Year 2001 Galleries

Gold Coast, Australia : February, 2001... Departing Brisbane our goal was Tasmania. We navigated the "inland waterway" to Southport, Queensland to await a good weather window for a passage to Sydney to collect our mail enroute Tasmania. As it turned out we spent almost a month in Southport, QLD attending to some boat projects and simply enjoying the ambience. The Gold Coast is a heavy-duty Aussie party town area. However, in the Southport area, just north of Surfer's Paradise, there are countless upscale eateries and other attractions. While attending to Adagio projects we dined out nearly every night, and many lunches as well. Recommended! This is the fastest-growing area of Australia. Not sure exactly how many miles the beaches extend, but think in terms of some 50 miles of snow white beach. Every few miles there is a settlement of holdiay-oriented high-rises and elegant beachfront homes.

Gold Coast, Australia

February, 2001... Departing Brisbane our goal was Tasmania. We navigat ...

Updated: Nov 13, 2006 3:50pm PST

Passage to Hobart, Tasmania : March, 2001, Eden to Tasmania... We waited for a good weather window, aided by Rick Shema our ace weather router. While conditions can be really tough on this passage (e.g., Sydney-Hobart 1998), if you pick your timing carefully it can be a really good sail. We had zero-to-light head winds the first 8 hours out of Eden, then as Rick forecasted, the north-easteries came in, giving us 20 to 30kn for most of the sail to Hobart. Hobart has been even more than we expected, and our expectations were very high. It is big enough to have everything we need, and small enough to be easy-going. Adagio is currently at Constitution Dock shown at right. This map will show the curious the layout. Lots of locals stop by Adagio for a chat, so we have already made many new friends in Hobart. In a friendliness contest, Tasmanians might just edge out the Kiwis.

Passage to Hobart, Tasmania

March, 2001, Eden to Tasmania... We waited for a good weather window, ...

Updated: Nov 13, 2006 3:52pm PST

Salamanca Place, Hobart, Tasmania : March-Oct 2001... Salamanca, as locals say, is a fascinating area of central Hobart. This is the location of the weekly Saturday Market - always crowded with locals and visitors. And the location of countless galleries, al fresco restaurants, luxury apartments, ... Hopefully these images will provide a better description...

Salamanca Place, Hobart, Tasmania

March-Oct 2001... Salamanca, as locals say, is a fascinating area of c ...

Updated: Nov 13, 2006 6:45pm PST

Launceston, Tasmania : April, 2001... We toured the easter seacoast of Tasmania, making our way to the #2 city of Launceston. Launceston has many appeals, such as The Cataract Gorge, a great place to hike and explore that is in the center of the city. We also found some seriously good food and wine at the Stillwater Cafe on the quiet back-waters of Launceston harbor (pictured at right). What provoked our trip however was Ten Days on the Island, a Tasmanian festival of the arts. When we arrived in Hobart and learned of the festival, all of the events in Hobart were sold out, while there were a few seats remaining in Launceston.

Launceston, Tasmania

April, 2001... We toured the easter seacoast of Tasmania, making our w ...

Updated: Nov 13, 2006 5:38pm PST

Hobart Docks, Tasmania : March-Oct 2001, Hobart Docks, Tasmania The Hobart Docks have been Adagio's home since our arrival in March. We are smack in the hub center of Hobart. The Tasmanian Symphony is across the street, the Theater Royale is a block away, and there must be 50 superb restaurants within a 10 minute walk. The Royal Botanical Gardens are a 15 minute walk, and are the best of that genre we know of.

Hobart Docks, Tasmania

March-Oct 2001, Hobart Docks, Tasmania The Hobart Docks have been A ...

Updated: Nov 15, 2006 5:11pm PST

Mount Field, Tasmania : May, 2001... Mt. Field is a lovely alpine rain forest only about one hour drive from Hobart. We scouted the waterfalls and rain forest on our first trip. Then we joined the Tasmanian Field Naturalists Assn for a field trip to study mosses & fungi.

Mount Field, Tasmania

May, 2001... Mt. Field is a lovely alpine rain forest only about one h ...

Updated: Nov 13, 2006 5:43pm PST

Talune Wildlife Park : May, 2001... Wow! Koalas, Padamelons, Wallabies - and you are there! Talune is the best wildlife park we've encountered so far in our travels in Australia. What fun - to begin, the ranger showed us the nocturnal marsupials in a special dark-adapted area. There we got to see our first Platypus - cavorting like crazy in his river habitat. Next the ranger brings out a one year old Tasmanian Devil that has been hand-raised - i.e., she likes people and doesn't bite! Steve is having a great time cuddling this Tasmanian Devil hoping Dorothy will emerge from videoing the platypus. Fortunately she arrived just in time to take a few frames. Then we spend the next few hours interacting with the various species of wallabies, and of course Koalas!

Talune Wildlife Park

May, 2001... Wow! Koalas, Padamelons, Wallabies - and you are there! ...

Updated: Nov 13, 2006 5:36pm PST

Royal Botanical Gardens : Sept, 2001... The Hobart winter has been generally quite pleasant. Nevertheless it is great to see the cherry blossoms bursting out everywhere we look. These images are mostly taken in the Japanese Gardens of the Royal Tasmania Botanical Gardens. The last images show the first tulips of spring. This weekend is the Tulip Fesitval at the Botanical Gardens - can't wait!

Royal Botanical Gardens

Sept, 2001... The Hobart winter has been generally quite pleasant. Nev ...

Updated: Nov 15, 2006 5:20pm PST

Cradle Mountain National Park : May, 2001, World Heritage Area, Tasmania... Cradle Mountain is the usual start of the Overland Track, located at the north end of the World Heritage Area. This is our first visit, seizing the last 2001 opportunity to see the Fagus (deciduous Beech) trees in autumn colors. We are fortunate to be able to zip off to an inviting area of Tasmania when the weather and conditions are "right". That's exactly what we did on this auto trip - when advised by our mate Genevieve that the Fagus colors 6 days ago were spectacular. The Fagus tree is the only native deciduous tree in all of Australia. We could call it a "deciduous beech", but Aussies all call it "Fagus". Cradle Mountain is always beautiful, but the best of the best are these times: when snow-covered, or when the Fagus are in color. We're still looking for that snow opportunity! The image at right is courtesy of the Tasmania Parks & Wildfe Service. The weather in the World Heritage Area can change from T-shirts to full Alpine gear in an hour. On our first visit we had a 1030 high over Tassie and thought we were entitled to sun for a few days. Well, we got lovely sun the first day — and knowing what we know now we would have done the Marion's Lookout track and Crater Lake track the first day. That said, Steve's new Italian boots are a better match for that track, as the Overland Track can be tough going, in spite of the enormous effort invested in track infrastructure.

Cradle Mountain National Park

May, 2001, World Heritage Area, Tasmania... Cradle Mountain is the u ...

Updated: Nov 13, 2006 5:59pm PST

Tasman Peninsula : July, 2001... This is an exhibition of Tasmanian design, craftsmanship, timbers and furniture components. It is organized by an association of designers, manufacturers and suppliers - staged at Hobart's Waterside Pavillion. Very convenient for Adagio, as she is parked literally at the front door of the Pavillion. During our short stay in Tasmania we have been stunned by the quality of design we have seen - from furnishings to jewelry to decorative arts.

Tasman Peninsula

July, 2001... This is an exhibition of Tasmanian design, craftsmanship ...

Updated: Nov 13, 2006 7:01pm PST

Style of Tasmania Exhibition, Waterside Pavillion : July, 2001... This is an exhibition of Tasmanian design, craftsmanship, timbers and furniture components. It is organized by an association of designers, manufacturers and suppliers - staged at Hobart's Waterside Pavillion. Very convenient for Adagio, as she is parked literally at the front door of the Pavillion. During our short stay in Tasmania we have been stunned by the quality of design we have seen - from furnishings to jewelry to decorative arts.

Style of Tasmania Exhibition, Waterside Pavillion

July, 2001... This is an exhibition of Tasmanian design, craftsmanship ...

Updated: Nov 13, 2006 7:03pm PST

Christmas in Tasmania : December, 2001... We spent the first two days across the river from Hobart in Lindisfarne, to ensure quiet sleepng conditions, but soon Kim and her family wanted to be surrounded by the sounds and sights of Hobart Town, so we asked Hobart Ports to open the bascule bridge and we passed into Constitution Dock, with 7 inches to spare on either side of Adagio. Serenaded by churchbells, we visited the main attractions of Hobart, most of which were within easy walking distance from Adagio. We set sail to cruise the wonderful Tasmanian coastline for our Christmas. In beautiful weather, our crew first visited Little Fancy beach. Next we motored up the Huon River to Huonville and back down to Port Huon for Christmas eve and day. Santa navigated accurately to where Adagio was anchored, and filled the childrens Santa Sacks. One of David's favorite "toys" was our dinghy "Allegro", both in and out of the water. The rainbows and sunsets were icing on our Christmas cake.

Christmas in Tasmania

December, 2001... We spent the first two days across the river from Ho ...

Updated: Nov 13, 2006 7:38pm PST

Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race : December, 2001... The Sydney-Hobart race is one of the top three yacht races in the world, having a long and distinguished tradition. This year the Volvo Challenge yachts competed in the race for the first time - as the first segment of their Sydney to Auckland leg. The inclusion of the Volvo 60's certainly upped the electricity surrounding the event. And Steve & Dorothy were very pleased to see their San Francisco mate Mark Rudiger take line honors navigating "Assa Abloy". The finish of the Sydney-Hobart marks the beginning of the Hobart Summer Festival (see our 2002 tab for coverage of the Festival). The finishers take over the outer and inner harbors of Constitution Dock (where Adagio wintered in Hobart). It seemed that every ambulatory sole in Hobart was to be seen watching the yachts finish, visiting with mates aboard, having a close look at each yacht's special innovations, or just relaxing in one of the harborside restaurants to absorb the ambience.

Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

December, 2001... The Sydney-Hobart race is one of the top three yacht ...

Updated: Nov 13, 2006 7:48pm PST