TasWeekend: Sea life in cruise control

KICK up your heels and set sail with Cruise Tasmania for a few days of fantastic food, relaxation and fun in the sun.

Cruise Tasmania - Maria Island Trip Braye Sutherland of Cruise Tasmania. He’s owner and captain of the 62-foot motor sailing yacht Southern Cross we’re aboard on a four-day Maria Island cruise. He’s also a boat-maker, world adventurer, engineer, diver and former United Nations aid worker. For TasWeekend magazine travel page. One-use only. Pls contact editor Amanda Ducker 03 6230 0535 for contacts for permission to re-use.

“YOU won’t get wet,” he assures me. I’m sitting on a kayak with my feet on a surfboard, clinging to a tow rope. He’s on the tender, about to give power. I’m supposed to morph from kayaker to upstanding “skurfer” – a technical term for one who surfs and water skis concurrently. What could possibly go wrong?

At the tender’s helm is Braye Sutherland of Cruise Tasmania. He’s the owner and captain of the 62-foot (18.9m) motor sailing yacht Southern Cross we’re aboard on a four-day Maria Island cruise. He’s also a boat-maker, world adventurer, engineer, diver and former United Nations aid worker. Why wouldn’t I believe his salty words?

Skurfing is an optional extra, perhaps designed for crew members’ entertainment. After briefly standing, before speed wobbles set in, I plummet face-first into the turquoise waters of Whalers Cove. The first face I see on surfacing is Braye’s – sporting a wide grin.

Cruising Tasmanian waters with Braye is an original experience. There’s no pomp, no linen laid out come twilight dining and the phone in my cabin doesn’t reach room service.

What we get is an authentic voyage on an ocean-going vessel that doubled as the Sutherlands’ floating Pacific Ocean home much of last year. Wife Emma and daughters Isla, 12, and Mabel, 10, are no strangers to skurfing, kayaking, freshly shucked oysters, snorkelling, line-to-plate dinners and all the trimmings we’re offered on our circumnavigation of Maria.

A view of the island from the water.

Braye may not turn out the fine china, but this doesn’t mean quality is overlooked. Within hours of departing Port Arthur Historic Site we’re sitting around a decktop feast of Eaglehawk Neck oysters, Blue Eye topped with burnt butter parsley sauce and Roaring Beach pink eyes. Craft beer and Coal Valley Riesling flow like the ribbon of sand that is our backdrop, Riedle Bay. Earlier, we had picnicked ashore with Willie Smiths’ cider and soft brie and watched blond wombats and dolphins.

When evening descends on our cosy group of six (Braye takes no more than eight), out comes good conversation around the table, along with laptop images of our glorious day. We look over Maria Island charts where the likes of Unfortunate Cove, No Good Bay and Mistaken Cape spell the hardships of those who first sailed these waters. It’s reassuring to know we’re in the hands of a seasoned sailor. Our salty-locked captain has sailed waters the world over in self-built vessels.

On the second day, there’s a taste of adventure in the sea air. It starts when I overhear the retiree’s wife say she’d like to try skurfing. The entire day is spent making use of the on-deck water toys.

Kayaks are tossed overboard, inviting us to paddle through nearby granite boulder passages. Tasmanian devil scats have been spotted near our anchorage, so others step ashore to explore. I decide to climb the mast’s ladder as two pairs of flippers break water way down below.

Childlike joy takes hold. Apprehension around age or skill is flung to the horizon in favour of old-fashioned fun. Squeals of delight replace traditional sipping of champagne behind shaded glasses. Plenty of time for that later.

Captain Braye Sutherland’s Southern Cross, which his family lived on for much of last year.

Come evening, we’re ferried by tender to a private cove for dinner. As luck would have it, the short commute moves through “flying fish alley”, as Braye aptly coins it. I get a tap on the shoulder and look right to see a fish at eye height. It has wings and is flying right beside me. I’ve never seen anything like it. A flying fish off Maria Island? Braye just wears that wide grin again.

We pull up at a pink granite beach where crew member Karen gathers mussels from the shore and prepares them with specialty samphire from Saltwater River, chilli, garlic, lemon rind and local wine. This is followed by porterhouse from the Snug butcher and chilled beers, a menu rivalled only by the cove glowing pink in our fading sun.

The following morning we sail on to Darlington for some on-ground exploring. We catch a few flathead on the way to our anchorage and settle in for an afternoon of hearty natter about cloud formations and a feed of more plump oysters.

It’s so still and quiet as night falls. Thousands of stars are our only company.

Later, I hear yelling that a big tuna is on the line. Time to join the action after disappearing to try out the bathtub on our rollicking sea leg. Sounds like it’s a mighty bluefin.

Alice Hansen was a guest of Cruise Tasmania

MAKE A NOTE

ABOUT: Cruise Tasmania offers a Channel and Maria Island Cruise, as well as private charters for up to eight guests on multi-day trips. Day tours are available for up to 30 guests.

DEPARTURES: On demand

LENGTH: Four days, three nights

PRICE: Maria Island Cruise prices start at $1830 a person for 6-8 guests (for two people, it’s $2910 a person). Includes all meals, National Parks pass and city or airport transfers.

CONTACT: For bookings, visit cruisetasmania.com.au, or for more information, phone [phone] or email [e-mail]

For more great lifestyle reads, pick up a copy of TasWeekend in your Saturday Mercury.