MOT Tour Day 6 - Spirit of Tasmania

Bass Strait selfie

Crunch time. 

Today we bury the ghosts of Lamborghinis, past. 

We made an early start and the pack up went like clockwork. The drive to the ferry was smooth and as planned, with the exception that I had to make an unplanned turn when Google Maps had a brain fart and wanted to take me through traffic in a shopping precinct and we all know how that worked out last time! 

Planning and delivery had us pulling up dead on gate opening time, 8:00am only to find that the place was already full. Not to worry. It’s a patience game and why not play it. Doing otherwise changes only your day, mostly for the worse. Quarantine was a breeze but we were surprised by the numbers of people who hadn’t prepared and were standing by the rows of cars gorging on fruit. Funny moment when the inspector asked if we had a fridge on the Avan and then asked to see it. I opened the half door - the van was in it’s collapsed state - indicated the fridge door and watched him crawl in. The actual loading was a simple enough procedure, just waiting our turn and following instructions. We were loaded in the last 20% but disembarked in Devonport in the first 20.

We had decided to book a cabin and it proved to be a wise decision. Having your own space, some privacy, when things start to rock and roll, was a good thing. Neither of us had to drive the porcelain bus, despite sitting the exam and being on the roster but having the reassurance we could suffer with the embarrassment of only one person laughing, was a good thing. 

The surprising part of the voyage was the amount of time it took to clear the mouth of Port Phillip Bay
and how small an access point that is. We were sailing for nearly two and a half hours before we hit open sea. Before you do, the ferry has to negotiate “The Rip”, a triangular stretch of water between Point Nepean, Point Lonsdale and Shortland's Bluff. It’s shallow and rough and has rogue currents which have claimed many a ship. Unsurprisingly, we got through okay but not before witnessing a maelstrom of water and feeling our first awkward moments where earth, legs and brain are not quiet in sync. 

We retreated to the cabin, gulped out ginger tablets and spoke not to each other of our unease. I knew Sue was uncomfortable because she wasn't giving advice. She knew I was much the same because I crawled into the foetal position and the swell rocked me to sleep.

I exaggerate to illustrate. It was, in fact, no big deal but each time I swung my legs off the bed in the caravan this evening, my body and brain were still moving in sympathy with the waves that were no longer there.

The Spirit has everything you need to while away ten hours: a video gaming room, cinemas, bars, restaurants, a reading room. Of course, there’s also taking in the view. Ships passed through the day, including the Spirit’s sister ship, on its way to Melbourne. Visits to the open deck, either at the stern or along the dies of the ship, were a breezy experience but the view of the horizon was a comfort.

Sue like staring from our generous porthole and one stage saw six dolphins, a whale, a submarine, Donald Trump's tax returns, a unicorn and a pink elephant. From that I infer, I didn't quite trust her claims.

Click here for today's photos

Staff couldn't do enough for you, although they did for us, just not for some but then, some people are like that. Friendly, informative and to the point, we found them all very pleasant and very helpful.

This is an experience we'd be happy to repeat ... well we'll have to or not go home but you get the gist. Of course, the swell today was less than a metre. We may not be as lucky next time.