A trip to the Tasman Peninsula

The Tasman peninsula was the second stop on our journey with boat around parts of Tasmania.

Again we travelled with Pennicott Wilderness Cruises. This time we were not alone as Marias cousin Edward tagged along on the ride. He picked us up early in the morning and steered the car towards the Tasman peninsula. It was great to have him with us as he told us some of the old and new history of the area.

We got to see the aftermath of what was called the “Angry Summer” when bush fires ravaged Tasmania in 2013. The fires burnt down at least 100 properties, 65 just in the town of Dunalley, as well as 20000 hectares of bush land.

It was interesting to see how the endemic plants had made a comeback while the pine plantations were just black pillars of dead wood.

Surviving the fires 140115

This picture shows how the Eucalyptus regenerate leaves to get the photosynthesis going by shooting out small branches from the trunk. Next step is to regenerate the leaves in the top. When that is done they drop the leaves from the trunk as they aren´t needed anymore. A clever adaption that I didn´t know of before Edward told me during the trip to the Tasman Peninsula.

And how was the boat trip?

This time we went out with the early boat at around 9:00. The sea was calmer and the skies darker which made for dramatic landscapes as you can see in the gallery.

Rougher sea is certainly more fun. This time I had the opportunity to actually get a couple of good pictures of the Shy Albatross as well as Black-faced Cormorants speeding past the boat.

The trip around Bruny Island had certainly prepared me for this trip. This time I knew how to handle the camera inside the boat in a much better way. I would say that the trip around the Tasman Peninsula was better from a photographic point of view. I certainly came ashore with better material. Still the Bruny Island trip with rougher sea was more fun even if it hampered my photography.

It was great fun to get the opportunity to take pictures of the Common Dolphin. We saw them during the Bruny Island trip, but this time we actually had them swimming around the boats for a much longer period.

Jumping Common Dolphin 140115

The picture above is one in a series that I took when two Common Dolphins were swimming and jumping beside the other Pennicott boat. It was far easier to get good pictures of them this way then trying to take pictures when they were swimming along our boat.

This picture is certainly the classic ad. If any Pennicott representative see it and likes it, then feel free to contact me.

Photo Album: Tasman Peninsula 2014