11.20.19 Cruise of Tasman Island and visit to Port Arthur

It's time for another all day tour! Even though we "hired" (rented) a car, we still booked a couple all day tours to give Glenn a break from driving. Plus we learn more on the tours.

This tour took us down the coast. We had great views of Mount Wellington and the coast line. We stopped for morning tea at the Port Arthur Lavender Farm. The scones were delicious. So delicious that Glenn packed away two in his pockets. If he starts carrying around Tupperware, I'll be staging an intervention.

 

Then it was time to board our boat:

 

 





 

After lots of warnings about strong winds, bumps, required seatbelts, and the distribution of ginger tablets to prevent seasickness, we were off. It was super windy and bumpy and so much fun.

 

It was incredible to see the cliffs from the water. We learned how the cliffs with horizontal lines were formed as sediment pilled up and then was under pressure from glaciers.

 

 

The cliffs with the vertical lines were formed by magna pushing up to the Earth's cruise and is some of the hardest material in the world.

 

 

 

We also  had a little wildlife viewing. It was fun to watch the seals play in the water.

 

 

The big adventure of the day was when a fellow boat captain discovered a super pod of dolphins. Our Captain estimated that over 1,000 dolphins were in the water around us. They swam right next to the boat and jumped around. It was incredible:

 

 







We also circumnavigated Tasman Island.

At one time, three families lived here. To get to the their home, they'd pull up their boat to a rocky cliff. A rope and basket was lowered. They'd climb into the basket and then be lifted up. Once up there, they'd sit on a seat attached to a track and then they'd ride up the mountain backwards pulled by a wench. I don't think I'd leave.

After the boat tour, we headed to the Port Arthur historic site. Glenn's scone came in handy.

This was a convict site where prisoners from England who had reoffended were held. They would do hard labor clearing timber. The site is huge and we only got a peek. It's very grim to know that English committed genocide to clear this land of the native people. Then, they sent people convicted of crimes of poverty - usually stealing food - to work here for years. If the convicts survived the boat journey, they'd be sentenced to hard labor. Once they completed their sentence, they'd have to find a job to pay their way back to England.

 

We headed back to Hobart. We visited Preachers Beer Bar where extra seating is available in a bus.

 

 

 

We had a lovely time at The Whaler. The bartenders were so friendly. We  loved chatting about beer and gin with them.