Only 40 minutes from town, many Hobart yatchies keep their boat in Kettering.
The Oyster Cove Marina is quite large and there is a collector jetty long enough for around a dozen boats. Although there aren't power boxes specific for the collector jetty visitors, there are enough boats not using their power boxes on the opposite side of the jetty to find an outlet and the jetty is visibly chriss-crossed with various coloured cables. Once again, our Albany extension cables come into their own! The rules for the collector jetty are flexible. One can tie up for 3 hours without charge, not use power but pay for water at the rate of $2:00 per 100l; or you can pay $10 for up to 10 hours, use power and take on water. For $25, the casual rate, one can stay overnight and have the power and water included. The facilities here are only a couple of years old so the ablutions are nice and new and the showers have coin operated hot water. $2:00 gets the job done. The laundry has 2 dryers and a single washer. All $4:00 per load. The machines are new and big and $4:00 WILL dry a machine load of wet washing. Refreshingly, the Marina owner has situated the laundry in pride of place with a window overlooking the Marina and provided a cushioned bench seat under a stocked bookshelf. Apparently, this is specifically to make 'the ladies' happy. I'm happy, for sure.
Marina Office, Ablutions, Laundry and Chandlers are all accessible.
There are haul out facilities (a travel lifter or as we call them in WA, a Tammy Lift) and a hard stand and from what we can gather, good trades. There is also a good chandler on site, inevitably our dollars have been finding their way into the till! Folks seem to be speaking favourably about the place as a good spot to get lifted. On the down side, you'd really want a car if you are going to be here for any length of time as there aren't any shops in Kettering. Water, gas, fuel and laundry get the tick though. The fuel is available at a 24hr fuel jetty outside of the marina. A public jetty is located closer to the Ferry terminal too where boats can tie up for 4 hours at no fee.
Looking down the Collector Jetty.
We aren't the only ones taking refuge here which means we've been quite social. 'Wobla' from the RYCT is here and Sheokee, who we've been watching on Skipr.net for some months, has come in too. It's nice to finally meet David and Pam. The crew of Pierrette have given up on the weather and have popped home for a few days to avoid cabin fever but not before a meal with us at the Oyster Cove Pub!
The Oyster Cove Pub.
Nice pub meals and a bottle shop if you have a crisis and run out of booze.
It overlooks the Marina.
The Bloke has been lucky to get his morning coffee fix here A walk along the shoreline to the Kettering ferry terminal has been rewarded with lovely coffee at the Cafe there and an entertaining view of the loading of vehicles onto the car ferry. The fellow that directs the vehicles has a noticeable talent for placing them in a such a way to make the best of the available space. The 2 ferries cross the D'Entrecateaux Channel from Kettering to Bruny Island and back all day long. We've been told that pedestrians can travel free of charge so we might make a trip, just for the hell of it and buy some cherries on the other side!
Cars queue to board in 4 lanes. What most don't know, is that Lane 1 boards ahead of Lane 2, 3 and 4; even if at the front. You should see the 'looks' of surprise!
Our rigging might be hooting in the wind and Zofia straining on her mooring lines, but 40knots here is less stressful than on anchor, any day!
Addendum: We read recently that some cruisers solved their provisioning issue by ordering from Coles on line. It seems that Coles will deliver to Kettering. We're putting that in the memory bank.
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