2023 m.s. Zuiderdam – Leg 4: Australia & Tasmania

Welcome to Australia!   The largest island and the smallest continent.

Zuiderdam sailed three days from Wellington, New Zealand to Sydney, Australia.  It was still dark when we maneuvered into Sydney Harbor, past the Opera House and beneath the Harbor Bridge.  A stunning sight at any hour.  We are so glad to be here for two days. 

Since having laser surgery 3 weeks ago in Tahiti to repair a torn retina, I’ve been quite anxious to receive my follow up appointment here in Sydney to confirm that all is well.    As soon as the authorities cleared our ship’s arrival, we made our way through customs and immigration, then straight out to the shuttle buses that take us from the White Bay Cruise Terminal, over the Anzac Bridge and into downtown Sydney, dropping us off in Darling Harbor.   Armed with the address of the ophthalmologist office, we head uphill to Macquarie Street, about a 20-minute walk.  It’s an overcast cool morning and we arrive at their offices in Park House at 10am. Within 40 minutes, I had my eyes dilated and awaited The Professor, as he was referred to by staff.  Dr. Gilles has almost an entire alphabet behind his name proclaiming all his accomplishments.  All I needed to know was that he was a retinal specialist, who was about to give my eyes a thorough going over.  He determined that all was in order, the laser surgery had sealed well and that I should not be concerned for the rest of the trip.  The floaters, however, would likely remain.  I breathed an enormous sigh of relief at this fantastic news!

As we left the doctor’s office, the wind picks up and rain moves in.  We sought refuge in the conveniently discovered Bavarian Pub for celebration beers and traditional brotzeitteller (luncheon plate), complete with leberwurst, ham, brie, pickles, radishes, mustard and crusty bread.  Rotkraut (red cabbage) on the side.  German cuisine is comfort food to me and seemed just what the doctor ordered, as it poured outside our window seat. 

Plates emptied, glasses drained, rain abated, and dilated eyes returning to normal, we head back into the wet city streets.   We strolled back to the ship for one of the best naps I’ve had in a month, not having to worry about my eyeballs anymore!  Yeah, maybe the German beer and food helped too.

Abundant sunshine fills the morning sky as we head out to explore Day 2 in Sydney. Having visited the Opera House on a previous trip, we head towards North Sydney to walk the neighborhood, then over the Harbour Bridge, through The Rocks, back to Darling Harbor.    A fun day of sightseeing, café rests and chats with locals along the way.    

A fantastic sail-away with great weather and a festive crowd listening to live music on the aft deck.

Everyone stayed well after sunset, when a thunderstorm chases us all inside for a late dinner and finally, to bed after a long day. 

Meanwhile, the Zuiderdam strikes out into the night for our next port of call.  Since leaving Ft. Lauderdale, we’ve now sailed 10,737 nautical miles.

It’s early morning when we anchor.  The placid water is like a mirror, reflecting the hills of tall trees.  Pines scent the air.  It’s quiet.  You could almost imaging yourself on an inland lake in Minnesota.  But no…Welcome to Tasmania.

We step ashore into the beautiful Port Arthur’s Historical site.  In contrast to its serenity, this place also has a dark past, as unfortunate inmates found themselves here in the 1800’s.  Now on the World Heritage List, visitors may wander the penal colony ruins.  

Aside from being known for the infamous Tasmanian Devil, did you know that Tasmania is also home to lavender and wineries? We toured a lovely Lavender Farm and learned about the cultivation, harvesting and production of the fragrant flower into their many products, including soap and sachets.  We were also treated to a delicious tea where scones were served with lavender butter, cream and jam.  Even lavender chocolate!

The owner of Bream Creek Winery was also on hand to tell us about the local varietals.  The Tasmanian’s east coast soil and cool climate are perfect conditions for crisp white wines and pinot noir. 

Blustery winds kick up as we arrived to see the tessellated pavement, a natural wonder named for the tiled-like appearance of the rocks along the water.  Made up mostly of siltstone that formed about 300 million years ago, the shoreline rocks were fractured by the movement of the Earth and resulted in what is called jointing.  Jointing itself is not incredibly uncommon, but the presence of salt crystals and consistent erosion by the Tasman Sea’s waves and sediment deepened the pattern to give it its startling appearance.  

By our afternoon departure, the sun returns and we are blessed with some gorgeous scenic cruising around to the south and west, onward to Cape Raoul for the stunning views of 1,000 foot cliffs eroded by time, wind and waves.

From Port Arthur, it’s only a few hours sail into Hobart, Tasmania and we dock at 8pm.  It just so happens to be the Australian Wooden Boat Festival this weekend, and we are the beneficiaries of a spectacular display of tall ships, schooners, skiffs and dinghy’s.  Some are over 100 years old, some brand new, and everything else in between. 

As Zuiderdam will overnight here, we have the chance to walk the docks after dinner.  It’s no secret that boaters are a friendly sort.  And as such, it’s no surprise that owner Tony Lovely and his crew invite us aboard after we were oogle-ing his trawler from the dock.  The five of us chew on sea stories for an hour or more, before we bid them goodnight.  They would be heading back to Brisbane the next day. 

Even though it’s a Sunday night, tomorrow is a national holiday here, which gives festival-goers the stamina to continue celebrating.   By the time we strolled into the fest pavilion, the rock band, food trucks, and local breweries were all going strong to entertain attendees.  

On Day 2 of our visit, we meandered more docks and displays of the Wooden Boat Festival.  The varnished surfaces of all the various wooden watercraft were gleaming in the warm sunshine. 

Further beyond the bustling waterfront, we discover that Hobart’s spotless downtown shines with interesting architecture, parks and places of interest.  Overall, Tasmania was such a delightful surprise!

After one sea day of 768 miles, we arrive in Adelaide, South Australia mid-afternoon.  Since we are not leaving here until 10:30pm tomorrow night, we have plenty of time in this city of 1.2 million people.

A 40-minute train ride takes us from the industrial Outer Harbor and transitions through a variety of neighborhood styles, suburbs, shopping areas, corporate parks.

As we pull into the downtown Adelaide Railway Station, we are surrounded by the grand architecture that this city is known for.  Each building is more stunning than the one before, both inside and out. 

On the wide, tree-lined boulevard of North Terrace, we spent the afternoon between the State Library, the South Australian Museum, and the Art Gallery.  It’s a lovely, sunny day of 85-degrees.

It’s always a safe bet to ask a college student where the best pizza might be found.  She replied, “Oh you have an accent….where are you from?!”  After exchanging pleasantries, she indeed directed us to a fabulous sidewalk pizza restaurant a few blocks away, where we could sit and watch the bustle of Adelaide.  Along the way, there are always interesting signs to read:

On Day 2, we strike out in the morning to get a “flat white” coffee. Supposedly originating in Australia in the 1980’s, customers were tired of fluffy cappuccinos and seeking an espresso drink with thinner milk and less foam. Popular with good reason!

After coffee, we locate the Central Market.  Vast but organized booths hold every imaginable gastronomic delight, which also makes it the perfect place for lunch. And for some of our beloved Zuiderdam crew who favor fruits, we bought avocados and mangos.  Others have a penchant for Doritos.  We’re happy to bring back bundles of these treats for crew, as often they do not have the opportunity to go ashore. 

Leaving the Market, we make our way past older architecture, as well as pass through colorful and fragrant Chinatown.  Then Rundell Mall and Hindley Street; pedestrian streets brimming with specialty shops, arcades, pharmacies, and even an urban K-mart. 

The afternoon temperature rose to a dry heat of 103 degrees.  Tuckered out, hot and thirsty, we sought refuge in a Belgian Pub for a flight of Chimay…thank you, Monks, for your fine brewing expertise!   And speaking of hydration, these were posted in most public restrooms across the city:

Kangaroo Island lies 54 miles off Adelaide, on the southern coast of Australia.   It’s a large island with small towns and over a third of the island is protected nature reserves.  Zuiderdam anchors off Penneshaw and we tender in to spend the day in this charming village. 

Our 20-minute tender ride gives us a beautiful perspective of the coastline, which is rimmed with menacing, serrated rocks that have been the cause of a long history of shipwrecks.  It’s a shame that those ships missed the ¼ mile white sand beach that surely was their intended target.  But the jagged shore has also provided a home to seals, penguins and cormorants.

Ashore, we’re greeted by extremely friendly locals who dispense maps, offer highlights and we stroll the park-like setting.   After yesterday’s 103-degree temperature, we are surprised by the 70 degrees we have today.   Warm sunshine, with a cool breeze. 

About a dozen local artisans have set up tents with their handmade arts, honey, opal jewelry, textiles and baskets.  The Kangala Wildlife Rescue is on-hand, accepting donations to aid orphaned or injured kangaroos in rehab. An acoustic guitarist provides entertainment and parents, kids, dogs and tourists seem to all meld together in shopping and conversation. 

The interior of the island is gently rolling grassland, where kangaroos are free to roam.  We came across one while strolling through the sculpture park. 

The adjacent shoreline boasts a beautiful broad sandy beach, clear blue water.  Unfortunately, the water temp is only 60-degrees.  

After our 5-mile walkabout, we quench our thirst at the Penneshaw Restaurant & Pub and are joined by a few fellow passengers before returning to the ship.  Another wonderful port!   

After dinner, Australian comedian Jim Short was onboard to give us some good laughs before bedtime.  We are very happy to have 3 sea days now to catch up with laundry, emails and journaling, as well as planning for our next ports of call. 

Awakened early to watch our arrival into the port of Freemantle, Australia at 6am.   

This port is an eerie déjà vu for the 483 passengers aboard (us included), who were feeling a great deal of apprehension as we approached this port on March 21, 2020.  This was the port of disembarkation for us when the Covid 19 Pandemic caused worldwide travel to halt, and yet we were about to begin a 34-hour journey back home.  But not this time.  This time, we would be able to stay and explore Freemantle and her sister city, Perth for the next two days.  The two cities are just 12 miles apart and have completely different personalities.

The Freemantle train station is just a 10-minute walk from our ship, and we jump on a clean and modern train for the 40-minute ride into Perth. 

Transiting various neighborhoods gives us a good sense of their homes, shopping centers and places of business.  If we didn’t know better, it could easily have been the U.S., as we passed by Dunkin Donuts, KFC’s, Aldi’s, etc.

The Perth railway station is bustling with 9 tracks, yet we easily navigate our exit onto the main street of a modern city. 

Numerous and vast pedestrian street shopping malls throughout the urban layout, include many high-end, pedigree stores: Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany, etc, as well as old world markets and arcades.

Getting around is a snap, as both Perth and Freemantle offer free bus routes.  We rode several giving us a good overview, then went back to the areas we wanted to further explore.

We came across His Majesty’s Theater, with its extraordinary façade; it beckoned a peek inside.  We were welcomed by volunteers who were eager to offer us a tour of this magnificent building and theater.

The waterfront area of Elizabeth Quay is sprawling and clean. Ferry boats offer tours of Swan River or even further out to Rottnest Island.  

Amidst the city are vast green spaces including Stirling Park, the Supreme Court Gardens, Kings Park and Botanic Gardens just to name a few. A beautiful and inviting city.

On our second day in port, we focus on discovering Freemantle (or Frio as it’s known to its locals). It has a much more laid-back vibe. 

This college town is filled with artisans, bookstores, shops and cafes.  There’s even a street referred to as Cappuccino Strip.  Warm and sunny, everyone is out enjoying the day. 

The town is filled with ornately decorated and beautifully maintained historical buildings and hotels. And of course, we couldn’t leave “Frio” without checking out their massive marina and promenade.

We are so relieved to be leaving Freemantle by ship (this time).  It sure feels like redemption for our ill-fated, covid-impacted departure in 2020 when we were police-escorted by bus to the airport.

We now head west in the Indian Ocean for 8 days towards Mauritius and Reunion Islands.