victoria for you and more active when you are surfing!
Beautiful pictures of a beautiful part of the world! Those dolphins and albatross always seem to know when you’re taking photos 😉
We can just about taste your seafood smorgasbord ……
Enjoy the final leg home guys!
Hi Elgar, dolphins are great fun and always playful. As for albatrosses, they are a special part of cruising Tasmanian waters. But they are hard to capture clearly… they love the wind and swell which means Anui is heaving and the photographer is wobbly! So there are dozens of blurry pictures and chopped off wings for every focused and presentable one of these majestic birds! 😊
Flying birds, yep, Claire has the same problem, a lot of blurry 🐦
lol, she should taking photos of them from a moving boat!
Ha ha, double jeopardy 😂 ps we just touched down in Sydney.
How long are you in Oz for?
Two weeks, a granddaughter getting married 😁 We were hoping for beach weather this week in coffs, but it’s forecast rain 🌧️ all week. Our fault, brought it from Glasgow 😂
Enjoy, despite the weather!
Comment received from Sue Marlin
Your trip to the islands looked lovely and you did a bit of swimming in the cold water. Great snaps of the under sea environment. Nearly back to one of your home bases. Looking back your trip has been very successful. Well done. I enjoyed your trip in photos; each post was a snapshot of the environment and your adventures. Thanks
Enjoy the trip back. Sue
Thanks Sue. It has been a great voyage – just over 3 months – so a lot of different scenery and conditions. Would easily do that again!
Fresh abalones are a delicious treat!! How do you cook them up?
I make abalone porridge with rice and you season it as you like with a tiny bit of soy sauce. Koreans eat abalone porridge as recovery food when you’re sick.
Beautiful pictures!
Hi Esther- I slice them ever so thinly then very briefly fry the slivers in batches of different condiments: parsley & garlic, lemon & ginger, lemon & chilli…
That sounds delicious!! Garlic makes everything taste good and with some lemon…that’s divine tasting.
Hi Chris, hi Wade
It looks like we will not meet again, I am around St. Helens at the moment. Except you will be at the mainland Eastcoast in May!
It’s time then to say thank you for your wonderful blog! More than once, I hiked in your steps or sailed in your wake, grateful to get ideas from you what one can do or where to stay. I have very much appreciated this!
Do you know by accident what cyclone Alfred did to these wonderful Bird Cays in the Coral Sea? I don’t dare to think what it could have done. But my internet search gave no clear picture about its course. Only a Guardian article about disorientated seabirds in Brisbane. When there are no humans at stake, ‘only’ birds, media can become quite speechless.
All the best for your future decisions and plans to be made. It sounded like change is in the air. Let it be good change.
Reinhard
Hi Reinhard, really nice to hear from you and sad we did not get to share an anchorage. Thanks for the feedback. What are your plans after St Helens?
We haven’t heard what damage Alfred did in the Coral Sea atolls, it came from the west onto Brisbane so fingers crossed it was further south from the atolls when at its strongest. We won’t be going back out there this year, nor will we go very far north. The Swains are our target then we’ll see how we feel! This is our last year living on the boat full time. Next year we’ll have a few months break then decide where we want to live and cruise! So yes, changes are afoot … and they are good ones!
Looking forward to your next video 😊