Tues, 6th Feb, 2024 Bush camp at Gillams Beach, Recherche Bay to Bush camp at Goats Bluff, near South Arm, Tas (Bioluminescense and Aurora Australis)

Woke a few times through the night and peered out over the water but I couldn’t see any Aurora colour.

7am 8.8 degrees so on with the heater till it was 21 degrees half hour later.

More cloud cover today so we decided to head back to Hobart and try and find the bioluminescence in the water there.

Back to Dover then we followed the coast road around - the water is calm here in Port Esperance.

Climbed up over a hill then down to overlook more salmon ponds in the D’Entrecastreaux Channel. Continued along the hillside with cattle grazing on the steep hillside. Great views as we wind our way down.

Then inland a bit then back onto the main road again. Passed a lot of fruit trees - need signs telling us what is being grown.

Into Geeveston - Timber Town. We had a great time being based here at the RSL campground and exploring all the area. We went around to the dump point and found a new CMCA camp ground. Made a cuppa and wandered over to chat with the caretaker as they had a big camper on the back of their big truck and we wanted to see what they were using to push up their roof. 4m roof and he was using air rams and said he wouldn’t do that again - stick with the actuators. He had built his camper using Styromax panels too but assembled the outer shell himself where we had them glue it together for us.

Back onto the Huon Highway along the river edge. Sunnier this time but still cloudy.

Across the Huon River and around to Woolies to pick up some groceries. Topped up with diesel $2.059/L but we then got a 6 cent discount.

Pulled into the park by the river and made lunch and enjoyed sitting in the sunshine.

Rang Anne to see what their plans were in case we can meet up again somewhere. Planning to go fishing down along the Tasman Peninsular - will let us know.

Continued along the Esplanade heading to Cygnet then around the coastline back to Hobart. We are now travelling along the other side of the Huon River.

Another small section we hadn’t driven on to mark off on the map. More roadside stalls selling cherries etc.

Through little areas of houses and farms. We leave the river and cut across to Cygnet as we had down that section of coast previously. Up another windy hill road then down to Pagan Cider - lots of apple trees here hidden under nets.

Through Cygnet - another nice town, famous for its Folk Festival.

Continued on and down to the water’s edge again but it is an inlet in from the river itself.

Away from the water and a long climb up a hill. So many hills! Passed a couple on a tandem bike - they can have that!

Stopped at Randall Bay Lookout - beautiful.

Down the inland side of the hill now with views of trees and deep gullies.

Small fishing villages - Charlotte Cove then a bigger area of Verona Sands - at the mouth of the Huon River as it enters the D’Entrecastreaux Channel.

Around the coast and up to Gordon where we met Leanne & Rick all those years ago. We have made some life long friends during our travels. Lovely camp area right beside the water though there were a few ‘bogans’ here back then. Not many vans here at the moment.

Continued on to Middleton - another little township. Turned off the main road down to the water’s edge for a cuppa. Narrow road here.

Bit of history about the jetty and the ferry service across to Bruny Island. Looking across to Bruny Island and the Neck. Zoomed in on the Neck where we watched the fairy penguins and mutton birds come in to their nests on New Years Eve 14-15.

Dark clouds are building up and one dropped a few drops of rain on us.

Continued along the ‘coastal’ road up and down the hills through the different rural communities. Into Woodbridge (1847). We have been seeing random scarecrows outside homes - one was named Scaredy Crow. Not sure if it was a left over halloween thing or some thing like a sculpture/art trail.

Into Kettering where you catch the barge across to Bruny Island - we loved it there.

Another climb up and down the hills then down to the water again at Snug - cuddly name for a town. Through Margate then into Kingston - bigger towns with more traffic.

Up and over Bonnet hill - narrow windy road down past the historic Shot Tower (just got it in the photo) and walking tracks to Alum Cliffs that we have visited before. We didn’t miss much on our first visit of 5 and half months.

Down through all the houses perched on the hill slopes - everyone has a view here.

Onto the Sandy Bay Road then we turned off up to the Alexandra Battery Lookout.

Amazing view looking up the hill side at all the houses.

Not sure if the lookout spot was part of the battery. As we headed down the slope we saw a big cruise ship at Constitution Dock area.

Walked down to the first opening - a tunnel down to the gun area then kept wandering through then back up the slope again.

Back down to the main road and continued along the carpark near the Wrest Point Casino. They have changed it from when we had parked the truck and caravan here for 5 nights while Mum & Dad were staying in the Casino Hotel.

Lots of ducks about and silver gulls. Another bigger gull but it was different to the Pacific Gull. I googled it and found out it is a Kelp Gull - introduced from New Zealand in the 1950s where as the Pacific Gull is native to Tassie.

Walked along the road edge then around passed the Yacht Squadron area to Sandy Bay. Nice view.

On our way back we spotted a rabbit, or is it a hare, nibbling the grass - he wasn’t worried as we walked past.

There had been some bioluminescence around here but lately it has been on the other side of the river. The lady on the FB page updates each evening after checking tides and wind direction to give suggestions as to where to see it. We decided to go to Constitution Dock to get our icecream so followed the traffic - it was 5.30pm!

We turned down the road beside a brewery and found a empty park. Paid $1 for the last half hour of metered parking then walked around. The old IXL Jam factory building is on the other side.

The big Antarctic icebreaker is in so we tried to get a look at it through the fence.

Checked out the cruise boat, Noordam - huge.

Looking down the Derwent River then back to Hobart.

This building is new to us - it was just being started when we were here in 2015.

Checked out the history stuff - most was here in 2015 but these sculptures were unveiled in 2017.

Panned across the old buildings.

I think I took photos of the history boards last time but just in case I will take them again.

Nice memorial.

I have a favourite photo of Mum and Dad in front of the old building so took one of us.

Not quite in the same position.

Fabulous sculptures of the Antarctic expedition. I saw a white and black bird on the rock and thought it was a penguin but on a closer look it was a cormorant.

I have one of Dad there - should have got Steve to take of me in the same spot. This shows the new building just starting back in 2015.

Around to Mures where we decided on Fish and Chips for dinner - forgot to take a photo like the one we took of Mum and Dad. We had such a wonderful time with them. They had done a coach tour after the Casino then they were staying in the hotel across the road from here with Uncle John and Aunty Jocelyn (dad’s sister) and we had a great time together.

Went for a walk around the area admiring the old ships.

Lots of mussels growing on the bottom of the wharf and heaps of star fish on the bottom.

Back to Mures for our Stairway to Heaven icecreams and we got another flavour each too. Unfortunately it didn’t taste the same as we remembered - we thought it had more condensed milk in it but it was delicious anyway.

We walked back to the camper and put the remaining half of our buckets into the freezer for another night as it was too rich to eat all at once.

Drove around the block and across Constitution Dock area.

Headed out - beautiful old buildings here.

Around and onto the Tasman Bridge.

Found an exit to take us down to Montagu Bay where a chap had posted great photos of the bio last night. Nice picnic area here so we parked up and went for a walk along the track. Great view back to the icebreaker and cruise ship.

The sun is just going behind Mt Wellington.

Not as cold tonight so only need a light coat. We walked down onto the little jetty where some people were fishing. More starfish here.

Continued on the walking track around to the bridge. Mal rang to see if we were free to come down to Scamander with them. They are having a family pizza night on Friday and said to come and join them for that then we can head down on Saturday. Graham and Sharon rang too and they are in Smithton, going to do some west coast exploring first then heading across this way so we might catch up with them later. They are here for 6 weeks.

Steve found some information about the floating bridge that was here from 1943-1964. Amazing. Zoomed in to the other side.

Back to the camper to wait for darkness to fall. Steve got an old drink bottle he found and squirted the water on the surface - we were amazed to see the blue glow. I screenshot the info about this organism.

The foam on the edge glowed too. I took a photo but the flash came on so it was just like normal.

The more we disturbed the top of the water the more blue appeared. A little fish swam along the surface and the blue glowed in its bow-wave - fabulous. I tried to take photos but my camera and phone just couldn’t capture it. The ones that have been posting photos have fancy cameras and Iphones. There are some amazing photos taken from this spot on the Bioluminescence Tasmania Facebook page.

I did get a nice ‘lights’ photo of Hobart.

Other people came - one chap had gotten water guns for his kids and they worked well as they could make big circles etc in the water and it all turned brilliant blue. A remote controlled boat would have been great. I can tick that off my bucket list now.

Steve had found another info board so we went back over with a torch to take photos of the info - terrible event with a ship crashing into the bridge and so many being killed. Pretty green lights on the bridge. The rings line up to show the pillars that came crashing down.

We decided to head down to South Arm since we were out and about (10.30pm), Steve was still awake and happy to drive, to see if the Aurora was glowing as the sky is clear here.

Very quiet on the road which was good and no animals either. Got to Goats Bluff Lookout and pulled in. There was another couple of cars here. I asked if they were here to see the Aurora and they were. One chap had his camera set up and was taking delayed shots and then showed us the Aurora colours. We can’t see it with our naked eyes though. He had taken some in early January that were amazing so it was great to meet him and see the photos. He said it wasn’t a very good show tonight but at least we have seen it via his camera taken here now. He said sometimes you can see the reflection in the water but not see it in the sky. Another bucket list item ticked off - so glad we bumped into him. He had gotten one in January with bioluminescence in the waves rolling onto the beach, Aurora colours and the Milky Way - amazing. We talked for a bit - he was from Ipswich and had a big sea change moving down here to South Arm and loves it. The other couple had an Iphone and got some photos too but not as clear as the other chaps. We saw the big cruise ship coming down the Derwent River, passed Iron Pot light and continue on behind Betsey Island in front of us. There is a light on an island rock in front of us too.

This is what we saw on his camera of the Aurora.

11.30pm - thanked the chap and couple for sharing then headed back to the camper for the night as it was starting to get quite chilly.