later King Island dropped astern and we entered Bass Strait, motor sailing into the 18-knot headwind rather than adopting a zig-zag course. At 15:30 we passed the oddly-named Black Pyramid – the top is white, not black. Thirty minutes later the wind picked up to 22 knots and its direction shifted slightly to the east making it possible to sail without motors and average six knots. Around 17:00 we quietly dipped below 40.644°S, the latitude of Woolnorth Point, the northernmost point of the main Tasmanian island. This meant that we were now sailing along Tasmania’s west coast, albeit twenty miles offshore. The day’s pure sailing was short-lived as the wind faded two hours later and we reluctantly fired up the ‘iron sail’. Tasmania’s west coast, which stretches for 180 nautical miles from north to south, is mountainous, sparsely populated and lashed by wild weather at all times of the year. It is also undeniably beautiful. Numerous peaks form a patchwork of mountain ranges that parallel the coast, the largest of which is the West Coast Range. The trick to sailing comfortably in this part of the world is to avoid the low-pressure systems that move in from the west bringing high winds and big seas.
Our first taste of Tasmania’s mountainous magnificence was the spectacular Mount Cameron West which rises from the northern end of Ann Bay. It beckoned us to admire its shapely contours as it basked in crepuscular golden rays. We anchored in the south east corner of the bay at 21:08, 15 hours and 10 minutes and 76 nautical miles since departing. Unfortunately we had no time to go ashore and could only savour this place by twilight.
Cape Wickham Lighthouse Country race days are typically fun occasions and King Island’s was no exception offering an eclectic mix of harness racing and regular horse-racing events. Young children delighted in the event’s pomp and pageantry while their elders socialised over sparkling wine and beers. COVID-19 seemed a universe away from this place. The following day we rented a car as I was keen to visit Grassy Harbour on the eastern side of the island since it is described in the Tasmanian Anchorage Guide (TAG) as the preferred anchorage. While the harbour itself is well protected there is little of interest for the visiting yachtie. The nearest settlement, Grassy, is a steep climb over four kilometres away and offers few amenities except the Wild Harvest Restaurant. By contrast, Currie is an easy five-minute walk from its harbour and has everything the traveller needs including a pub, supermarket, bakery, pharmacy, two hardware stores and rental cars. Currie Harbour’s only shortcoming was that it is exposed to strong westerly weather. We drove to an ancient calcified forest although, technically, just the roots were calcified, not the trees, but the name ‘calcified roots’ does not have quite the same ring to it. The day’s highlight however was lunch at the King Island Dairy. The island is famous for its cheeses and we were not disappointed by the sumptuous cheese platter washed down by a delightful Tasmanian Pinot Gris. After lunch we drove north to Australia’s tallest lighthouse at Cape Wickham which rises to an impressive 48 metres.
Our time ashore had been conveniently timed to allow a front to pass across Bass Strait. Conditions had greatly subsided by the time we departed the following day destined for Ann Bay on the northwest coast of Tasmania. We weighed anchor at sunrise (05:28) to make the most of the light. Four hours
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The following day, with 88 nautical miles to cover, we set out at 05:00. We were not having much luck with the wind which was non-existent to light. The so-called Roaring Forties had temporarily lost some of their roar. At 06:05 we passed West Point, Tasmania’s westernmost point, and by midday we were abeam of the aptly named Sandy Cape. We motored at a leisurely 5.2 knots to conserve fuel and one good thing about motoring is that it loudly announces a vessel’s presence to the local wildlife. At 11:30 we were visited by a pod of approximately two dozen dolphins. Sometimes dolphins accompanied us for fifteen minutes or longer while at other times their visits would be fleeting.
The landscape unfolding off the port bow was mesmerising as the mountains kept increasing in grandeur. For happy hour we enjoyed some of our delicious King Island Dairy cheese so our visual and gustatory senses were under simultaneous assault. It was 22:00 when we finally reached Pilot Bay, the man-made anchorage that lies between Cape Sorell and the breakwater at the entrance to Macquarie Harbour. It is easy to approach from the north and is the perfect place to wait for the right conditions before entering the harbour. The narrow entrance, known as Hells Gate, is subject to very strong tidal flows. I recommend consulting the TAG and studying the charts ahead of time. The following day we had a leisurely 08:13 start and a smooth passage through the gate arriving at Strahan two and half hours later. Strahan is the only surviving port on the west coast of Tasmania. In the 1800s it primarily supported mining and logging activities. These days a small fishing fleet operates out of the port but it is mostly a hub for tourism. Our first call of duty was to refuel. The fixed wharf, designed to accommodate large commercial vessels, was not very friendly for yachts, especially with an onshore wind. We then anchored in nearby Risby Cove before returning to shore by dinghy. Eleven days of being at sea had made my crew desperate for one thing – a laundromat! Their excitement for laundering was only matched by their desire for cold beer so we spent the next couple
