Reliance in Fortescue Bay

We have made it down to Fortescue Bay near the Tasman Peninsula. We will be stuck here until we get a break from the S and SW winds, hopefully by Sunday - but this is a great place to be stuck. We are in a very small bay called Canoe Bay inside Fortescue Bay and have a fantastic view over the wreck of the William Pitt dredger across to Hippolyte Rocks and The Lanterns. We are completely protected from all but strong ENE here.

The Bass Strait crossing was tough because we had to take a marginal weather window, or wait for at least a week in Eden. We stopped at Babel Island after 30 hours for a well needed rest. Babel Island lies just off the middle east coast of Flinders Island and offers good shelter from strong SE or NE winds. We then crossed Banks Strait to the Tasmanian mainland and got to Binalong Bay (Bay of Fires) to wait out the first SW gale in a delightful little bay (Skeleton Bay).

We then sailed to Wineglass Bay and then to Triabunna, sailing past Maria Island where we had walked in November. We went in to Triabunna to refuel and provision and whilst it is a narrow entrance it is very well marked and we got in and out at low tide. When they say fuel is available, this does not mean that there is a fuel bowser at the wharf.  Like Eden you need to call for a fuel truck, which doesn't come every day to Triabunna!!. Fortunately we contacted the driver, Brian (0418 374525) who we had just missed, but he was happy to drive back from Orford. Stan the Harbour Master (0429 331 600) was also very helpful. Showers are available at the visitors centre and shops are close by. I discovered that the fuel consumption has been about 20% higher than I had calculated, due to the hard motoring offshore against wind and seas, so my reserve is less than planned.

We hope to be able to get around Tasman Peninsula on Sunday to make Hobart, and then on to D'Entrecasteau.

Best regards,

Chris and Suzanne on Reliance