James Craig - Sydney to Hobart

A brief stop in Wineglass Bay, named for her shape and for the Merlot
colour back in the whaling days. After inspecting the propellers for kelp,
our divers Drew and Bruce returned in the boat at the call of "Anchor
aweigh!"  They solved the mystery of the two white ´fins´ we saw rising and
falling in the swell just off the rocks at the S entrance to the Bay. We had
guessed it might be a dead whale, but in fact it was a sunken yacht.   A
local we met on the beach confirmed it had only been wrecked 3 days ago,
with the loss of one life.  It seems we have luckily (cleverly?) dodged some
cruel weather.  Last night a cruise ship reported 90 kts (yes, ninety knots)
of wind in Bass Strait, and a pan pan message was received from a dismasted
yacht near Wilsons Prom. (too far for us to be of help).  Someone´s looking
after us, and we´ve received good advice from our weather gurus ashore,
thank you!
Our Tassie pilot, Martin North, took us South through Schouten Passage,
around Isle de Phoques and into Mercury Passage at a  rate of knots in
driving rain.  Radar and GPS fixes, with course updates and ETAs every five
minutes, and a team of navigators were firing on all cylinders!  Our mission
was to get alongside Spring Bay wharf before nightfall to fill the
freshwater tanks; and Captain Ken declared showers and beer all round upon
arrival. Most chose to shower with the water.