Tag: Hobart

Two days left

Burnie (circled) is on the northern coast of Tasmania.

Compared to mainland Australia Tasmania looks ‘small’ but to give you a better idea of the size of Tasmania the island is a similar size to Ireland, and larger than Belgium, Denmark or Sri Lanka.

Once again, the shuttle bus service was free to visit the town. When the bus stopped near the town centre the Lady Mayoress of Burnie, Teeny Brumby, boarded to welcome us to her town. She had her chain of office around her neck but not the cloak.

It was a nice touch and must have been tiering for her because she welcomed each of the buses – Coral Princess had 1900 passengers, but I don’t know how long she kept up the welcoming.

Sunday in Bernie – the main street was quiet

There was a small local craft market near were the coaches stopped, but all the main street shops were closed except for the Red Cross shop – again.

The local beach was popular for exercise.

One of Burnie’s main exports is wood chip – nearly two million tons a year and nearly a million tons of logs.

Emu Bay as we sailed from Burnie.

Pilot boat coming alongside to ferry the pilot back ashore.
Photo taken from our balcony.

It was an overnight sail from Bernie to Hobart.

View from our balcony as we moved alongside.

The boat harbour and the Coral Princess can just be seen on the right side of the photo.

Later in the morning the light was different. Coral Princess in the background.

Seals in the harbour – statues

There was a competition on the ship for creating a model. The above is the winner – it took the creator & his wife four days of solid work. The model was made from cardboard.
You cannot see in the above photograph but each porthole on the model has the face of a different crew member. See below.

The swimming pool crew did not just stack towels  . . . . 

There was a small museum onboard about how things were ‘done’ in earlier times. It was interesting and I was surprised to see a BISNC vessel.

When I was at sea it was with this company British India Steam Navigation Co Ltd. (I could not see or work out the ship’s name.)

This one was easier P&O Moldavia – 1922 built in Birkenhead (the town where I was born) by Cammell Lairds Ship building.
She was built for the Australian run – her final voyage was in September 1937 from Sydney to the UK.
In April 1938 she was sold for the breakers yard in Newport, Monmouth shire.

I was returning a book to the ship’s library and noticed a middle-aged lady (couldn’t say old lady because I think I am older than her) sorting returned books into alphabetical order.
She was using the area on the left of the picture.
The lady was not in uniform nor did she have a badge indicating that she was a member of the crew so I asked if she was a crew member.
‘No Dear’ she replied, “I just like to keep busy.’
Then it occurred to me that perhaps she and her husband were the couple who had been sailing in Coral Princess for a long time and had been on TV.
I asked if she was the lady who had been onboard for 450 days, ‘No Dear’ she replied, ‘I think it is nearly closer to 700 days.’
Then we were interrupted as other passengers entered to return books. 

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All of a sudden it is time to pack – 28 days can go very fast on a holiday.

Welcome to Sydney at 5.30 am, at least it was warm enough for shorts. 

Hobart

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The old and the new – Golden Princess can be seen with a sailing ship along side. We berthed close to the town, which allowed for a short walk to many places of interest.

DSC09823rA touch of yesteryear where ever we looked.

DSC09804rcMany of the streets and homes reminded me of New Zealand, quiet and civilised.

DSC09809rcWe did a hop on hop off bus tour to get a feel of the place – with a population of just under 250,000, most streets were quiet. To be fair it was a Sunday.

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DSC09812r We were still in Hobart  . . . not bad for a capital city of a State.

DSC09829rcA blast from the past at the traffic lights.

DSC09820rYou couldn’t fault the locals – they began brewing beer in 1824 and the same brewery is still brewing beer – Cascade Brewery, a well known drop that I drink in Sydney.

DSC09797rBack to the waterfront area – Flying Angel – Mission to Seafarers. When I was at sea in the 60’s it was called Mission to Seamen, but even the Mission has to be correct in today’s PC world.

DSC09862r All our yesterday’s

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Plenty of memorials around the harbour area.

DSC09876rcThis plaque was just a taste of what we would experience the following day at Port Arthur. (see my previous blog).

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Statues near the ‘Footsteps’ plaque.

DSC09871rcStatue of Louis Charles Bernacchi 1876 – 1942.

Louis Charles Bernacchi taking a self portrait with one of his dogs before leaving for the Antarctic. I cropped the picture from a photograph that I took, because it had a young boy in the picture, and I didn’t know him, and I could tell that he wasn’t going to move.

Bernacchi-Statue The above is from a Hobart travel site, which is the full picture that I wanted.

Louis_CLouis Bernacchi with one of his dogs. I Found the picture on the internet.

He was Belgium by birth, and arrived in Australia when he was seven, and grew up in Australia.

Robert Scott was Bernacchi’s best man at his wedding, and Scott invited Bernacchi to join his ill-fated expedition to the South Pole – Bernacchi turned him down.

DSC09864rcA few feet away from a great explorer we had a steam crane, built in 1899. Notice the boiler at the rear, which supplied the steam to drive the crane.

DSC09825rcSir Douglas Mawson 

 Check him out via the above link, particularly if you come from Yorkshire . . .

We missed the markets in Salamanca because they are held on Saturday.

DSC09854rWhat we saw

ATDW_Extra_Large_Landscape__9116616_OP2013_Salamanca_May_2010_035_wwdayvlWhat we’d hoped to see, but we were a day late. Picture off Tasmanian tourist site.

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The small bars and restaurants were doing a good trade.

DSC09858rcThe best time to go shopping – when most places are closed – think of the saving.

DSC09857rAt the rear of the area when Maureen is standing.

IMG_0139rClose up thanks to V.I

DSC09859rcAnother blast from the past.

IMG_0141rWrapping your trees in a woollen jacket must be a Tasmanian thing . . . thanks V.I

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On a positive note the Tasmanians have not forgotten their roots – note the Dutch flag for Abel Tasman. Picture from V.I.

Abel-tasman1903Abel Tasman who started it all. (picture off the internet)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Devil’s Island

princess-cruises-golden-princess-exterior-02-galleryGolden Princess

Seven of us are off on a short cruise next week to Tasmania, a place that neither Maureen or I have visited. The cruise is just a week, and for us it is a taste of the Apple Isle, which might convince us to return later for a driving holiday.

1280px-Coat_of_arms_of_Tasmania.svgTasmania’s coat of arms, and the meaning of the moto being, Fertility and Faithfulness.

TassieYou must have heard of the Tasmanian Devil according to Bugs Bunny’s Devil

And now for a real Devil.

The first European to visit the island was Abel Tasman in 1642. The French arrived in 1772, and the first Englishman to set foot on the island was Tobias Furneaux in 1773. Captain Cook arrived in 1777. It was a popular place.

In 1803 a small detachment was sent from Sydney to the island, because French explorers were investigating the southern coast of Australia, during the time when Great Britain was at war with Napoleon. The British, in Sydney, wanted to make sure that the French did not lay claim to the island. At that time the island was considered as part of New South Wales.

In 1642 the island was been named Van Diemen’s Land by Abel Tasman. This naming was in honour of Anthony Van Diemen who was the Governor General of the Dutch East Indies, who had sent Tasman on his voyage of discovery. The island did not become Tasmania until 1856, after petitioning Queen Victoria for the name to be changed.

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Golden Princess was built in Italy and was launched in 2001, she is 108,865 gt and has accommodation for 2,600 passengers. She is registered in London, UK.
Her last refurbishment was in May 2015, so the smell of paint should no longer be around.
I have read that it is planned for the Golden Princess to be transferred to P & O Australia in 2020. One has the feeling that it is my fault that ships, in which Maureen & I sail, don’t stay long after our cruise before Princess Cruises move them over to P & O.
Dawn Princess, in which we sailed last February is now Pacific Explorer under the P & O Australia house flag, and now I read that Golden Princess will follow.

We sail from Sydney and return to Sydney exactly a week later. Our first port of call will be Melbourne, and as we have all either lived in Melbourne or visited the city, I doubt that we will do anything more exciting than to visit Queen Victoria Market.

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We sail at 4.00 pm from Melbourne for Wineglass Bay on the east coast of Tasmania, to cruise Wineglass Bay and Oyster Bay.

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Wineglass_Bay_2_940x350Wineglass Bay

followed by

Oyster BayOyster Bay

With a bit of luck, we might be able to share Oyster Bay, New Zealand with Oyster Bay, Tasmania.

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We then cruise to Port Arthur, which used to be a 19th century penal settlement. We will anchor off and go ashore by tender.

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Port Arthur

Next stop is Hobart, the capital city of Tasmania. Originally called Hobart Town, or Hobarton, so named after Lord Hobart, who was the British secretary of state for war and the colonies.

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Hobart5We stay overnight and then sail for Sydney the following evening.

Arriving Sydney at 7.00 am on Wednesday 01 November.