| s/y Nine of Cups Hobart for the Holidays Hobart, Tasmania - December 2012 |
| Soon after the New Year we headed down the D'Entrecasteaux Channel. Come with us ... you'll be glad you did! Want to know what's going on? Don't forget to check out the daily blog at www.justalittlefurther.com |
| Heading to Hobart |
| We said our goodbyes to the folks at the Oyster Cove Marina and headed into the D'Entrecasteaux Channel. We spent a night in the calm "Duckpond" off Bruny Island, then made our way up the channel towards Hobart. We saw sea lions, blue penguins, lots of birds and one whale on our way. At the entrance to the Derwent Estuary, we could see Iron Pot Light in the distance. For more detail on the day-to-day happenings, check out our blogsite at www.justalittlefurther.com. |
| Cornelian Bay - 42S51.27 / 147E19.55 - 23' |
| Before heading into Hobart to spend a month in the city, we opted to headed further up the Derwent Estuary, just north of the Tasman Bridge and anchor in the very pleasant, and very windy, Cornelian Bay. We passed by the regal Government House as we headed up the Derwent. As always, the bridges seem very low when we're sailing under them despite having oodles of room to spare. It was a full moon and the view of Lindisfarne on the far shore and the Tasman Bridge, all alight, were beautiful. |
| Cornelian Bay is known for its colorful boatsheds / shacks that line the shore. It's also known for the wind that passes through the notch in the hills and whips into the bay. On pleasant days we explored and on windy days, we stayed aboard. The Cornelian Bay Foreshore Walk is a beautiful 3km pathway into Hobart. The first part parallels the railroad tracks. It passes by the Royal Botanical Garden and through the Queen's Domain before depositing us into downtown Hobart. Wild flowers were in bloom and birdlife was abundant. After a week, it was time to head into Hobart Town. |
| Elizabeth Street Pier, Hobart - 42S53.05 / 147E20.12 |
| Typically, visiting boats tie up at Constitution Dock (ConDock), but it was too shallow for our draft, so we were allowed to tie up at the Elizabeth Street Pier. We had only one neighbor, a regal lady, the Lady Nelson. A replica of this 18th century brig which participated in the founding of Hobart, the Lady is now a training vessel and earns her keep by taking visitors out on harbor cruises. |
| Hobart is a wonderful combination of old and new. Originally begun as a penal colony settlement, the town retains much of its convict-labor built older buildings. Constitution Dock allows visitors to tie up to the wharf just as in olden days. Huge government buildings and mansions of the local sandstone stand tall among more modern buildings. Fancy ironwork on the local houses give the buildings a Victorian air which mix and mingle with the more austere Georgian sandstone. |
| Hobart is a walking town and several self-guided walks are available on line and we took advantage of them. Our first walk took us through Salamanca Place, an old warehouse district with 19th century sandstone buildings now converted into trendy boutiques, pubs and sidewalk cafes. Imagine our surprise when we returned the following Saturday for the Salamanca market and found the once-deserted walkways and streets filled chock-a-block with people and vendors. |
| The place was mobbed. You could barely walk without bumping into someone. There was a vast array of offerings. Fresh flowers and produce, Tasmanian crafts, wool, honey, bakery items, souvenirs, doll clothes, lavender, wooden carvings, sculptures...you name it, it was there. Then there was the food...fairy floss (cotton candy), mid-eastern food, sizzling sausage, gourmet coffees and teas. All in all a wonderful, though crowded, experience. We returned each Saturday that we were in Hobart and it was a new experience each week. |
| We got into the spirit of the season by attending the Carols by Candlelight program in St. David's Park. |
| This is more in keeping with an Aussie's view of Christmas, a summer holiday. |
| We opted for a just-the-two-of-us Christmas. We exchanged our small gifts, drank mimosas, prepared an outstanding roast turkey dinner and just enjoyed ourselves and each other. |
| We left Hobart on Boxing Day (26 Dec) to make room for the arriving Sydney-Hobart racing yachts. We walked from Cornelian Bay into town and watched as Ambersail and crew backed into "our" berth. The winner "Wild Oats" was awarded the prestigious trophy and broke all sorts of records including its own record for best time ever. |
ABC Radio Live! Midst the holidays and the rest of the hubbub of Hobart town, we were invited to do a live ABC radio interview. Wow! For pix and a listen to the interview on air, click here. |
| As if the holidays and the Sydney-Hobart Race were not enough, the Tasmania Taste Fest was held concurrently. The Taste Fest offers everything there is in the way of Tasmanian food and drink ...seafood, fish, wines, cheese, ice cream ... you name it, it was there and then some! From haute cuisine to sausage on a stick, these were awesome tasting opportunities. We applauded the "family" aspect of this festival which offered lots of kids' activities during the day and entertainment on several different stages throughout the venue for adults late into the evening. As if that wasn't enough...the GREAT Moscow Circus came to town. With admission prices of $45/adult...we gave it a quick pass. |