Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

2018 HAL World Cruise

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

 

Hobart is the second oldest city in Australia.  It was founded in 1804 by Colonel David Collins and is the capital of the state of Tasmania.

Our ship docked in Sullivan’s Cove, once a bustling commercial area with whalers and entrepreneurs but now filled with artists’ studios, galleries, cafes and shops in the converted 19^th century sandstone warehouses.  It was a short walk into town where we explored, shopped, and dined the day away.

Hobart, lying on the west bank of the Derwent River, is a wonderful capital city.  Comprised of charming neighborhoods, it retains the atmosphere and leisurely pace of a small town.  Salamanca Place is terraced with warehouses dating back to the 1830s.  Nearby Battery Point is the site of the original seamen’s settlement.  There is a large covered, but highly pedestrian, mall in the city center with all the major department stores—even a Target!

This was our first visit to Hobart and we were enchanted.  We’ll look forward to returning someday.  And return we must!  We have learned that our stop in Port Arthur, site of the penal colony, has been canceled due to an approaching storm.  We know the storm is huge because we are already experiencing high seas and a lot of “a-rockin’-and-a-rollin.”  While sitting in the Lido, very near the top of the ship, I was watching the angry sea through the windows overlooking the aft pool area.  I saw the lounge chairs take flight and sail overboard!!!!  It happened so fast I couldn’t get a picture, but here’s what the deck looked like with the remaining lounges scattered about.

We’re now at sea and our next stop is Penneshaw on Kangaroo Island.  The Australian adventure continues!