Before leaving Hobart we visited the house where David lived in his former life, and where Julian was born. The new owners graciously welcomed us in to take photos, although they must have been taken aback at the thought of a baby arriving, right there, in front of their fireplace. We did get rid of the old carpet, they joked. Sandy Bay is now a thrusting young area with renovations going on everywhere, and new, huge glassy houses bulging out of their blocks. It seems the whole of Hobart must have views of that harbour.
Constitution Dock deserved a wander, so we did, and saw The Sea Shepherd, Greenpeace's big black protest boat, peacefully at anchor. Plus a huge number of moored glossy white marine mansions, their wealthy owners who knows where. Then on to the road, more glorious scenery, down past Bruny Island, Kettering, Woodbridge, a sheep's cheese farm (Grandvewe!) and on to tiny Randall's bay.
Basil Smee is Bosun's Dad. Bosun and his partner Joss share house with Lian in Melbourne. Every second Sunday Basil volunteers at the Maritime Museum in Hobart, driven by his love of all things nautical. In Hobart we had gone there to meet him. We were invited to stay with him and Terry at Randall's Bay. Basil is the very picture of an old seafarer with his grey beard and slight shuffle, but has never worked on boats, just loves the sea and everything to do with it, especially old things. Their house is a fascinating museum of his fifty plus years as a collector. There are oars as stair rails, brass ship fittings on the walls and every shelf and corner is crammed with fascinating treasures. He buys and sells and knows everyone in the antiques trade. Its all junk, he says. But it isn't, its amazing.
Terry and Basil seem to live in a comfortable enough silence with eachother most of the time, but both are full of interesting stories, and kept us endlessly entertained for the two days we enjoyed their company.
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