Summer is Officially Over

We hardly needed to look at the calendar to know that summer was over. We gave it one last day to show itself, but NO, it failed.

Once Onora and then Marvelous Miles left we turned our minds to 'northward' thoughts. Today's plan, written in the sand at low tide, is to depart Hobart on 12th March. We've booked a pen for our last 3 days in Hobart so we can get our provisioning, fueling and goodbyes done. In fact we've already said some goodbyes this week in Cygnet. We drew up a list of Bays that we might still visit before we head out of the D'Entrecasteaux Channel but I think we'll mostly be re-visiting favourites rather than sampling new ones.

 

A Cygnet morning

Sunset from Sand Rock Bay

We had intended to visit Southport and take a predicted northerly to get there. We left our very comfortable and favourite Sand Rock Bay where the game is to speculate just how many trips around the anchor you'd achieve in a single day. We were passing the southern end of Port Esperance with another 8nm to go when we decided against it and turned back. Why would you travel to worse weather we wondered? We already had our wet weather pants on plus sleeveless jackets over fleeces! It was raining and visibility was about 1/2 nm! Tomorrow's front to mark the start of autumn was predicted to be followed by another 2 by Thursday. So much for the weather being 'settled' at the end of summer and going into autumn. Should have been here last year?

 Mid-day off Port Esperance 28th Feb, 2015.

 And then came the rain!

Even the birds have changed at Quarantine Bay

The Swans have left and been replaced by these guys

 A parting shot with Pam and David - the Bloke with 'Team Sheokee'

David could almost be Brownie's twin!

The Bloke has become very invigorated by a date to focus on. He's reading the cruising guides with a vengeance and plotting possible anchorages as we head north across Bass Strait; this time via Flinders and Deal Islands. I'm similarly on a mission to complete some half done projects that have been interrupted by a social life.

 BBQ cover now completed

Time to leave 'Cold Front Central'; it's been lovely, but our Bow will be pointed north very soon in search of -40S!