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Port Davey

Port Davey, tucked away in the remote Southwest National Park wilderness, is one of Tasmania’s most exquisite cruising destinations. Smaller yachts tend to shelter at Recherche Bay until the wave and wind conditions are favourable to make the journey around South East Cape, De Witt and Maatsuyker islands, and South West Cape.

This half-day voyage is often executed during nightfall when the weather is more settled, with sailors and fishermen keen to avoid the heavy swells and strong winds that match the rugged beauty of the coastline. It’s worth the journey, though.

The expansive waterways of Bathurst Harbour and Port Davey provide some breathtaking scenery, with many delightful anchorages such as Melaleuca Inlet, Moulters Inlet and Bond Bay. The waterways of Bathurst Harbour rival Sydney Harbour in terms of expanse, and the cruising sailor can spend many weeks exploring this wilderness. It’s worth using the many opportunities to don the walking boots and explore the flora and fauna of this rugged environment.

Interestingly, Melaleuca was, and to some extent still is, the world of Denny King who lived a frugal, tough existence eking out a living mining town. A biography, which also captures the remote beauty of the area, has recently been published.

Norfolk Bay & Tasman Peninsula

About two hours’ south from Hobart, yachts can veer east at the well known landmark, the Iron Pot, passing between the mainland and Betsey Island and across Storm Bay into the relatively sheltered waters of Norfolk Bay. There are many distinct anchorages that provide a haven from prevailing winds and sea breeze.

Lime Bay and Monk Bay give shelter from westerly weather, Lagoon Beach in a southerly blow, while King George Sound offers an excellent anchorage if the winds blow hard from the southeast. Perhaps one of the more attractive anchorages is at Taranna where the visiting yacht can pick up a mooring for the day.

An interesting cruising ground in its own right, Norfolk Bay is home to the Denison Canal that provides a ‘short cut’ to Marion Bay and the east coast. However, navigating the channel across Blackman Bay can be challenging, especially when motoring through the Marion Narrows into the deeper waters of Marion Bay.

In favourable weather conditions, larger yachts will head in a southerly direction from the Iron Pot across Storm Bay and around the Tasman Peninsula. Cape Raoul, Tasman Island, Cape Pillar, the Lanterns and the Hippolyte Rocks provide spectacular scenery, and the delightful anchorages at Stewarts Bay, Carnarvon Bay and Safety Cove enable the cruising sailor to experience the haunting history of Port Arthur.

Fortescue Bay also offers shelter, especially in Canoe Bay where many a cruising yacht has laid quietly in the lee of an old shipwreck. For many sailors, this is a particularly special anchorage before voyaging north, past Pirates Bay, and on to Maria Island and the aquamarine waters and white sands of the east coast.

East coast

The mild, warmer climate of this destination, coupled with alluring beaches and clear waters, is highly attractive to Tasmanian sailors and to cruising yachts from the mainland and overseas. Maria Island is usually the first port of call for yachts, with safe overnight anchorages in either Chinamans Bay on the west or Riedle Bay on the eastern side, where Whalers Cove is an absolute delight.

Cruising yachts can also anchor temporarily at Darlington and explore the historical ruins of a former penal settlement and the limestone fossil cliffs near Cape Boullanger. A few hours’ sailing north offers the internationally renowned vistas of the Freycinet Peninsula – from the Hazards at Coles Bay to the exquisite Wineglass Bay. The Schouten Passage also provides secure overnight anchorages, either at Bryans Corner or Crocketts Bay, and Hen and Chicken Bay on the southern end of Schouten Island is a beautifully small and intimate haven from the northerly winds.

Water, distillate and food supplies are available from Triabunna and Coles Bay, where yachts can moor temporarily at a small wharf. Bicheno, a couple of hours’ sailing north of Wineglass past the noted Friendly Beaches, also provides similar services at The Gulch. Slipping and marine engineering facilities are available from Spencer Marine at Triabunna (Les Spencer, +61 3 6257-3599).

Flinders Island

The more adventurous and well prepared cruising yachts will continue north to St Helens, one of the more populous east-coast resorts offering a full range of services for the visiting sailor. However, the entrance into Georges Bay is across a bar way, so assistance from the local Coast Guard patrol is advised. Just outside the entrance are the safe havens of Binalong Bay and Skeleton Bay.

From there, Flinders Island beckons the yachts that are prepared to shelter, if necessary, near Eddystone Point or Swan Island before tracking across Banks Strait to Cape Barren Island and then Flinders – all part of the Furneaux Group. Pristine waters and miles of white sandy beaches await the cruising yachtsman, not forgetting the abundance of fish life that can feed a hungry crew at any time.

At the end of the day, you need only look at photographs of Tasmania’s coastline or listen to those sailors who have cruised its magnificent coastline, bays and rivers to understand the tempting nature of the island.

“The sights and sounds are on your doorstep,” summises Doug Seath. “Just a couple of hours’ down [from Hobart], there are plenty of protected anchorages, great scenery, and a massive availability of fish, like crayfish and abalone. There’s a lot of wilderness experience.

“In fact, there was a great story in North Bay, south of Maria Island, when one of our customers couldn’t get into his anchorage because a whale and its calf were there! He had to wait for them to leave.” So much for the uncrowded anchorages.