Tasmania and Southeast Australia 2025

       This morning at 8 a.m., the sky was overcast, temperature 13°C, wind SSE 47 kph and humidity 70%. The ship was travelling at 12 knots.     At the 9 a.m. Coffee with Robbie (the cruise director) in the Rolling Stone Lounge, the guest was Environmental Officer, Albert-Jan Kleinhof from the Netherlands. He explained his duties onboard, checking all the departments for compliance to international environmental regulations and how garbage and recycling is done on the ship. He mentioned that for any ship entering New Zealand waters, the underwater portion of her hull must be free of barnacles and other clinging sea creatures.   The condition of the hull has to certified at the last port before entering New Zealand by a diver inspecting the underwater parts of the hull. Coffee and danish pastry or cookies were provided as an enticement to draw passengers.       After the talk we headed to the Library Cafe for coffee followed by a 35 minu...

    We anchored at Mason Cove to visit Port Arthur, Tasmania, arriving shortly before 8 a.m.   As the crow flies it is only 40 kilometres from Hobart.    The skies were overcast all day.   At 7 a.m. temperature was 15°C, humidity 80% and winds NNE 16 kph.    Today’s news there is severe flooding in Queensland including Townsville and Cairns where we visit in a week and a half. They are expecting up to 100 centimetres of rain. On the Australian northwest coast, near Broome, West Australia, Cyclone Hayley was a category 3 strength and has been upgraded to category 4 and it is travelling east. We might feel its effects next week as we travel to the Australian northeast.     After breakfast on Deck 9 in Lido Market, we went to the World Stage to get our stickers for our tour. On the screen in the World Stage, there were ten tours leaving between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Our group Red #9 was called to go to the tender platform about 8:45 a.m. The ...

     The sun was shining in Hobart, Tasmania this morning. At 8 a.m. the temperature was 14°C wind 9 kph and humidity was 92%. Today’s high reached 28°C.     The ship arrived two hours earlier than planned to Hobart, since the Kangaroo Island stop was cancelled two days ago.      Hobart is the capital of the state Tasmania, located on the River Derwent estuary. It is Australia's second-oldest capital city after Sydney. The Sullivan Bay colony was founded as a penal colony. Within 20 years, it quickly became a key part of the British Empire’s convict transportation network. The town was named by the British official in charge of colonies, Sir Robert Hobart.     After breakfast we walked the 2.5 kilometres to the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, sightseeing as we strolled. Many of the buildings of Hunter street, just outside the terminal, were built in the 1830s by merchants. The oldest building was completed in 1820. From 1836 onward th...