May 2015

Once again we headed for the Port Arthur Holiday Park for the March Long weekend and the following week. We have now been doing this for about 5 years and it serves as a useful shakedown for our regular winter sojourn to warmer climes. The Port Arthur caravan park has been a BIG4 park since 1 February, so we got a $30 discount for our membership. We had our usual site 25 and did a full set-up with the new annexe we bought last year in Queensland.

Before we headed for Port Arthur we had a new chequer-plate storage box made by Minty's Sheet Metals in Hobart. The box measured 280 by 280 by 1530 mm long and fitted between the chassis rails at the rear of the van. The box is designed to carry all of our annexe poles and rafters, and has the added benefit of transferring some weight from the front of the van to the rear, it takes about 100 kg off the pin weight. The box is exceptionally well made and even has hinges with grease nipples for lubrication. We are waiting for two small matching boxes to fill the gaps outside the chassis rails.

New box for annexe poles and rafters

This was the first time that we had set up the annexe on our own and it took us about 3 hours. Last time it was set up it was done by Colin from Australia Wide Annexes with David's help. Next time will be quicker we hope. Another new acquisition to be tried out this weekend was a camp oven which we christened with a casserole. A bit of trial and error about how many coals under and on top of the oven, but it all turned out well.

All set up on site 25 - fire going as well

The new Porch on the annexe

New camp oven - we had a casserole that turned out well

During the first few days we did a few modifications to the van - LEDs in the annexe to improve the light, and a computer fan at the back of the Convection Microwave to expel the hot air. The LEDs were 60 led strips and we connected two each to the existing lights - very successful too as it is now like daylight in the annexe at night. While the fan worked well we think that a second fan will be an improvement.

Near 300 LEDs make it just like daylight in the annexe

On Wednesday we were joined by old friends Neil and Sandra who stayed for a couple of nights sleeping on air beds in the annexe. While they were with us we visited a few of the local sites, including Roaring Beach, the Lookout on the Cape Raoul Track for views of Cape Raoul and Shipstern Bluff, and the Remarkable Cave. On Friday David and Neil took the rubber duck out for a bit of fishing, but no luck - perhaps the Carington's seals have eaten all the fish.

Roaring Beach

Another shot of Roaring Beach

Sand Dunes behind Roaring Beach

Not much surf today

Wedge Island from Roaring Beach

Di and Sandra at Roaring Beach

Another surf shot

Sand Dunes behind Roaring Beach

Secluded house at Roaring Beach

The inaugural Australian Wooden Boat Festival was held in November 1994, and continued every 2 years until 1998. From 2001 the Festival has been held in early February to coincide with the Royal Hobart Regatta. In 2013 the Festival attracted 550 boats of all sizes from small dinghies to large tall ships, with visitor numbers of more than 200,000 over the four day period. The Festival is now recognised as the largest event of its kind in the southern hemisphere, and second in the world to the Fete Maritime held every four years at Brest in France.

Once again we have entered our yacht Moorina in the festival. She has now appeared at the festival in 2001 and 2003 by her previous owners, and in 2007, 2011, 2013 and now 2015 since we bought the boat in 2004. In the lead up to the Festival we spent several weeks painting and varnishing to have Moorina looking her best for the festival. This year we were allocated a berth on the Elizabeth Pier sea-wall which was a separate piled berth, which was an improvement over being rafted up with other boats as in previous years.

This year we decided to take Moorina over to the Festival site on Thursday afternoon, which allowed us to watch the arrival of the other boats on Friday. We were also able to watch the finish of the sail past which included a number of tall ships. While we think that Moorina was the best boat at the Festival, we have to admit that there was some very serious competition including a couple of Francis Herreschoff designed Mobjack 45 footers. Anyway the photos will tell the story.

The HMAS Sydney was in Hobart for the Royal Hobart Regatta, and the cruise ship Diamond Princess was also in Hobart on Saturday. The Regatta featured the RAAF Roulettes doing their aerobatic routines each day, and also an appearance by the RAN Flying Squirrels (helicopters). On Saturday the HMAS Sydney took up station mid-river off the Regatta grounds to make way for the Diamond Princes. No doubt the Navy were a little embarrassed when the left their anchor at the bottom of the Derwent River when the anchor chain broke, however they were able to retrieve it on the Monday.

Moorina in her berth

Moorina is for sale - that's the mobile number not the price

Moorina dressed for the Festival

Blue Heeler overseeing activities

HMAS Sydney at Macquarie Wharf

Boats arriving for the Festival

Police Boat Vigilant waiting to enter King's Pier Marina

The first Tall Ship finishing the sail-past

More yachts completing the sail-past

Fishing smack Storm Bay under full sail

Volunteers rowing a long boat

A sailing dory entering the dock

Small stem powered launch entering the marina

Schooner Giselle being nudged into her berth by a rubber duck

Boats queuing up to enter Constitution Dock

A Couta Boat looking for its berth

Tall ships on Elizabeth Pier - shades of a bygone era

A couple of Francis Herreschoff Mobjack designs - Windward Star and Gypsy Jac

The RAAF Roulettes going through their aerobatic routines

Diamond Princess crew practice life boat drills while the passengers are ashore

The sea planes had a busy day with a cruise ship in port

Diamond Princess backing out of her berth at Macquarie Wharf

Diamond Princess ready to leave Hobart

Marie of Myall

Gipsy Jac

Windward Star

Laurabada

Moorina at dawn on Monday 9 February

The Verandahcoots entertain the crowd