Day 30 - Friday 22 March - Cradle Mountain to Bass Strait

Slept relatively well again. Decided to have one last go at seeing the mountain, so got ready and packed up all my crap (in case I wasn't back in time for Stu to check out) and headed out at 8:05.

Had to walk down to the visitor's centre (in case Stu had to pack the car) which was a solid twenty minute walk. But did see a wallaby on the track down to the road, and another one near the visitor's centre, so that was cool.

Wallaby near Cradle Mountain Visitors Centre

Just missed a bus at 8:23 and had to wait til about 8:35 or so for one.

Sadly the clouds didn't want to cooperate. But I did setup my phone to do some timelapses at the boat shed. I was there for half an hour but literally noone else came down so had the place to myself. Not sure I really got any good timelapses, we'll see.

Cradle Mountain and Dove Lake Boatshed

Dove Lake Boatshed

Got the bus back out (had it to myself heh) and back at the chalet around 10:30.

Rainbow over Ronny Creek

Blogged the day before then made lunches and did the washing up and packed up all the food. We still had some pepperoni and cheese left.. it should be ok out of the fridge for 28-odd hours right? Left the chalet just before 11:30 and checked out.

We didn't have any plans for this day and it really doesn't take very long to get back to Devonport so we were a little lost.

We saw a turn off to Lake Cethana lookout so went and looked at that. And tried to find a spot to see the dam as well.

Cethana Dam

Penstocks for Wilmot Power Station (closed)

Cethana Dam

Next time we'll need to stop in Railton to see all the topiary properly

Adults and kid topiary

Helix and octopus topiary

Helix and ox topiary

Stopped in Sheffield around 12:40 for coffee and cheesecake and the same café as a few weeks ago. Saw alpaca man and his alpaca but didn't say hi.

Drove onto Port Sorell. Had a look at the jetty.

Stu at Port Sorell Jetty

Beach at Port Sorell

Then found a loo for a pitstop, and had lunch in Panatana Park, with all the seagulls.

Seagulls at Panatana Park

Seagull at Panatana Park

Young Pacific gull at Panatana Park

Panatana Rivulet at low tide

Had a look at Hawley Beach.

Tasmanian native-hen at Hawley Beach

Hawley Beach

And Moorland Beach.

Moorland Beach

Pretty coloured rocks on Moorland Beach

Moorland Beach

Then back into Devonport and went up to look at the Mersey Bluff lighthouse. I also walked around the headland.

Mersey Bluff Lighthouse

Sky over the Bass Strait

Mersey Bluff Lighthouse

Mersey Bluff Lookout and Bass Strait

Rocks at Mersey Bluff

Bluff Beach

Went and found a beach to sit at for a while while we waited for it to be closer to dinner time. Listened to more of Confessions of a Bookseller.

Searoad Mersey II departing Devonport

Sunset over Devonport

Some time after 18:00, when I could see the boat was getting closer, we headed into town and went to The Scottish Restaurant for dinner (easy parking and super close to the lookout platform). As the boat came into the channel I went up to watch it come in. So that was pretty cool.

Spirit of Tasmania I arriving in Devonport

Me and the Spirit of Tasmania I

Spirit of Tasmania I

Around 19:10 we headed over. Took a bit over half an hour to get to the gate to get our boarding passes. Then security, but no extra questions about fruit and vegetables on the way back. Got to the holding queues around 19:45 and there we waited. For well over an hour. They were running late. But we did have the audio book to listen to, and a very pretty sunset, so that was fine.

Sunset skies over Spirit of Tasmania I

Boarding the Spirit of Tasmania I

Reading room on Spirit of Tasmania I

Once on board we dumped all our stuff, then I went out to get some juice for the sweetie, and figure out the best exits for watching the view. I went back out a bit before 22:00. Cast off was around 22:10. We actually went upstream a little in the river, and then chucked a u-ey and headed out of the channel forwards, getting out around 22:35.