January
We saw the New Year in at Canoe Bay, a small inlet on the NW corner of Fortescue Bay on the Tasman Peninsular, Tasmania. Over the calm waters of the protected bay, with Nathan and Nicole aboard we watched the fireworks, a natural display of thunder and lightening moving over the peninsular. Nathan spent the evening catching an assortment of fish, at first from the stern and then when he heard the fish splashing in the distance he quickly jumped into the dinghy and rowed further out into the bay. Half an esky full of fish came back with him only 1/2 an hour later. As these were important bait for our cray fishing, he emptied a bucket full of ice over them until the following day when they were to be put in the craypots. Still not content with this and in search of something bigger, he baited up a hook with a live fish on an Alvey reel that belonged to my Grandfather many years ago. Back in the saloon we bought out the party hats and whistles and glow sticks. Suddenly the line went whirring out and the fight was on, Nathan spent the next hour fighting it with all of us helping pass the rod up and around all the obstacles on the side decks until the fish, a huge stingray broke the surface and then flicked its tail and severed the line.

The New Year has started the way we expect it to continue the remainder of the year  .... with a feed of crayfish! After picking up the pots and finding one we headed east around the Hippolyte Rocks where the seals live and play. Approximately 3nm north and the line went humming out and all hands were on deck again
The quicker passage back to Hobart is through the Denison Canal. We have used this way on numerous occasions now. The tradition is to place a coin in the bucket of the bridge keeper, but as I had just baked a fresh batch of Scones, i plated up some with jam and cream and placed those in the bucket as we passed.  We anchored in Ironstone Bay after several hours drifting across Norfolk Bay for Nicole and Nathan to catch a few feeds of flathead whilst Alan enjoyed watching Australia play Pakistan in the Test match.