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Stanley |
Tasmania - Sailing West
Thursday 23rd
Jan 2014:
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Stanley Boat Harbour |
It was very early on the Mersey River when Alana Rose and
Rhapsody slipped their lines to quietly sail away. We were heading west once
more, west along the northern coastline to the Stanley Boat Harbour
(S40’46.071/E145’18.101) the lay beneath the Nut at Stanley. The morning was
dark as night; the waters were silent and still. The first thing to catch my
eye was the smooth wings of a great Shy Albatross in flight, soaring across the
seas. This magnificent sea bird was to follow us all the way to Stanley.
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kid's will be kids |
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The Nut & Stanley, as seen from inland |
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some of the quaint old buildings |
Stanley is the
second largest town, second to Smithton, on the north-west coast of Tasmania. What
I liked best about the town was the friendliness of the people and the perfectly preserved colonial buildings now restored
and made into quaint cafes, shops and quality B&B cottages that all
sheltered in the imposing shadow of the Nut a very distinctive landmark, of
course. The Nut with its steep sides rising 150 metres straight up from the
water's edge with an immense flat top is an old volcanic plug which was discovered
by the explorers Bass and Flinders in 1798, who named it Circular Head.
The first morning in
the boat harbour Steve off Rhapsody went for a run up the Nut via a steep track
which I chose not to even walk (big sooky la-la that I am) and most tourists
took the chairlift.
You can take a
history tour through Stanley's streets, lined with quaint stone cottages dating
back to the town's early days when it hosted the headquarters of the Van
Diemen's Land Company. In 1825 the Van Diemen's Land Company was granted
land in north-western Van Diemen's Land, including the Stanley area. Employees
of the company from England settled in the area in October 1826. It was named
after Lord Stanley, the British Secretary of State for War and Colonies in
the 1830s and 1840s, who later had three terms of office as British Prime
Minster.
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breakfast at Moby Dicks |
A port opened in
1827 and the first school opened in 1841. The Post Office opened on 1 July
1845; it was known as Circular Head until 1882. In 1880 the first coach
service between Stanley and Burnie was established. In 1936 a submarine
telephone cable was put through from Apollo Bay in Victoria on the
mainland to Stanley. It provided the first telephone service to Tasmania.
Today Stanley is a
tourist destination and the main fishing port on the north-west coast of
Tasmania. The family owner fishing company Hursey’s have been operating out of
the Stanley Boat Harbour for many generations.
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sunrise from the marina |
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the wall |
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waves wash us against the wall |
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on the wall |
The first night in
the boat harbour both boats, Alana Rose and Rhapsody, had been put on the main
wharf wall by Les who worked for TAS Transport. He stated that the southern end
of the wall was the best place to be. What a lot of crock! MrJ and I put out
lots of fenders and our fender-boards to protect AR’s hull from getting bashed
on the old wooden wall. That evening all was well, well enough to have
sundowners onboard. We had invited Steve and Kerrin over for a couple of quiet
refreshments. Three hours later they went home!
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Rhapsody |
Steve was born in
Pommy Land; he had served in the British Army, he then moved to New Zealand and
joined the NZ Army. I believe he held the rank of a Captain and holds duel
passports. Really nice fella; never outspoken but has strong beliefs, very fit,
exercises every day. Kerrin was born in Germany, on an island in the Baltic
Sea. Kerrin tells me that she is Friesian; a lovely lady with a gentle nature,
a great sense of humour and a beautiful smile. Kerrin is also a camera buff. It
is good to have some female company for a change.
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AR in the fishing pen |
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fishing boat leaving at dawn |
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the strong swell coming inside the breakwall |
On our second days
stay in the boat harbour the winds freshened somewhat terribly from the SW,
bringing the swell and fetch right through the harbour opening. One of the
fishermen came over to suggest that we move into the empty pens over the ways
that were used regularly by the fishing boats. The occupants were out and not
expected back that night. After our chat I introduced us, the fisherman introduced
himself as Jim Hursey. It was then all touch and go to manoeuvre our boats
across the harbour. I never did get to thank Jim properly as by the time we had
settled into our new berth, Jim had left the harbour. The next morning I saw
him waving from one of the fishing boats as it left the harbour on sunrise.
To the NW of the
town of Stanley is a lush farming region named Highfield where we had visited
the week before with Glen and Anne on one of our many road-trip around
Tasmania. From Highfield you can view the picturesque little town with The Nut
in the background.
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leaving Stanley |
Saturday 25th Jan 2014:
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a limestone coast - Shepherd's Bay Hunter Island |
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sailing towards Cape Grim |
This day was our
turn to be leaving Stanley Boat Harbour but not at dawn. The wind and seas had
settled, we ate a hardy breakfast and then set sail for Shepherds Bay
(S40’28.352/E144’47.541) on Hunter Island, part of the Fleurieu Group
(Hunter Group) of islands on the NW tip of Tasmania. There are strong tides and
currents in the Hope Passage/channel between Hunter and Three hummock Islands,
anything from 2-4 knots that can cause overfalls and rips when the tide is
against wind.
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rough ride between Hunter and Bird Islands |
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Cape Grim |
If the weather is anything but settled all the anchorages can be
a bit rolly or swelly. We had picked a good weather window to anchor with and
got the tides pretty right when we left the next morning through the passage to
the south between Hunter and Bird Islands, sometimes called Bird Island
Passage. The current in this passage flows W and you need to be at the top half
of the tide – approx 30mins after Stanley. In strong westerly weather the W
currents can cause a dangerous rip to form on the seaward side of Bird Island.
In any condition it is best to heed what the guide book says.
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last phone call out |
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hope you had a Happy Australia Day |
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