Members at our club night on Thursday 15th September were entertained by Barry North, who gave a talk on his Circumnavigation of Tasmania in 1998.

The trip around Tassie was organised by the RYCT of Tasmania to coincide with the Tall Ships Race from Sydney to Hobart for the Tasmanian Bi-Centenary . Barry left Paynesville with the intention of catching the Tall Ships Fleet at sea, which he achieved off the East coast of Tasmania. Barry's crew consisted of his 9year old grandson and his father and 2 other club members.

They joined the Festivities in Hobart and inspected the Tall Ships in there.

The Circumnavigation crews started with the departure of the tall ships and the 70 boats doing the Circumnavigation sailed out in groups of five accompanying a Tall Ship. There was a gale warning issued for Storm Bay and the East Coast.

The sea was extremely rough in Storm Bay with 2 reefs in the main and the head sail furled half in. They ran all the way to Tasman Island and were then able to jibe and head north.

It was a sail Barry will never forget. Two of his crewmen were extremely sea sick, which meant that the other crew and Barry took an hour on and an hour off under full moon with 2 reefs in the main, as they sailed up the East coast to Eddystone Point. They went from Eddystone Point to Water House Island, then the Tamar River and on to the Mersey River in glorious weather. The run then went to Three Hummock Island , where they were joined there by three Tall Ships.

They had to wait a day to head off down the west coast in very wild seas, a boat that left the following night was rolled at sea and suffered severe damage, but managed to limp into Strahan. While in Macquarie Harbour they proceeded up the Gordon River to St Johns Falls.

The boats went from there down to Bathurst Harbour again in company with the Tall Ships, and then down Mallaluka Inlet. The ships left there in the fog, which lifted just as they rounded South West Cape .They then sailed up to Research Bay and finally back to Hobart.

It was the first of three trips Barry has done around Tasmania with the RYCT.

That trip lasted 3 weeks, which was the allotted time allowed, it was extended to four for the next trip, and now they allow five, which is much better.

Bernard O'Kelly also gave a talk and slide show on his trip to The Wooden Boat Festival in Hobart this year.

We had 16 turn up for dinner and then the talks and the response was great. Everyone enjoyed the evening.