Tuesday was the day of our journey up the River Gordon and to the opening of MacQuarrie Harbour, Hells Gates. This harbour is larger than Sydney harbour and it stretches for miles. We were up early and down at the boat by eight thirty. The tour manager has all in hand. The boat left at ten to nine,  having announced it was going to leave at nine, tough luck if you were late. Because all passengers had allocated seats we can only think that all the booked passengers were on board. The day was wonderful, warm with a blue sky and few clouds, the sea was calm and the scenery of majestic mountains all around were clearly visible.
The journey to Hells Gates, a very narrow harbour entrance, took about twenty minutes and then the captain announced that as it was so calm we would venture into the Roaring Forties and go and have a look at Sorrell Lighthouse, put there to guide ships towards the narrow harbour entrance. Neither the tour manager nor myself ever thought we would be sailing in the Southern Ocean, it was a great thrill.
After the heads we were off to inspect a fish farm, as there are several in the harbour. Having done that it was off to Sarah Island, a penal colony in the middle of the harbour where second offenders would be sent as an additional punishment. The island became a major ship building centre for the penal colonies but it was also a horrific place. The first settlers were ordered to remove all the foliage only for them to them discover that in the first serious gale from the south that they had no protection, good planning all round.
The afternoon consisted of a slow and leisurely trip up the Gordon River to Heritage Landing where we had a thirty minute walk in the temperate rainforest looking at trees and plants that we did not know.
Back on the boat to Stahan the trip ended in a Huon Pine saw mill with an explanation of how important the logging industry had been.
In the evening we went to a play, "The Boat that never was" a great romp explains a successful escape bid by a number of convicts on Sarah Island, which they left and sailed for Chile. A fantastic day somewhat spoils by the fact I had a stomach nupset and did not feel like eating, but I wa sdetermined not let that get in the way. If anyone has any plans to visit Tasmania this is a trip I would thoroughly recommend.