Tasmania

Tasman Peninsula - Cape Raoul - Devil Conservation Park

Dodges Ferry - Dunally - Pirates Bay - White Beach - Cape Raoul: Hike to the sea lions
We swim at sunrise in Dodges Ferry and next we go to the bakery for breakfast. Not for the first time a saleswoman is amazed how much we can eat from all the very good bakery food. But this is needed in the hilly Tasmania, who knows how many steep parts are ahead of us!
We buy plenty of food. Because we are told that we cant expect to buy everywhere food, because a year ago raged severe forest fires on the peninsula, it is not so clear what there is to buy on the way, as many houses were burned down.
But it was surprising for us, most of the houses are rebuilt and a lot of the eucalyptus are green again ore starting to be green again.
Soon later in the fish market of Dunally there is the best fish and chips in the world, and happily sold us an elderly lady also ice cream and coffee.
On the question of sea lions, her husband tells us, that often comes in a sea lion with the fishermen in the lagoon, only yesterday he was there. Not the first time, that precisely such a beast yesterday was seen.
In the lagoon next to the fish market fishes a girl crabs out off the river as a pastime, catch them, and cast them back into the water, she is the granddaughter of the ice cream vendor. The elderly couple told us in winter (July / August) when the market is closed, they go to the mainland, travel a few months in her campervan.

After Dunally we ride on the Arthur Highway to the south, first along the sea and through State Forest, after 15 km is the turnoff to the Pirates Bay Drive. Spectacular views of the Bay, and we see our 3rd Echidna on the road in search of food. At the beach greeted us a small group who is interested at our packed bikes. And we are just invited by someone named Neil to spend our last trip days at his home in Melbourne.( chapter Melbourne>>) Next we ride on the Arthur Highway direction to the Devil park but it is already 5 p.m. and we decide to visit this on the way back.
We continue towards Nubeena, again very hilly, with beautiful views of the sea, we reached White Beach. But in the rising storm, we do not want to camp, we ride through the town of White Beach and at the sign 'Harper's Beachfront Accomodation' we decide to check it out. The owner looks down from the balcony, we ask whether what is free, she shows us a room with a view over the white dunes of the sea - just amazing - reminds us of a similar house in southern Sweden.
It is always fully booked during this season - except for just today a room is free - no, not for 2 nights the nice lady tell us. We enjoy the luxury, the porch and the beautiful garden and the sea with the beautiful white beach. In the morning we get a full breakfast, highly recommended for all cyclists.

Back to the Nubeena Road, after 2 km we take to the right the gravel road to Cape Raoul. After 10 km we reach the starting point for the Cape Raoul hike. There it has a small campsite and we meet Andy, the owner of the RaoulBayRetreat that will soon be also a Bed & Breakfast in the beautiful self-built house. We ask Andi for camp after the hike, in the evening - for cyclists this is for free, he tells us. We can put the bikes for the time we are on the walk beside his house and we told him that we will be back about 6 pm. We wander off and meet soon David from Germany and walk together to the sea lion colony, which is 250m below a just beautiful cliff.( see pictures >>>>) I counted with binoculars 72 pieces of sea lions , Christian is sure that there are over 100. you can hear her strange, joyous barking up to us.
David say goodbye, he still wanted to continue today - we stay for an hour and watch the sea lions, until it is time to go back before dark. Back to Andi and his partner - we buy honey and rhubarb champagne by him and he shows us the pond with deep brown water, where we can swim. They also have a Finnish sauna, which he built with a Finn together, and also a biological toilet from the special class.
There are also two huskies, one comes when the sun no longer, since he was bitten recently by a snake, he had to go with him to Sorell to the vet for the antidote. The dog has survived well, the snake probably not. It's worth 100% to go an see the sea lions with the wonderful views, and Andis RaoulBayRetreat to visit, with the beautiful location and with the beautiful vegetable garden. We are still sitting comfortably on the banquette in front of the sauna and drink our Rhubarb drink.

In the morning we leave early, the partner of Andi walks with a big kick board and the dogs on the road. The dogs they will bring her again bake up the hill later. We say goodbye and go via Port Arthur to the Devil Park . There, the first kangaroo and devil feeding begins. The park is very nicely designed, and young and old comes to the bill. ( see pictures >>>>)