Hobart - Tasmania

Well we had a week and a half in Hobart staying at the Prince of Wales Marina and I must say it is a very nice marina, the marina is a bit distant from town but there are buses available after a short walk. Thanks to two more wonderful friends, Frank and June we got around and about with them. Frank told me he was available to run us around where ever  we needed to go.

(Prince of Wales Marina, this marina has only been open for 18 months)

(Prince of Wales Bay)

(Alana Rose berthed with Mt Wellington in the background)

We arrived on Thursday 13/02/2014, June and Frank were there to meet us and they took us home for dinner. On Friday Frank ran me around to get oil and filters I needed and filters for the engines so two days were taken up doing engine maintenance, all fuel and oil filters changed, changed oil, cleaned the heat exchangers and adjusted the valve tappets.

Saturday I did the starboard engine and I tried to help the blokes on the boat next door to us as they had electrical problems which ended up being a crook battery charger and one bank of batteries needing replacement, Sunday Frank and June took us to Richmond to see the Highland Piped Bands, they have the championships there each year and Frank used to play in the Police Piped Band. From there we went into Hobart to the Italian Food Festival where we had a bite of lunch. The day did not have the best weather it had light rain from time to time but we had a good day of it.

(Piped bands at Richmond)

(The Italian Food Festival, it was packed)

Monday it was back to work and I worked on the port engine completing the service. Tuesday Frank gave us his care to do our shopping, so we went and did a big shop for groceries as at the time we thought we would be leaving the next day, although it was in doubt due to the change in weather.

Wednesday and Thursday was a quiet days aboard it looks like Sunday before we leave. Friday we went into Hobart and caught the fast cat MR1 (Mona Roma 1) and went to the Mona Gallery. This was some experience, The gallery is owned by a David Walsh who had made his millions as a professional gambler. The art exhibitions some being very confronting are from artist worldwide and are actually David's personal art collection, some of the exhibits are changed every six months and I believe that it is Hobart biggest tourist attraction as far as the number of people that visit. Some people fly from all over the world just to drop in see the gallery and leave again.

(Arriving on the ferry gallery entrance white building on top of hill)

(At the basement floor looking back at lift and stairs around it)

(Rest area this is where the tour starts)

(First exhibit is the light that comes on when you hold the handles and it flashes to the beat of your heart)

May I say it is not every ones cup of tea, as I said some art works are confronting, The Poo Room is one that everyone goes to see, I must say that the smell shortened my stay in the room considerably. I may say it is an incredible place, most of the art works is not my thing but it was well worth the visit not just to see the art but the building and it's surrounds. The building is below ground level, the entrance is on top of a hillside on the waterfront and when you get off the MR1 that takes you there are 92 steps to reach the top. When you enter the gallery there is a hall where you can take your bags and secure them because you won't want to take them with you and I don't think you are allowed to. There is a cafe and a lift that goes downwards or you may choose as we did to walk down the spiral stairs that are on the outside of the round lift. Down the bottom which is about four floors below there is toilets, rest area, a bar and the start of the gallery. To give you an idea of time required we caught the 0930 hour ferry (MR1 cat) and caught the 1345 hour ferry back, this gave us plenty of time to look around and have a bite to eat at the cafe. If we needed extra time we could have organised a later ferry or give the cafe a miss and have a bite on the ferry on the way back as they also have a cafe.

(These are separate exhibits just put together on photo)

(This exhibit was spread from one side the room to the other and had flies dead hanging on threads the photos have been split to enlarge)

(These exhibits were also separated)

(One of the paintings)

(This again is a number of photos taken in the same room)

(The Poop Room and smells the same, these represent the digestive system, they get fed twice a day and if you are lucky enough to be there they do a poo at 1400 hours, shame our boat left at 1345 hours)

(Above and below a couple of views from the cafe)

(MR1 taking us back to Hobart)

(The sign in the Galley of the MR1)

When we got back to Hobart we went to find the supermarket as Nancy needed a couple of items, we then went for a drink and caught up with Elena and her family, a lovely lady that used to live in Alice Springs. We have chatted on the old Face Book and as we were both in town at the same time thought we would meet and say hi.

(The lovely Elena with Nancy and myself)

(Steve and Kerrin's 'Rhapsody along the dock)

(This is the entrance to Constitution Dock, I think you can see why I did not atemped it)

After this we went over to Constitutional Dock and met up with Steve and Kerrin off 'Rhapsody' who we sailed the Gordon River with and after having a drink with them we caught a taxi back to the marina.

Saturday being our last day Frank and June put on a farewell barbeque for us, Frank was also good enough to run us into town to drop some charts off for Steve and Kerrin before we headed to his house.  We had a great afternoon and we said our goodbyes in the early evening and Frank took us back to the marina as we needed an early night as we leave first light in the morning.

Cheers.