Anchorages

the part one : Flinders

BY CHRISTINE DANGER linders Island is the largest and best known island of the Furneaux Group, an archipelago Chris Danger and Wade Bishop are regular visitors to of 52 in eastern Bass Eastern Bass Strait, spending most of their summer Strait. Captain Cook named the Fislands after the British Navigator Tobias holidays exploring its little frequented anchorages. In this article Chris takes us to . Furneaux, who sailed past them in 1773. But the explorer who really discovered the group in 1798 was Matthew Flinders aboard his ship the Francis, and later aboard the Norfolk. When you look at a chart and the spread of these islands, it is no wonder so many ships met their demise in these waters. And the weather can be mean at this latitude; we are after all in the roaring forties. But yet, the Furneaux Group and in particular Flinders Island, is a very beautiful part of Bass Strait, and offer many safe and varied anchorages. We have spent several summer cruises exploring these waters. For us the attraction is their remoteness and the fact that we often have pristine coves to ourselves. Few yachties spend time in these parts. Most are on a mission to get somewhere else – to or from Tassie – and thus pass through quickly, often not stopping. They miss out on a special part of our southern world. Flinders Island is about 64kms long by 29kms wide, with a couple of beautiful mountain ranges, the Darling Range in the centre and at the southern end, the Strzelecki Peaks. It is one of the only inhabited islands in the Furneaux Bass Strait Anchorages

Group. There are two small townships: So in this article, let me take you to above: Tropical looking Trousers Point. Whitemark, the ‘civic’ centre, half way four spots which are well worth visiting: opposite left: Castle Rock, Marshall Bay, looking a bit like ET. down the western shores, and Lady • Killiecrankie Bay Barron, at the southern end of the • Marshall Bay island. Both are small fishing ports with some basic facilities. We often make • Trousers Point a stop at Whitemark to replenish our • Sellars Point fresh food and fuel and descend on In a later article, we’ll look at other Mount Killiecrankie. If you look carefully the nice bakery. It requires timing our islands of the Furneaux Group. at the rock formation at the northern arrival at the jetty and our departure end of the beach, you will see the Old from it an hour either side of the high KILLIECRANKIE BAY Man’s Head, peacefully guarding the tide to ensure we don’t get caught high On the north west side of Flinders bay. Sunsets here are stunning, and and dry. The surrounding shores dry Island is one of the most beautiful bays, the fishing for flathead and squid yields out totally at low tide, and there is little providing shelter from north easterly some rather tasty meals. more than two metres depth at high through to southerly winds. Although water. Access to Lady Barron, the main you can anchor along the beach, either At the southern end of the beach fishing port where island supplies arrive, at the northern end or further down, are some barbecues, and a little way is not limited by tides. However being a the best shelter is to be had by coming up the gravel track, the café called ‘JJ working harbour, it is not very appealing, right into the small natural harbour on the bay’ is a treat in summer. With even if the locals are always extremely formed by a rock shelf and , sensational views over the bay, tasty helpful. Lady Barron’s main attraction where the local cray fishing boats are cakes, local produce and art for sale, it’s in our eyes is the very scenic Furneaux safely moored. If you call Killiecrankie a gorgeous place to have morning tea pub, overlooking the Franklin Sound, a Enterprises on Channel 16 and talk to or lunch. body of water separating Flinders and Margaret or Alan Wheatley, you may be But apart from the very beautiful Cape Barren islands. able to use one of the spare moorings. scenery, the area is known for one But the appeal of sailing around We’ve been known to hook up there to particular thing; diamond fossicking. Flinders Island is not in the little hide from a blow, and treat ourselves to Now, just calm down, these are townships, but rather in its numerous, one of Alan’s crays. Killiecrankie diamonds, a misnomer for beautiful and little frequented The bay itself is a broad sweeping gem quality topaz. They can be found anchorages. half-moon, dominated at one end by in the alluvial gravel of small creeks at right: Approaching Flinders Island from the south west with the Strzelecki Peaks as a backdrop. below right: Allports anchorage, at the southern end of Marshall Bay, amongst the lichen covered granite boulders. both the northern and southern end of of sheltered anchorages for slightly relics about the sealers, the Straitsmen, the bay and look like glassy, waterworn different wind directions. The small cove and gives a good feel for the history of pebbles, usually translucent white, but of Allports Beach is lovely to anchor in if the island. sometimes yellow or even pale blue. you can cope with being half surrounded Once cut, they can pass for a diamond by granite boulders. With barbecue TROUSERS POINT Tucked away at the south western – well, nearly. We are told that crystals facilities ashore, you can throw the pick end of Flinders Island, in the Strzelecki of 20mm are abundant, and larger ones in three to five metres of water over sand National Park, is Trousers Point, one of have been found. We have tried to make and weed, with east northeast to west the most popular spots on the island. It our fortune, armed with shovel and southwest shelter. The next cove along offers good shelter to yachties in north sieve, but must admit to being paltry is Emita, which offers bigger swinging east through to south easterly winds. fossickers. Still, it’s fun to try! room in north east to south west shelter, There is also a designated camp site though the holding is not quite as good, MARSHALL BAY under the sheoaks, so it can be a busy and at the southern end of the bay is A third of the way down Flinders West spot with landlubbers. coast, is the very broad Marshall Bay, Port Davies which gives you east north east to west shelter. The area is rich in unusual rock which is somewhat protected by the features, beautiful sandy beaches low lying islands of Prime Seal and the Bordering these beaches are and stunning views towards the small Pascoes. This huge bay has 12kms of meandering tracks taking you offshore islands of Chappell and Badger. beach stretching from Mt Tanner at the alternatively through low scrub land, The rocky granite headland of Trousers Point has the characteristic orange You can pull in and anchor off the beach anywhere, lichen strip. The brilliant turquoise water close in to the shore and ultramarine and enjoy a quiet stroll or a bit of beachcombing further out, the long white crescent beach, and the towering peaks of the Strzelecki range overlooking the bay, northern end, to the hamlet of Emita at patches of pigface or daisy bushes, and make for an absolutely breathtaking the southern end. Behind this endless sandy shores. It is scenic, sometimes scenery. beach are low, wind-swept, scrub haunting, and always those stunning Apart from the quiet stroll along the covered sand dunes that extend some colours: the aqua and sapphire of the sandy shore for a bit of beachcombing, 2.5kms inland in places. ocean, the white sandy beaches, the there are a couple of beautiful walks You can pull in and anchor off the orange and apricot lichen covered to stretch your sea legs. One is an beach anywhere, and enjoy a quiet stroll rocks. And if you have the time, from easy walk around the Trousers Point or a bit of beachcombing. The further any of the beaches, you can stroll headland to the north west facing south you move along the bay, the to the nearby road and walk up to beach of Fotheringate Bay. This 90 more granite outcrops appear, with the the Furneaux Museum. It houses a minutes round trip takes you along the characteristic orange lichen strip over fascinating collection of exhibits and shore where the weather and marine the waterline. Some of these are of a remarkable size and distinctive shape. These include Castle Hill, a dramatic granite tor Wade affectionately calls ET (when you look at the picture, you can see why), Watermark Rock which I call Hippopotamus Rock, and Cave Rock, hollowed out by pounding waves. As you move to the southern end of Marshall Bay, there are a series of neighbouring coves offering a choice erosion have carved out broad shore platforms with solution pans, caves and sea stacks, and this makes for very interesting landforms ... In Fotheringate Bay, the limestones overlying the granite have been water-sculptured into amazing shapes – a Melbourne Cup, a Hipopotamus Rock. Another very special walk, but much longer and quite demanding is the climb above: Fotheringate from the Strzelecki Peaks. to the summit of Mt Strzelecki. From left: Killiecrankie ‘diamonds’ or topaz. the beach, it’s about three kilometres to the start of the track, then a five hour hike up and back. It is a steep long climb from sea level to the 756m peaks. The track takes us through very distinct areas of vegetation: from a wooded gully following a small creek, to tea tree forest, to sheoak forest, to fern gullies, to eucalypts. As we climb, we we can see the ocean colour changing drifts in and out, sometimes obscuring get spectacular views of Trousers Point, with different depths. Further along, we the sheer cliffs and engulfing us, other the little promontory and Fotheringate get out of the scrub and start following times clearing and giving us glimpses Bay. Little by little, the neighbouring rocky gullies against large granite of the coast further north, towards the islands appear: Chappell, Badger, East escarpments. It is impressive, and the flatlands and the Darling Range. Kangaroo, Big ... They temperature drops as we get higher and The last third of the climb is the look so small and mostly low lying and are more exposed to the elements. Mist toughest part, with the trek edging around the base of the impressive problem. One of the locals is cooking his the beach is also suitable and regularly summit peak rock wall, then climbing dinner next to us, commenting on the frequented by the local fishing boats. straight up. It is hard on the legs and size of the mozzies around here. “You A walk on the beach and around the the breathing ... lots of grunting helps! get attacked by two of them and you point affords striking views of Babel At the summit, we are rewarded are a gonner. There is one to hold you Island and you can stroll a long way in with impressive views towards Cape down, the other to bite you!” We laugh, either direction. To the north west of the and catch glimpses but we know how big and ferocious they Point is Foochow Beach, stretching for of Mt Munroe, the Vansittart shoals, are. So be warned; full body armour and 30 miles, to the south west is Planter the Franklin Sound, in between misty Aeroguard on! Beach, 28 miles long, so intrepid periods. It is much colder up here and And for those who wonder about walkers will have ample opportunities to the wind makes it even more so, but the name, Trousers Point, there are a stretch their legs! A narrow strip of sand the panoramic views really make this an couple of possible explanations. One dunes edges the shores and behind iconic walk, well worth the effort. story says the name commemorates these extend some large lagoons and And after all this physical challenge, the lucky escape a certain Richard inlets with the Patriarchs, three granite and a quick dip in the rather refreshing Burgess, without his trousers, from mountains as a back drop. water of Trousers Point, what better but the wreck of the Sarah Ann Blanche. The whole area is teaming with wildlife to use the free and very well maintained Another story assigns the name to the and is a birdwatcher’s paradise. It is gas barbecue facilities, with a view discovery of a box of trousers which also a photographer’s heaven: dunes over the anchorage. There is only one had floated away and washed up on the often sculpted by the wind, the comical

above left: Sellars Point, with the sandspit beach from another wreck, that of the swagger of the sooty oyster catchers, leading to . Cambridgeshire in 1875. the many shells abandoned by the tides above right: Map of the Furneaux group ... Sellars Point is always a treat. For of islands. SELLARS POINT the keen fishermen, the beach fishing Half way down the east coast of is also good. And of course, you can Flinders Island, jutting eastward, is the just sit at anchor and simply relish the protruding feature of Sellars Point, a remarkable seascape. sand spit which bridges Flinders and Babel Island at low tide. The easterly There are many more peaceful and aspect towards Babel is stunning, as idyllic anchorages to discover around are the views towards the hills of the Flinders Island, and in the smaller isles Patriarchs back on Flinders. of the Furneaux Group. The key is in When the wind is coming from the taking the time to stop a while, explore west or south west, the most sheltered and enjoy. If you do, like us, you will be and swell free place to anchor in is close smitten. You will want to come back to the southern side of the point, in two again and again to experience these wild to three metres of water. Further down and stunning cruising grounds.