Deer Park

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A 20 hour track, from Melbourne across the Bass Straight to Devonport, then to Strahan

We’re taking the Spirit of Tasmania across the Bass straight to Tasmania. We’re excited! You’ve probably gathered, if you read between the lines, that the east coast of Australia really didn’t do it for us. The same problem as New Zealand. For riders reading this, with a shorter rtw timeline, my route choice through Oz would be Perth to Darwin. Or Perth to Cairnes. But we haven’t done the middle yet, we’ll see what that’s like.

But anyway Tasmania sounds excellent so we’re down at the boat, reservation in hand 2 hours before the 2 hours recommended before sailing. Keen. So we go down to the beach. That’s our ship

Head over to boarding with 3 hours to go. The boat leaves at 19:30 and arrives in Tasmania at 05:30 in the morning. It’s the red eye

After a while a couple of Aprilia Tuono’s show up. They’re going to Tassie for a riding holiday, but haven’t been before, so can’t recommend stuff

Ride on. Lucinda and I think riding onto a boat is the best thing in the world

There’s a beautiful Harley from the Golden Years, back when they were chopped to perfection. I want this bike. Plus the MV F3 800, the new Africa Twin, plus the new Hypermotard. Lucinda says OK OK, when we’re back, cool your jets

Tie down. The boat guy has to do it. Oh well. I don’t like the straps to the bar-ends but don’t argue and back off the tension when he’s done

We’re off to Tasmania!

Go check out our cabin. There are 4 choices: sleep in a chair, shared cabin, standard cabin (w. two beds), or deluxe cabin. This is the standard cabin. In Latin America I would have gone with a shared. It’s sparkling clean and feels new. We’ve left our camping roll back in Melbourne so we’re down to a duffel, about 30 litres full, and the tank bag. Awesome

It’s a great crossing. we start with a big electrical storm. Then all the bikers get together and drink. The boat is basically a floating bar. The whole top floor, the 10th, is a bar seating hundreds, and 1/2 of the 8th floor is a loungier bar for families. There’s also a shop. But no non-alcoholic seating areas.

Storm

Bird

We get a few hours sleep and are up at 4:30 for disembark, grab a coffee at a gas station and we’re off. Just out of Devonport it looks like this. Fantastic. A coastal highway to start for a short way

Then south. It starts to rain

The trees are very very different. It feels prehistoric

Past small lakes

The strange trees

A shrub in flower, beautiful

More lakes, with some peaks in the mist

About 150 miles later we approach the coast and the trees vanish

Wilderness

To the postcard village of Strahan. This was taken the following morning in sun

The ride down through the forest was different to any ride so far. It’s very wild, very dense and jungle-like most of the time, and a bit crazy somehow.

Much more on this after we’ve thought about it more, in a following post.