A long procession of wagons filled with beach toys, sun tents and exhausted children slowly moved down the beach towards the car park. Vehicles packed with tents, paddle boards
luggage and wistful dogs wait in line at the gas station. The holiday weekend at Eden has come to an end. The forecast made today the favored moment to move south to Hobart so we packed our beach toys too.

Before the toy packing and other chores, we checked with our local experts and metbob to make sure this was a safe moment to go. Waiting for the perfect weather window might take to forever so safe is the question. Ron and Carolyn were getting in the dinghy from their sailboat, S/V Roseanne on a Tasmanian River, but called us right away. Reassured to hear their sense now was an ok moment to cross. Next we touched base with Bron and Ken who have a mooring on Flinders Island where he grew up. Flinders Island sticks up from Tasmania into the Bass Strait and is a place you can stop. They called from their boat, Nichola sitting on the mooring in Lady Barron. They will be leaving Wednesday, and have offered it to us if we need to pull in. Other useful local knowledge poured over the phone from there the sands have moved around Lady Barron and never to drop an anchor on sea grass in Tasmania. Next Karl finally got Steve Department of Agriculture official on the phone. He and his partner were working today because they were covering for the Sydney office who were all out today. Karl has worried this group might fine us or impound the boat. Steve confirmed we have to go straight but if new need to we can stop. Soon Steve is giving Karl advice on where to go skiing in Australia. Karl's face was covered with a relieved smile..

While we still have not heard from MetBob picking up our toys requires a last bit of provisioning and fuel. Multiple calls to Andrew the ice man and fuel truck driver go unanswered so plan b of fuel jugs in a kayak will have to do. I make the food dash grabbing one backpack full of essentials. I am bombarded by kids practicing cannonball jumps off the wharf. Karl does the fuel run. Metbob responds and we are good to leave on our hop to Hobart.

We so appreciate our growing network of global sailors. This morning greetings from our Galapagos comrades appeared. New Years pictures ranging from fireworks in Sydney, to our friends dressed traditional Polynesian clothing with spiraling balls of fire in Fiji and two large happy smiles from Bali. With a warm feeling in our hearts we turn to the grey lumpy sea and head out of the Eden's two fold harbor, passing Seahorse Shoal and turning south towards Tasmania.