Port Davey sunshine
We were able to leave Fortescue Bay on Sunday 2nd March and headed south around Cape Pillar inside Tasman Island. We decided to head for Recheche Bay, the most southern bay on the SE coast and then work our way up the D'Entrecasteaux Channel, rather than go direct to Hobart. We always had a Plan B in the back of our minds that (a) if we were ahead and (b) if there was a weather window, we would consider sailing around the south coast to Port Davey.
View from Balmoral Hill
We reached Port Davey, passing The Pyramids and Breaksea Islands with the NW wind building, anchoring in Bramble Cove at 1330 for lunch. Port Davey was shrouded in mist and light rain, but looking magnificent.
View towards Bathurst Harbour
We had a couple of days to explore a little of Port Davey and Bathurst Harbour, realising that this was a place to spend weeks, not days, but that will have to wait until next time. Port Davey is really "the ultimate Thule of cruising" (RYCT Tasmanian a Anchorage Guide). The next weather window to head back to Recherche Bay was on Thursday.
Rounding SW Cape
The weather window proved too tight for comfort so we left Port Davey on Wednesday at 1600 hoping for NW winds, which did not eventuate. It was a clear, crisp, starlit night, with the Milky way merging with the southern lights in the south. We were sailing in company with the dolphins that frequent the area around the Maatsuyker Group. We reached Recherche Bay at 0100, feeling our way in the dark towards Coalbins Bay where we had anchored a few nights ago.
Port hand pile Melaleuca Inlet
The D'Entrecasteaux is just north of us now so we will start a leisurely cruise to Hobart. Hopefully the weather will favour our return to Sydney later this month.
Chris and Suzanne Daly "Reliance"
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