The van and luggage trailer.
The van with the luggage trailer pulled into the hotel about 15 minutes prior to the designated meeting time of 0800. We convened in a conference room where the guides - Nick, Isaac, James, and Holly - provided a briefing on the trip along with a complimentary stainless steel water bottle. Day packs and rain jackets were made available also as loaners.
The drive north from Hobart took about 3 1/2 hours, first through a valley filled with pasture land, then after passing through Paradise Gorge, then along the shore of Oyster Bay Along the way an echidna/spiny anteater was spotted along side of the road, but we didn’t stop, nor did the echidna. Turning south on the Freycinet peninsula we got out of the van in Coles Bay at the wharf and boarded the “Naturaliste” and met pilot/guide Noah. Yeah, I know, how appropriate. With Isaac and James on board, this voyage was feeling positively biblical.
The boat was the size of a cabin cruiser or lobster boat with open air seating and a cowl over the pilot. Our destination was Schouten Island, a large island just off the southern tip of the peninsula. The sky was broken clouds and sun, and rain cells could be seen in the distance. Shortly after we got underway, a white bellied sea eagle was spotted, followed by a pod of dolphins Noah idled the boat (as required by local regulation) while the pod approached the boat, diving under and around us, and surfacing on the opposite side. Once they passed, we resumed our 90 minute trip, stopping to observe Australian fur seals (related to California sea lions) on the rocks, locate a sea eagle nest before crossing the narrow channel to the island.
The van and luggage trailer.
Identified as a 'Monkey cup', but all the references I find to 'monkey cup' show a carnivorous pitcher plant.
Yam daisy (Microseris lanceolata) with insect. It could be Microseris tasmanica.
Isaac showing where we are and were going with Teresa, Edwin, and Heidi observing.
Cape weed (Arctotheca calendula), in the sunflower family, originates from South Africa.
A couple of boats out on Oyster Bay.
More 'monkey cup'.
Isaac, Nick, and Noah.
Looking back.
Australian fur seals ((Arctocephalus pusillus)) arguing over a rock.
Argument continues.
More discussion.
Argument over.
Eagle's nest.
Two islets - the white rock is separate from the lower islet.
Freycinet peninsula bluffs; the boat, the 'Schouten Passage II', from Wineglass Bay Tours, seats 150 passengers.
We disembarked on a white gravel and sand beach - the boat was equipped to let us get on and off without getting our feet wet (usually). Once on the beach, the guides brought out lunch in stainless steel kits, and heated water for tea and coffee. After lunch, the entire group opted to take the walk up the Bear Hill track to a granite ledge to view the landscape, and the Freycinet Peninsula to the north. Since no one opted for the fishing tour, Isaac joined Noah to go fish for supper (they weren’t kidding - the fish they caught was supper).
The trail to the viewing point started easy but got progressively more challenging as the path had to navigate more and more boulders and steeper slopes. Jonathan and I stopped a little short of the destination ledge at a smaller one with an excellent view. Going down the track provides its own challenges and we found the walking sticks we bought Jonathan were shorter than needed for the downward trek. So I traded poles with him and we worked our way back to the beach as those distant rain shower cells came up close and personal.
We donned our rain jackets on the boat before we pushed back from the beach. Once underway the speed of the boat sent the raindrops flying by. And by the time we returned to the pier in Coles Bay we were out from under the rain.
Lunch/evidence.
Heating water for tea and coffee.
A cormorant drying its feathers in the distance.
The shore north of our landing.
The 'Naturaliste' getting ready to go fishing for our dinner.
Heading up the Bear Hill Track.
Jonathan coming up the trail.
Someone idenfied this as 'snake grass', but I can't find anything online that matches it.
'Snake grass.'
'Snake grass.'
The view kept improving as we got higher.
A wider view.
The rain was moving in.
Jonathan approves of the view.
The bus took us from the pier northward to Friendly Beach where we walked 15 minutes south on the beach to the path up to the lodge. The twisting path lied us through the coastal scrub forest to the hillside where the lodge was hidden away. After dropping our packs and bags in our rooms and getting out of our hiking boots, we reconvened for supper of the fish Isaac and Noah caught - and it was superb! The filets were lightly breaded and fried, served with a yoghurt dipping sauce - and there was enough for seconds. The rest of the meal included salad (rocket, fennel, and oranges), roasted potatoes, and dessert was vanilla bean panna cotta with fresh fruit with macerated mint and basil, all washed down with a local Pinot noir.
Friendly Beaches - we would walk south about 15-20 minutes to get to the lodge.
The Friendly Beaches Lodge - main building.
Closer view of the lodge.
Jonathan examining our bedroom - I was standing in the cabin's common area to take this photo.
The main building as approached from our cabin.
The dining table.
Dinner - pan fried fish, roasted potatoes.
Rocket, fennel and orange salad with walnuts.
Jonathan, Marianne, Teresa (obscured), Nick, and Edwin.
Heidi, Glenn, Holly, Isaac, James, Dan.
Holly preps tomorrow's lunch.
After a briefing that recapitulated the day’s activities, and outlined the next day’s, we returned to the cabin using the lodge supplied torches (a/k/a flashlights). We climbed into bed under the comforter and fell sound asleep.
