My first day in launceston
February 11th 2007 01:58
Day 1 in Launceston:
Exploring the Tamar River precinct and vineyards:
On Sunday because it was raining my friend cancelled her golf and took me for a drive around the city of Launceston to look at the new waterfront precinct on the Tamar River. Lots of modern apartments, restaurants and coffee shops, fitness gyms and so on. Very smart very opulent and very expensive. We also had a drive around the streets of the city to check out my bearings, where were the best bars, restaurants, coffee joints and where to “hang out”.
Then a drive around the suburbs onto nob hill where the ultra rich hang their hats and what views over the poor peasants they have! Then we took a drive along the river front that snaked between vineyards and boutique wineries. Dairy farms and art galleries, potter’s sheds, waterfront pubs and diners to Beauty Point. This is where the other campus for my college is and I got to view the two ships owned by AMC and where I hope to get some practical experience parking and steaming in bigger ships than I have managed to date.
Though the river is large, deep and wide it seems to lack the instant appeal of say Sydney Harbour, Broken Bay and good old Lake Macquarie. I think this is going to be a river and port that grows on you. It has a fast flow coming down from cataracts in the hills and due to lack of rain it has not had a good flush for some time. The tide stirs up the muddy bottom and where I expect gin clear pristine water I see, clean but muddy swirling currents. I am on the East bank and I don’t think I can go fishing here as it is too muddy on the shore when the tide is low. Time will tell and I have plenty of that while I am here.
This was a whistle stop tour and we didn’t have time to stop in at the local pubs, wineries and yacht clubs but they all looked well patronised and I can see myself having some fun here. I am looking forward to getting out on the river on a yacht and really getting to explore what is to offer. A lot of waterfront homes have a sort of man made creek running into them with a little jetty and tied to that their boat. As the creeks are relative shallow the craft lay up against the jetties at low tide. So we are guaranteed strong bottoms on the boats around here.
To be continued.
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