We were both a little apprehensive before boarding the Spirit of Tasmania not knowing what to expect on the crossing. We needn’t have been concerned, at least at first.
Although over an hour late boarding the whole process was very efficient and professional. Truck trailers were loaded first and lashed to the deck followed by cars, small vans and motorcycles, the later also requiring tie-downs. Two rows of caravans, camper trailers and motor homes were next. We were at the front of row two but to our surprise we were first to board and via a steep boarding ramp. I was almost considering switching to four-wheel drive as the ramp was wet from earlier rain but it wasn’t needed.
The loading team guided us right to the rear of the ship, partly through a very narrow set of barriers, and pulled-up beside one of the many trailers that had been loaded using specialised ‘roro tractors’. We are assuming ‘roro’ is an abbreviation for ‘Roll-on, Roll-off.
Is that a Cabin or a Cell?
It wasn’t long before we had locked-up and headed up to our cabin for the crossing, two-decks higher. For anyone making the same overnight crossing we would heartily recommend a cabin rather than try and sleep upright in a chair. Some may compare the cabins to prison cells without bars and indeed the twin-bed cabins are small, very small, but the beds are reasonably comfortable, there’s a functional shower room and a large, square window to view our departure from Geelong and arrival into Devonport, Tasmania.
Rock and Roll
We finally departed a little past midnight on the 10-hour sail across the Bass Strait – notorious for rough seas. The Spirit of Tasmania ferries are large and we were hoping for a smooth crossing but it wasn’t to be. No sooner had we reached the open sea than the rocking and rolling started with the ferry following the swell and the waves crashing into the hull. And it continued throughout the night with interrupted sleep. We were fortunate, though, that the ‘Strait’ wasn’t delivering one of its regular storms and what we experienced was comparatively mild.
Tasmania – We’ve arrived!
Not long after the sun had risen we could see land in the distance but it was another two hours on an increasingly calmer sea before we finally sighted the enormous Mount Roland towering above Devonport and another thirty minutes before the ferry was expertly steered sideways into position at the terminal.
We had expected a longer wait before we were called on the tannoy to say time to go to your vehicles and an even longer wait for unloading to start but shortly after we were in the car we got the go ahead to move and we were the first to head out and touch tarmac on Tasmania’s roads.
A short drive through town took us to the raised promontory known as Mersey Bluff and our base for the next four nights at the appropriately named Mersey Bluff Caravan Park overlooking the beach.
After nine days on the road we were finally in Tasmania and excited to start our latest adventure.
Discovery Down Under 