Leg 31 - East Telegraph Bay, Three Hummock Island to Stanley, Tasmania - Bass Strait now crossed.

26 Nautical Miles

After a blissfully quiet and dark night on anchor,  we set off at 09:00. Pulling out both the headie and main and setting a course, we then used the auto vane function on the autopilot. The last time we'd done this was crossing the Great Australian Bight. It was overcast with a 15kn NE breeze and no swell and it suited our destination perfectly. Finally, a reach to sail on. It was exhilarating!

Dawn delivered a beautiful sunrise.

 Look Mum, 7knots. No hands!

 

Put that camera down! Time to trim the sails.

We ripped along for several hours. The 143m high Stanley nut emerged quite early from the gloomy sky. Our destination teasing us. About 5nm out, the wind decreased and we encountered some current/tide which meant we had to make a couple of tacks to clear the headland.

The Nut is an old volcanic plug

 The Stanley light sitting in the middle of a paddock.

What a delightful way to complete our Bass Strait crossing - actually under sail. It's official we've made it to Tasmania proper. A new postcode of 7331. Although both King and Three Hummock Islands are part of the State of Tasmania it didn't feel right to claim we'd got here yet.

 A very colourful Stanley township becoming visible. 

We've discovered that a film adaptation of the ML Steadman novel, The Light Between the Oceans set in the 1920's, is to be filmed in Stanley because of it's old world charm. It certainly looks cute from the ocean. In fact, auditions for extras are taking place tomorrow in the Town Hall. We'll be there just in time!

Flyer found in the Fish and Chip shop

We are moored for the next few days in the Stanley Fishing harbour. It's a new first for us because we were instructed by Les, the Port Manager to 'raft up' against a white fishing boat called Monica III. Cripes, we'd never rafted up before! The Bloke was pale with concentration as we motored into the harbour, spotted Monica III, turned and aimed straight at her at 90 degrees. Masterful skippering delivered the bow of Zofia to the bow cleat of Monica III so gently that I barely needed to push us off to start attaching the lines to join us as one. Brilliant work. Phew, that end-of-passage beer was definitely earned today!

Attached at the hip.

Tucked up behind The NUT!

 The fishing fleet at high tide

 The fishing fleet at a lower tide.

The steps up to the wharf at low tide.

At high tide we just steped off!