Bounty Child heads south.

The original plan was to sail to Hobart via the West Coast of Tasmania, reaching our new home in time for the Australian Wooden Boat Festival in February. We intended to limit the overnight sailing to one night across Bass Strait and set aside 6 weeks for the cruise. Weather denied us the pleasure of the west coast but we had delightful cruise down the East Coast and D’Entrecasteaux Channel.

It was 1530 by the time we had assembled and finished provisioning at the “Alfred’s” on Pittwater. We decided to break our overnight embargo and sail to Crookhaven. Bounty Child romped along in a pleasant Nor’easter, while we enjoyed being at sea on a beautiful night. We were South of Port Kembla at midnight and decided to hove-too until daylight when a run-in tide would provide a safe entry. In the process of hoving-too I, foolishly, gybed in a fairly light breeze without centering the mainsail. BANG the main traveller track ended up a contorted piece of aluminium – “I guess I found the weak point”.

There was nothing for it, we motored back to the club, where Paul Fisher, Dash and John performed miracles to have us underway again within 2 days.

This time we spent the night at the “Basin”, which was a nice way to say farewell to my sailing ground for the past 40 years. A Northerly gave us a pleasant sail to Jibben Beach, the quiet refuge at the entrance of Port Hacking.  The forecast was for a couple of days of Northerly to be followed by a Southerly change so we decided to sail through the night and make directly for Twofold Bay where we would await a good forecast to cross Bass Strait. The wind was light and we switched between headsail and engine. With the pilot steering and a crew of 4, we got plenty of sleep and enjoyed our spells on deck. A Southerly set of 1 –2 knots resulted in a fast trip and we moored behind the new ammunition wharf in East Boyd Bay at around mid-day.

The anchor was no sooner dug in, when we saw “Touchwood” coming from the direction of Eden. Doug and Val Brooker very kindly brought us a loaf of fresh bread and the paper. Doug gave me a “serve” about the need to “de-race” when I told him about the main traveller.

East Boyd Bay is one of my favourite places, despite the wood chip pile. It is surrounded by lovely white beaches and always seems peaceful. I sheltered there in the evening of the fatal storm of the 98 Hobart Race. I will never forget the morning after, listening to the disastrous reports from yachts, while we sat peacefully, surrounded by sheer beauty, with Bell Birds doing there best to drown out the radio. The new wharf takes away some of the view but adds a wonderful source of muscles.

A number of yachts were moored, awaiting a break to dash across the “paddock”. We were there for 6 days while a series of cold fronts crossed Tasmania and the Strait. It wasn’t a hardship - the beaches and water are wonderful for swimming and walking - a trip across to Eden for a little provisioning and a lunch at the “Fisherman’s Coop” was enjoyable – a dinghy ride to the old whaling station and the Kiah Inlet, was fun, we saw a pod of dolphin feeding on the local flathead, leaving nothing for the poor anglers, - a few drinks in the evening, a yarn and a game of “Greed” with friends is what cruising is all about.

Unfortunately, Hilary had to return to work so we saw her off at Eden. We had hoped to be on the North Coast of Tasmania before she left us. 

The time went quickly finally, we heard a half reasonable weather report - moderate westerly to nor’ westerly for two days would be followed by a short sou’ west change - just enough time to get across the Strait. It seemed the general westerly pattern was going to continue so we decided to cruise the East Coast and make for Babel Island off Flinders Island. 

Once clearing Green Cape we found the promised Westerly was more SW and we were hard on the wind but the sea inshore was quite flat and we tacked into the coast. We talked about turning back but David, John and I were quite enjoying the sail. Once clear Cape Howe the sea was a little joggly and the wind increased so we reefed the main and took a couple rolls in the headsail. Bounty Child was comfortable, making over 6 knots and oncourse. During the night we motor sailed, when the wind dropped. We got plenty of sleep and enjoyed our watch as the autopilot did most of the steering and the radar helped us keep an eye on the shipping.

The wind swung north in the morning and we had a nice sail and hove – too off Babel Island at midnight. At first light we moored off the white beach on the southern side of the island. During the afternoon we watched a fisherman and his sons surfing into the beach in their dinghy. Later they came over for a yarn and told us where to catch flathead. The sunset made Flinders Island look as if it were on fire. This was the cue for large flocks of graceful Shearwaters to return to their burrows. Together with Cape Barren Geese they ended the day with an unholy noise and to ensure lazy seamen kept regular hours they made the same racket at sun up.

The southerly came in early the morning so we went fishing for an hour, caught a feed of nice sized flathead and moved to Holloway’s on the north west side of the island. Dinner was an entrée of crayfish followed by flathead lightly dusted with flour and fried. Dave and I helped John, who is allergic to “cray”, the ungrateful sod tried to claim extra flathead. One “cray” was kept for the next day and one put in the freezer for Hilary. We will certainly return to this pretty island.

The southerly only lasted the day and the forecast for moderate west to northwest winds was ideal to make for Eddystone Point. The wind shadow of Flinders and Cape Barren Islands extends a long way to sea so we started with no wind, a flat sea, not cloud in the sky, and motored to Banks Strait where a nice westerly awaited us.  With genoa, staysail and full main, Bounty Child romped along at 7 to 8 knots. We moored, late afternoon, in the “Bay of Fires” on the southern side of Eddystone Point. A long swell caused us no discomfort but created a magnificent spectacle, when it broke on the beach.  The land breeze blew off the crest to form a curtain of spray reflecting the colours of the rainbow, in the setting sun. Here, the world was at peace.

In the morning, a northerly provided an easy sail to Wineglass Bay where we tucked around the point on the east end of the beach in 3 meters of water. The magnificent white beach was almost empty, on our arrival in the afternoon. This was to change when we went walking the next morning as tourists walk over from Coles Bay to see this world famous bay. Late in the afternoon, it is returned to the few “Cray”, pleasure boats and campers who can delight in the quiet.

It was only a short motor to the Schouten Passage where we anchored in “Passage Beach”.  The sand is white and the water so clear you can see the anchor. The following day the wind changed to the south so we did the “Schouten Shuffle” and moved to Crocketts Bay on Schouten Island. Ashore, the regulars told us where to dive for abalone, scallops and fish for flathead. Cocktails that evening were spoilt by the smell of our neighbour barbequing abalone.

Fed-up with my cooking, next day we’re off to Triabunna to reprovision and demolish a “cray” or some scallops at the pub. It was warm sunny day with little wind so we motored most of the way. A wafting nor’easter at one stage deserved the spinnaker that hadn’t seen the light of day for the 12 months. The lazy forward hand was on strike and the owner had to do the job. It filled for 10 minutes and then we were under motor again.

After discussing alternative moorings with the fishermen, we came alongside another yacht at the town wharf. As we went ashore David saw a restored “Tassy Cray Boat” that had been converted into a motor sailer. It was love at first sight as she hypnotised him with her varnished “Huon” rails and coach house. She was a fine sea boat and looked very comfortable. After dragging him away we bought fresh stores at the grocers and wonderful tender meat at the butchers for half the price we would pay in Sydney.

Off to the pub for a few pre-dinner beers and a first class meal. The proprietor’s nick – name is Basil after the world’s most famous publican. Fortunately, the service and food is vastly different to Faulty Towers. Over an enjoyable meal, we helped David develop a plan to sell the concept of a “cray boat” to Di. It was felt that he could learn from the real estate industry. Features such as “kaleidoscope of ever changing water views”, “large outdoor entertainment areas” and “grandchild friendly” should be prominent in his pitch. Sadly, we don’t think he ever had the courage to try it.

Because of our expenditure in the town, the harbour master gave us a 100% discount on the mooring fees and we set off in the morning for Maria Island. Quite a hard nor’ wester blew up and we made good speed. Chinaman’s was nicely protected and we anchored in less than 4 meters of water.  The walk to the ruins of the Old Convict Penitentiary was pleasant on this warm sunny day. There are magnificent views over Marion Bay to the mainland but winter must have been hell when the westerlies roared, freezing the poor inmates to the bone. We were reminded of the cruelty that must have occurred here, what a useless waste of human effort. 

The northerly continued for another day and we made a fast passage to Port Arthur bypassing Fortescue Bay, which we thought would be a little roly after two days of hard winds blowing into the entrance. The motor was started to navigate inside Tasman Island. We marvelled at the landing stage used by the lighthouse keepers and were overawed by the grand fluted cliffs either side of the chasm, through which we passed. Bullets, screamed down the cliffs, testing the rigging and keeping the crew on edge. These stopped at the entrance of  “the Port”, where we unrolled the genoa and enjoyed a nice sail to Carnarvon Cove. We anchored close to the eastern shore until a vigorous sou’ west change caused a move to the western side of the bay, where we lay comfortably throughout the night.

We were underway at 0830, sailing across Storm Bay past the Friars to Recherche Bay, dropping anchor in sand in Rocky Bay behind Pearl Rock at 1630. In this natural wonderland, surrounded by white beaches and distant forested mountains one cannot wonder how those French explorers must have felt many 10’s of thousand of miles away from home. The walk on the beach past Cockle Creek and along the western shore past the whale sculpture shows how resilient the bush can be as there is only a few remaining signs of the 2000 people and the industries (whaling, coal mining and saw milling) that used to reside in this bay. One can only hope that Tasmanian Governments will protect this lovely area for all to enjoy in its’ native state.

We motor sailed into a hard drizzly northerly until past Actaeon Island then sailed to Copper Alley Bay mooring outside the boats. This is one of my favourite anchorages, it always seesm peaceful.  Hilary joined us at Port Cygnet and after a nice scallop lunch at the pub, we sailed to the Quarries anchoring close to the white cliffs to shelter from a cool southerly. The remaining Babel Island Cray Fish, which Hilary unsuccessfully tried to claim as her own, was defrosted and consumed.

After dropping Hilary back at Port Cygnet then sailed to Missionary on a warm sunny day. This part of the channel is particularly lovely with green pasture coming down to the water’s edge. We joined a couple of other yachts ashore for drinks and barbequed oysters from the rocks, before dinner.

The next day we motored around to The Duck Pond but when a hard southerly made life uncomfortable we moved to the shelter of “Gentleman’s Corner”. We were settling for an evening drink when rudely interrupted by a loud honking. Two local black swans felt they should join us for “nibbles”. A few dry biscuits were sent over the side before we were allowed to get back to our drinks. Breakfast was similarly interrupted, so clearly there is a local toll for the use of this anchorage.

Our cruise ended at the Royal Tasmanian Yacht Club at Sandy Bay at the beginning of February leaving plenty of time for us to polish the “Bub” for her debut at the “Australian Wooden Boat Festival”. We had 5 weeks of wonderful cruising. It was a shame that we had to leave the West Coast for another day but it is equally a shame that we had insufficient time to visit so many other fabulous anchorages on the East Coast. One can spend months exploring Tasmania without seeing it all.

The Crew
David Kennedy, John Marwood, Hilary Johnston and John Quinn.

Notes for cruisers.
There is no need to sail overnight to Twofold Bay and if Hilary and I were on our own we would have day sailed.

Hilary and I, were on our own, we would not have departed Twofold Bay when we did. Val and Doug Brooker left a few days later and had a wonderful easy sail to Wineglass Bay.

From Twofold Bay there a number of alternative destinations e.g. – Deal Island - Flinders Island – Babel Island – Wineglass Bay. It is best to make the decision according to the forecast. If you pick your weather you can reach a number of these with only one night at sea. 

I would not normally expect to spend the amount of time we did, in Twofold Bay. But it’s a nice place and if you do get caught it is likely you will find some good company as we did.

Tasmania is a bushwalker’s paradise so bring your boots and do a little planning, before you depart because you will probably land at some wonderful areas to walk before reaching a civilization. Otherwise books and maps, covering the surrounding area, are normally readily available at local towns.

John Quinn