1/12/2015: Raw water pump

Position: -44° 9.47′, 147° 51.77′

Continuing to investigate a cycling raw-water pump, we found a second minor leak at the pump and corrected that. But the pump still cycled due to a leaking pressure valve. We replaced the pump and it’s now back to cycling only when used.

1/12/2015: Hydraulics leak

Position: -44° 9.48′, 147° 51.75′

The forward thruster pressure guage O-ring was leaking for the third time. We can’t see any issues with the sealing surfaces so we assume it is an O-ring size problem. We tried a slightly larger size this time and so far it’s not leaking.

1/12/2015: Port Arthur

Position: -44° 8.85′, 147° 51.05′

Port Arthur was a penal settlement from 1830 to 1877, and included a large community for military personnel and freeholders. This model shows the extent of the buildings in the 1800s. Many of the buildings have been preserved, and the site is now one of Tasmania’s top tourist destinations.

1/12/2015: Penitentiary

Position: -44° 8.94′, 147° 51.09′

The four-story penitentiary housed 136 prisoners of ‘bad character’ on the bottom two floors, with bunk space for 480 better-behaved prisoners on the top floors.

1/12/2015: Separate Prison

Position: -44° 8.89′, 147° 50.83′

Port Arthur included a “Separate Prison”. These were designed to provide psychological punishment by keeping prisoners completely separated, often hooded, with no ability to see or communicate with each other. This was actually viewed as a form of treatment, but the negative side-effects were many.

1/12/2015: Parish

Position: -44° 8.91′, 147° 50.83′

The parish in the Separate Prison was built with folding walls to form cubicles where prisoners stood inside and could not see each other. This was one of the few places in the Separate Prison where prisoners were allowed to make any noise–they learned to communicate with each other undetected by singing their sentences to the tune of the hymns.

1/12/2015: Church

Position: -44° 8.71′, 147° 50.90′

1,100 people attended compulsory services at the church each Sunday. Like most buildings in Port Arthur, this was built with convict labour, predominately from the nearby Point Puer Boy’s Prison.

1/12/2015: The Dockyard

Position: -44° 8.74′, 147° 51.31′

The shipyard at Port Arthur operated only for 15 years, but during that time 16 large decked vessels and 150 small boats were built here.

1/13/2015: Cape Raoul

Position: -44° 14.65′, 147° 46.97′

Cape Raoul forms a dramatic headland on the run between Port Arthur and Hobart.

1/13/2015: Helm seat

Position: -44° 7.68′, 147° 32.23′

We occasionally wish we had two helm seats, and sometimes would like three.

1/13/2015: Antarctic

Position: -43° 53.20′, 147° 19.99′

Hobart is a major center for Antarctic research.

1/13/2015: History

Position: -43° 53.20′, 147° 19.93′

Hobart was established in 1804 and is Australia’s second oldest city. The city is full of well-preserved historic buildings with over 90 in the National Trust.

1/13/2015: Moo brew

Position: -43° 53.20′, 147° 19.97′

Enjoying a Tassie Moo Brew at one of the outdoor restaurants in Salamanca market.

1/14/2015: Rain

Position: -43° 53.56′, 147° 20.12′

When we walked past this run-off yesterday, it was pretty much dry. Now it’s a torrent, and we don’t get the impression it rained particularly long or hard for Hobart.

1/14/2015: Maritime museum

Position: -43° 52.95′, 147° 19.91′

Hobart has a good maritime museum detailing the city’s ship-building and maritime industries, from whaling and transport to pleasure cruising and Incat high-speed catamarans.

1/14/2015: Cruise ships

Position: -43° 52.97′, 147° 19.92′

The two cruise ships that came in today tower over the city. (The stern of the second is just visible on the left of the photo.)

1/15/2015: Moth Worlds

Position: -39° 20.63′, 144° 45.13′

We left Dirona in Hobart and flew to Melbourne to attend the final two days of the Moth World Championships in Sorrento. Read more …

1/17/2015: Valve adjustment

Position: -43° 53.87′, 147° 20.08′

The generator valves need adjusting every 1,000 hours. We’ve got 3,745 hours on it now, and it’s been 1,001 since the last adjustment.

1/18/2015: Mt. Wellington

Position: -43° 53.71′, 147° 14.32′

David Fincham drove us to the top of 4,170′ (1,271m) Mt. Wellington. The climate was surprisingly different up there–average temperatures are 51F (10.5C) lower than in Hobart and icy winds frequently blow. The highest steady winds in Tasmania were recorded here at 94kts. It wasn’t that windy when we were up there, but the winds were strong enough you had to lean into them. The view to Hobart and the River Derwent was incredible. In the photo, downtown Hobart is roughly in the center, with the Tasman Bridge just to the left and the Hobart airport in the distance beyond the hills. Dirona is moored at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, right of Hobart and just left of the rightmost prominent tower at the water’s edge. (Click the image for an enlarged view.)

1/18/2015: Speedbird

Position: -43° 49.63′, 147° 18.15′

Before dinner, David Fincham gave us a tour of Speedbird, his beautifully maintained Nordhavn 57. In the Mt. Wellington photo, Speedbird is moored in the cove just right of the Bridgewater Bridge (the leftmost of the two bridges across the River Derwent).