Killiecrankie to Deal Island

We set sail for Deal Island from Killiecrankie Bay in a light breeze which was very relaxing and after about 6 hours sailed into Murray Pass between Deal Island to our starboard and Dover and Erith Islands to our portside.

Fifi with another outfit on for lighter breezes(bigger blade)

Wright Rock on the way to Deal island

The scenery on entering the pass was spectacular and made more dramatic by the light rain and misty atmosphere. We were greeted by the profile of a striking face on the cliff along with grassy and wooded hills, the disused lighthouse up on the hill(the highest in the southern hemisphere), and the sturdy keepers cottage, white and comforting.

Glenshiel VII entering Murray Pass

An imposing face in the cliff greeted us as we entered Murray Pass(at least he is smiling!)

The Keepers cottage now a little museum looking south west.

  After a half hour motor against the tidal current we dropped anchor in sheltered East Bay. Deal Island provides anchorages (4 including Erith Island) for every wind direction each with a white sandy beach and crystal clear water. This beautiful island is a National Parks and also a marine reserve so half of the island group is a no take fishing zone. The wallabies are abundant and appear unfazed by visitors. The Cape Barren Geese welcome you noisily and of course at dark the Little Penguins come ashore and seem to have domestic arguments all night!

GlenshielVII and Sorcerer in East Bay Deal Island with Dover Island(left) and Erith Island(right)

A celebratory stout thanks to the wonderful DMI nurses

John spent part of the first day fixing the damage we had done to our genoa on the east coast of Tassie (we have our good friend Nic to thank for the sail repair kit he helped put together for us) then joined Jed, Jude and myself at the lighthouse, about an hours walk up the hill.

Damaged genoa from the trip up the east coast of Tassie

Repairing sail

A stitch in time...

View from the lighthouse overlooking the keepers cottage and East Bay

Next day Jed helped John with a compressor mount issue and then we all did the easy 1/2 hour walk past the disused landing strip to Garden Cove for lunch and refreshing swim.

A bit of surgery on the compressor mount(I was scrub nurse for this operation!)

Garden Cove

That evening we cooked at the Parks supplied b-b-q next to the jetty in East Bay and watched the sun set on our last day at Deal followed by some penguin spotting as they came ashore for the night.

Feeling pretty satisfied that we had found one of the most beautiful places on the planet, we headed to bed to prepare for another night of wind and waves and finally crossing the main body of Bass Strait to Lakes Entrance.