C_H_2015_02_

14 Februar y 2015

destination: Tasmania

In the middle of the Bass Strait between

mainland Australia and Tasmania lies Deal

Island, Tasmania's northernmost national park.

Only accessible by boat, the island is manned

by volunteer caretakers who share the island

with incredible wildlife.

We were visiting the Gippsland Lakes area

on the Australia mainland with hopes of soon

crossing Bass Strait to head down Tasmania's

rugged west coast. Local folks mentioned Deal

Island and the fact that the caretakers were

in need of some supplies. Since it was on the

way, we picked up the needed supplies and

headed out.

Best job in the world?

We were expecting that we would drop off the

supplies and be on our way, but the island has its

own magnetic force field and once there, it was

hard to leave.

After a fine night's sail across the Strait, we

arrived at Deal Island around dawn. We scooted

through the Murray Channel on the end of the

flood tide and were anchored down in East Cove

by 0630. Though we had heard raves about the

island from others, there was nothing that could

have prepared us for the fabulous days ahead.

To start, as we were anchoring, we saw our

first wallabies on the pathway leading to the

It might be stuck in the middle of nowhere

but that is what makes it special and David

and Marcie Lynn show it is easy to get to

Deal Island

The magic of