Off Tasman Island

Last time we visited Tasmania, we dithered about taking a Pennicott Wilderness Journey boat trip. Basically, I’m a wuss when it comes to fast RIB rides in possibly rough seas, and was just too scared to book.  Ever since then I’ve regretted it, and having braved the seas off Shetland on last year’s gannet watching venture, I decided there really was no excuse. And so we booked a Tasman Island Cruise. 

This is an independent trip, and means an early departure from the ship (7.10) to get the coach for the 90 minute journey to Port Arthur close to where the boat departs. I’ve already taken a sickness pill - and I’m glad I have. As we board the boat we’re offered ginger tablets and told the drill for sea sickness (over the side etc…).And we have to strap ourselves in to avoid damage to our backs when the boat is negotiating the possibly heavy swells. It hardly makes for a relaxed start…. 

But the guys operating the boat are great; knowledgeable in terms of marine safety and wildlife, and full of typically Aussie humour. We’re incredibly lucky with the weather - largely sunshine and just a slight breeze - and to be honest, both the speed and manoeuvres of the boat are exhilarating.  But as we leave the shelter of the bay, things get a little rougher - and photography more challenging. The scenery is glorious, with huge basalt columns and the highest sea cliffs in the Southern Hemisphere, but I have to resort to my iPhone both for its wide angle application and the difficulty of holding my camera steady. 

We zoom along the coast at speed, stopping at key points to explore caves and coastal features. It is glorious in every way. We see Australian fur seals hauled up on the rocks, enjoying their own spa of rock pools; Cormorants perch on rocky ledges, and occasional shearwaters and albatrosses soar by. To be honest, I was hoping for more birds, but in any case, conditions are really not helpful to using my 600mm lens. And to be honest, the landscape is so beautiful that it matters little 

But then we’re treated to a juvenile hump backed whale spouting and breaching nearby - something we’re just not expecting to see. Just as we’re all obsessively scanning the swell, trying to locate the spot where he’ll next breach, our skipper spots other activity; there’s a super-pod of bottle nose dolphins just ahead of us. 

This is just jaw dropping. We move towards them, watching the sea alive with leaping dolphins, and the excitement of the crew makes it very clear this is not a usual encounter. We just don’t know where to look- it’s mesmerising. I’m still trying to photograph them using my 600mm lens, but quite apart from the near-impossibility of keeping steady, many dolphins are now so close to us that it’s superfluous. We’re still in a fair swell, so keeping any sort of balance is tricky, and changing a lens, challenging to say the least. I continue with my efforts, but in the end, I realise my best solution is again the iPhone, and at least I can watch the magic while I’m taking photographs. Our pilot tells us to hold tight (the whole boat’s standing up) as he races the boat through the water, the dolphins riding our waves alongside, leaping in parallel with our course. I’ve seen dolphins before on numerous times; it’s always magical, but thus is just amazing! Then suddenly they’re leaping high into the air in front of us, acrobatic performances that draw our gasps of sheer delight. Not seated at the front of the boat, sensibly avoiding the extremities of movement, I’m not in the  best place to catch this spectacle, but capture it none the less. 

Eventually, we’re forced to drag ourselves away; the three hour trip is nearly over. We continue along the spectacular coast to our landing spot, disembark and head for lunch from where we are collected by taxi to return to ship - a costly add-on, but the only way we can get back before our ship sails. 

Safely back on board, we watch the gangplank stowed and we set sail for New Zealand. It’s been a fabulous two days on this most beautiful of island states, and we’re so glad we had this chance to return. 

I’m posting a shot of the dolphins leaping in front of the boat; spectacular action although I’d rather not have the other passengers included! I will try to post an extra, though on past experience, it is unlikely to post!