[Previous entry: "Tiny Tasmania"] [Next entry: "Tasmanian's arrive in Melbourne"]

23/02/2005: "Sailing south (after repairs from 20 meter waves)"

In the distance, as seen through a window covered with salt spray, the 'Spirit' sails south to Tasmania. This ship had been forced to return to Melbourne on her previous voyage when 20 meter high waves in Bass Strait smashed front windows and had passengers fearing for their lives.

It had been a 'once in 100 year' storm that lashed Melbourne and caused considerable dammage. 36 hours later the sea was calm, as this picture shows. It's a wild strip of water down there. Hundreds of sailing ships were lost in the early days of British settlement around the islands of Flinders, King and others that seperate the mainland from Tasmania. Today the major industries are high quality milk products, (if such is possible) and the over-priced shellfish abalone, whose Mandarin Chinese name translates into "food for king".