hello from Hobart

We are on a mooring off the Royal Hobart Yacht Club (complete with picture of the Queen in the entrance hall). Can use the facilities, and had a good cheap meal there last night, their schnitzel evening. There is a big social membership and everyone was rather smartly dressed - we had come straight from a walk into the centre of the city, with rucksack and all. No one seemed to mind though, and they were very welcoming. Also here is a Swedish boat that we know from New Zealand, and an American family we last saw in the Tuomotos. Otherwise no other foreign boats as far as we have seen.

We anchored a couple of nights in a bay with nice beach and park only a mile from B and B's house, but unfortunately there is nowhere safe to leave the dinghy there. Anyway we are closer to the centre of the city here. When we took the anchor up to leave there was a little seahorse clinging to the chain. Have never seen one before, it was such a surprise!

Hobart seems a very pleasant place, not too big, and lots of renovated buildings dating from the early 1800's, particularly around the dock area. As in many places it has all been done up with lots of cafes, restaurants and arty shops. We have had a couple of days of calm warm weather, long may it last.

It has been fun having B and B on board. B hasn't sailed much but was keen to learn - good preparation for their week with T in the summer. B had a lot of success fishing with a line over the side in the evenings, and was very chuffed. Caught enough for lunch a couple of days running. Also collected shellfish a bit like cockles called pipi and had those as a starter one evening. We ate pretty well because we had home grown veg and potatoes from B and lots of plums off B's sister's tree.

Will stay with them on Fri night and go for a walk with them on Sat for quite a long day. Nice to do some 'land' stuff.