Penneshaw - Oh, no!

We await eagerly our arrival at Penneshaw on Kangaroo Island. We had been warned last night that the seas were rough, and use of the tender boats could not be guaranteed. Nevertheless the first signs were good as the Artania anchors and sets two tenders in the water.

After 30 minutes the cruise director reports that there is too much movement to fix the platform and gangway firmly to the ship. And the weather report holds out no hope for better conditions after lunch. 

The anchor is weighed. We set course for Esperance. 

We now have three days at sea in front of us. I start reading “1788 - The Brutal Truth of the First Fleet - The biggest single overseas migration the world had ever seen.” by David Hill. This is the story of the first convicts shipped from England to Australia.

A well written tale. I am struck by the intersection of people and events that have occupied me the last year or two. All come together here. The American War of Independence, the Napoleonic Wars, Cook, Banks, King George III, Bligh. 

There was lots going on in the world at that time. 

Adelaide

Dawn is breaking as we ease into our berth in Adelaide’s Outer Harbor. We prepare ourselves first the day and board the train for the 30 minute ride into the city. 

After the bustle of Melbourne we decide to approach Adelaide on foot along the Torrens River, which flows through a park that fully surrounds the central business district. A good decision. The weather is great, and many are out sunning themselves. 

A pause near the convention center lets us enjoy a coffee. Continuing our journey, we arrive at the botanical garden. 

An exhibition by the Seattle artist Dale Chihuly is on view. His colorful works delight us.  

We leave the garden and head to the pedestrian mall on Rundle Street. The city center is laid out on a strict grid with wide streets, similar to Salt Lake City. The pedestrian area is laced with narrow arcades filled with interesting small shops. 

Following a light refreshment, we find the train and return to the ship. 

At dinner tonight we compare our impressions of the three large cities we have visited in Australia. Sydney is the crowd favorite. 

Tomorrow, Kangaroo Island. 

Rulers and Power

I finished reading “War and Peace” today. Seldom have I read a book so engrossing. Tolstoy’s thesis that there is no such thing as free will is well argued. Everything a person does, in historical hindsight, is shaped by his circumstances and by those surrounding him. A leader has power only as expressed through the will of those he leads. 

A very relevant novel in our current political times. A reminder of the role Russia played in our common western cultural history. 

Melbourne

The second largest city of Australia towers before us as we berth. We purchase day tickets for the public transportation system. A quick tram ride takes us to the city center. 

The Queen Victoria Market, a large, flat collection of sheds sheltering hawkers of everything under the sun, is close to the center. Today will be a shopping day. Wandering the aisles, I find a leather belt and merino sweater to my liking, and we acquire a few souvenirs. Then off to the food stalls. 

Ogling the fresh produce and meats arouses hunger pangs, which we sate with crisp, warm Böreks. The pause gives us energy to continue our tour. 

The city is a striking combination of the New and the Old Worlds. Glass high-rise towers sit intermixed with Victorian era row houses, tree filled gardens, and sidewalk cafes. 

Wide streets are filled with cars. The steady roar of traffic and sirens is hard to escape. Yet streetcar tracks and their overhead lines run everywhere. The trams apparently can be easily overlooked in the daily tumult. 

We loop through the main shopping area where Eve finds a pair of pants she likes. And then back to the ship. Our shopping day is a success. 

Tomorrow is a sea day.

Burnie - Stalactites and Stalagmites

The Artania docks in Burnie at 9 am this morning. We board a bus for a visit to Gunns Plains Caves and Leven Canyon, two of the many natural attractions that Tasmania is blessed with. 

After an hour’s drive, we reach our first stop. The caves were discovered in 1906 by a hunter chasing a deer which suddenly disappeared. The hunter built  the natural caverns out to permit tourist visits. 

Descending 55 steps into the first cavern, we learn from our guide about the development of the delicate structures hanging above and alongside us. 

Furthur along we descend several more sets of steps and admire the beauty and colors of the formations. At the bottom, the small underground stream which created all that we see burbles merrily along. 

The temperature is a constant 11 degrees Celsius, year round. We were warned beforehand to bring jackets. 

Returning to the surface, we board the bus for the 30 minute ride to a lookout over the 250 meter deep Leven canyon.

A set of stairs (317, to be precise) descends from the lookout part way into the canyon. A longer path through the deeply forested biotope leads us back to the parking lot. We are in another rain forest. I do love tree ferns. 

Back in the bus, we return to the ship. We cast off before dinner. 

Tomorrow:  Melbourne