Thursday, April 29, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Port Davey, Tasmania
As the plane made its final approach parallel to Melaleuca Inlet deep in the south west of Tasmania my American friends were steering the same course below us in their dinghy to meet me. By the time I had unloaded my gear from the plane and made my way to the small jetty they were motoring towards me waving a warm welcome. I held aloft the box of wine they asked me to bring. I didn't realise Americans call a cask of wine a box. I had 12 bottles in my box! We made our way 5 miles back down the inlet to where Maamalni, a 52' cutter rig sloop lay at anchor. A perfect start to a week cruising Tasmania's rugged West coast. Michael and Suzan have sailed 23,000 miles from Seattle to Alaska and then South America before sailing across the Pacific to Tasmania, Australia. The week that followed was full of laughter and fun as we slowly made our way northward along the coast with beautiful weather and fair winds to Macquarie Harbour.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Bass Strait
Calmly and quietly I contemplated that maybe we might not make it through the night. Sailing from the north east corner of Tasmania to Port Phillip Bay, Victoria The forecast 20 knot southerly was steadily building to a 40 knot westerly gale. With 20 knots from the south it would have been a fast passage. Forty knots from the west was a different creature altogether. Wind like that pushes the sea into frenzied heaps. The tops tumble from them as they become steeper. After 10 hours of fighting the rudder and fighting off tinges of sea sickness, exhausted, we decided to run off ahead of the wind. The prospect of shelter behind an island some 50 miles to the east is momentarily heartening. Hopefully it will also be an easier direction to sail. It was fast and we made better progress but it was a roller coaster ride up and down towering and tumbling waves. Six hours later, near midnight, we approached a looming dark mass. There was no moon and it was dark. Very dark. Distance becomes hard to judge. We are rapidly approaching dark cliffs trying to find a narrow passage between them to shelter. Our safe haven has proven to be a cauldron. We entered the passage only to find a racing tide pushing the waves up even higher. The wind was funneling up the passage against the tide and producing a fearful combination. With scant navigational aids my iPhone came to the rescue. Loaded with navigational charts its GPS capability guided us to a safe anchorage in a deep cove on the northern side of the island.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Cradle Mountain Exhibition
We've hired a van and it is now packed full of framed prints ready to drive to Cradle Mountain for my latest exhibition. This show is titled 'Sussurations' and is themed around the mystery and beauty of Tasmania as it may have been viewed by early settlers. The Tasmanian Wilderness Gallery has allocated me 3 rooms of their magnificent space and this will be my largest show ever.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Ten Days on the Island
I have just spent the past week assisting the curator, Tracy Thomas, at the Cradle Mountain Wilderness Gallery to prepare the exhibition 'Strata' as part of the Ten Days on the Island arts festival.
It has been a wonderful week in excellent company at an outstanding gallery.
Sent from my iPhone
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