06 Wednesday Feb 2019
Posted in photography
This locally built hi-speed catamaran has left Hobart this evening on a 20 day voyage to the Mediterranean Sea.
She has a capacity of 900 passengers and 167 cars and will join the ferry service between Malta and Sicily. 
It’s been fun seeing the ferry doing sea trials in our River Derwent and moored on our Hobart waterfront.
19 Saturday Jan 2019
Posted in days out, photography
Today, I took a free ferry ride and saw my city from a new viewpoint.
Hobart doesn’t have a regular ferry service as part of its public transport network. However, occasionally, for sporting events or specific entertainment gigs, ferries do run between the city centre waterfront and the Eastern Shore suburb of Bellerive.
Leaving Hobart city and Mount Wellington.
Heading to Bellerive and Kangaroo Bay
Looking back
The ferry
I would certainly commute to work using a ferry service if it was established here.
11 Friday Jan 2019
Posted in days out, one with nature
Tags
The city of Hobart sits nestled between a river and a mountain.
We recently drove to the Pinnacle of Mount Wellington, to enjoy the views of the city, the River Derwent and the landscape beyond.
29 Saturday Dec 2018
Posted in days out, photography
Yesterday morning, the first yachts arrived in Hobart, having left Sydney on Boxing Day. This 628 nautical mile, classic ocean race is an annual event, now in its seventy fourth year.
I joined a crowd on Rosny Hill before work, to watch the first supermaxi yachts sail up the River Derwent, towards the finish line.
It was great to see such a welcome by spectator boats on the river, and crowds on the shore. The past two years, the winning boats have arrived during the night.
The second and third yachts arrived twenty eighth minutes later, with only one minute separating them.
Mid-afternoon, I went to a different lookout at Kangaroo Bluff to watch fifth place (a Tasmanian boat) and six place (all female crew) yachts arrive.
On my way home I stopped at the waterfront.
The smallest yacht in this year’s race, at 30 feet long, is expected to arrive tomorrow afternoon.
14 Wednesday Nov 2018
Posted in days out, Uncategorized
Tags
“Open House” is an annual event in Hobart, where the public have free access to buildings that we don’t usually get to see.
Last weekend, we joined a tour of Tasmanian Ports Control Tower. It is 36 metres tall and has a unique 360 degree view of Hobart city, waterfront , Tasman Bridge and the Derwent River.
It was designed to oversee the entire port and manage the arrival and departure of all ships. It is still used as the main observation point for all under-bridge crossings and is the office/staff room for the sea pilots.
From the tower, we could appreciate the scale of local timber awaiting export.
02 Friday Nov 2018
Posted in creativity, Uncategorized
19 Friday Oct 2018
Posted in photography
Tags
Hobart has its own tall ship. A replica of “Lady Nelson”. It’s always a joy to see her at the waterfront. A contrast to the huge cruise ships that visit our city.
The original “Lady Nelson” ship was built in Deptford, UK in 1799. She sailed to Sydney on her maiden voyage in 1800.
From there, she made multiple voyages to Norfolk Island and was the first ship to bring Europeans to Tasmania in 1803. She explored the east coast of Australia and was a valued link for the new settlements. She also sailed to New Zealand.
29 Saturday Sep 2018
Posted in days out, one with nature
This morning, I went for a walk along one of the rivulets that flow down from Mount Wellington. Two hundred years ago, these streams provided fresh water to the new settlement of Hobart, although they gradually became polluted by industry and the growing population. Today they are public spaces with walking tracks.
New Town Rivulet has a couple of interesting sculptures representing local flora and fauna.
I wonder how long this bench has been along this track? How many people of rested here?
19 Wednesday Sep 2018
Posted in creativity
This month, there is an interactive literary exhibition, in a gallery in Hobart.
113 books are on display.
Multiple copies are available to pick up and read, to take over to a chair. Drinks and snacks are on hand.
There are various events, book club discussions, audience with authors, silent reading parties.
We visited the gallery on a rainy Saturday. Randomly, I chose a book, chose a page and took a photo of the text. I’m amazed at the variety of content, prose, fiction, poetry, autobiography, even opera with music score.
I want to visit again and get inside more of these books.
More info at http://thepeopleslibrary.net
04 Tuesday Sep 2018
Posted in one with nature
