Of all the day tours I have taken from Hobart, the Tasman Peninsula cruise with Pennicott Wilderness Journeys was quite possibly the most remarkable. The Tasman Peninsula is a spectacular place on land, but from the water the sheer scale and wildness of its coastline is phenomenal.
I took the Tasman Peninsula Cruise as a day tour from Hobart in late May, travelling down to Port Arthur before boarding the boat for a three-hour cruise along the coast. Over the course of the cruise, we passed under 250-meter-high hexagonal dolerite columns, nosed into deep and strikingly colourful sea caves, watched fur seals hauled out on the rocks and white-bellied sea eagles soar above, and, unexpectedly for the time of year, a humpback whale.
And while the wildlife was one of the reasons I wanted to take the cruise, it was the landscape that stunned me. Seen from a small boat at sea level, the Tasman Peninsula feels immense and incredibly wild, with towering cliffs above you, rough seas below and the wind howling around you.
Departing Hobart
Our day tour with Pennicott starts with a 7.30 am pick up in Hobart. It’s late May, and the pre-dawn temperature is about 6 degrees Celsius. As I walk to Pennicott’s office at Franklin Wharf, the sky is coming to life with multiple shades of reds and purples in a spectacular winter sunrise.
It’s about a 1.5-hour drive from Hobart to Port Arthur, where we will jump on board a speedboat for the cruise. To be honest, I am a little concerned about freezing solid on the boat, especially when I notice frost on the grass when we stop at Rosedale Homestead for a coffee break. Phil, our driver, chuckles approvingly when he sees me pulling out a beanie, a scarf, and a pair of fleece gloves from my bag in anticipation of our maritime adventure.
What to Wear on the Tasman Island Cruise
When we arrive at Pennicott Wilderness Journeys office, next door to the (in)famous Port Arthur historic prison, each of us is given a rolled-up bundle that, on closer inspection, turns out to be a full-length waterproof poncho.
Now properly equipped for the ride, we follow Lily, our guide for the cruise, to the jetty, where we meet the skipper and receive our briefing. Every seat on the boat is the best seat. The front end will get the bumpiest ride and most of the sea spray, the back end is the calmest.
“I want to sit at the front. We don’t have to sit together,” says the guy in front of me to his girlfriend, who is nervously clutching a pair of binoculars to her chest. Birdwatchers – my kind of people.
“You’ve got to be kidding”, she responds in disbelief, echoing my thoughts.
Yet when we get into the boat, I find myself walking forward and taking a seat in front of them, only because the front two seats are already taken. What the hell, if you are going on an adventure, may as well go all in.
The thick poncho and four layers of wool, fleece, and goose down give me a sense of security for the speedy run through the turbulent sea. That and the safety belt that every seat is equipped with to prevent you from getting thrown out of your seat!
Cruising Ladies Bay
We are exceptionally lucky with the weather – it is unseasonably warm, and the swells are gentle enough for the full cruise around the peninsula from Ladies Bay to Eaglehawk Neck in Pirate Bay.
In stormier seas, the cruises leave from and return to Eaglehawk Neck, only exploring the eastern coastline of the peninsula. I am starting to feel a little overdressed as we start cruising through the bay and stop to check out the ruins of Port Arthur prison.
Our first wildlife sighting is a colony of Black-faced cormorants – the only true marine cormorants -sunbaking on the coastal cliffs. Even here, in the calm waters of the bay, I find photography quite challenging. The rocking of the boat makes it tough to keep the birds in the frame long enough to fire off a few shots. Once we are out in the Tasman Sea, photography will become an extreme sport.
Near the mouth of the bay, we duck into a smaller Crescent Bay to check out a stunning wild sandy beach. Large coastal dunes slope sharply to the ocean to create a very secluded spot. It’s about a 1hr walk from Pennicott’s office to this beach – a fun adventure for anyone staying in the area.
Black Shore
Once we are out of the bay, the skipper revs the engine and sets course along the rugged coastline of the peninsula. Much of the peninsula is protected as 107.5-square-kilometre Tasman National Park, home to the popular four-day Three Capes Track. Some of the geological features we’ll see from the boat can also be explored from land, like the Tasman Arch and Hell’s Kitchen, as well as some amazing caves.
Our journey towards the southernmost point of the Tasman Peninsula, where Tasman Island is located, starts along the Black Shore, an area of coastal cliffs between the Black Head and Tasman Island that never gets touched by the sun’s rays. As hard as the sunlight tries to filter over the soaring dolerite columns, it never quite makes it to the lower parts. Despite the sunny weather and the clear blue sky, these massive cliff faces remain dark and uninviting.
The massive hexagonal rock columns that dominate the coastline of the Tasman Peninsula (and much of Tasmania) not only look unexpected, but they are also quite a rare phenomenon.
They are made up of dolerite, a type of dark, fine-grained rock that formed underground during the Jurassic period (185 million years ago). When the ancient supercontinent Gondwana broke up, vast quantities of molten rock (magma) were pushed up from deep within the earth. Magma cooled near the surface, but it took millions of years of erosion before it became visible above ground.
I’ve seen similar hexagonal columns at Sawn Rocks and Warrumbungles in NSW, and while those columns are composed of a different type of rock, they look just as alien. As far as dolerite columns go, they are quite rare, and Tassie is home to most of them.
Tasman Island
Tasman Island rises 240 meters straight out of the sea on forbidding vertical cliffs. The 50-ha plateau above is a flat, treeless, windswept place that is virtually inaccessible today unless you have a helicopter. Yet this is where the Consolidated Marine Board decided to build a lighthouse in 1906.
It would seem that almost any other place on the Tasmanian coastline would’ve been an easier spot for a construction project. Not only did the rough seas prevent access to the island, but the gale-force winds that frequently blow at this latitude also kept damaging the infrastructure that was built.
At times, the winds were so strong that the Lighthouse keeper and his family members had to tie themselves down with ropes if they needed to move between buildings.
While Tasman Island is quite uninviting for humans, it is very popular with local wildlife. The Continental Shelf runs close to the island, and an upwelling of nutrients from the ocean’s depths attracts a wide variety of marine wildlife.
Tasman Island is an important breeding site for seabirds, particularly fairy prions, which breed here in their hundreds of thousands of pairs. Australian and Long-nosed fur seals use the island’s rocky shores as haul-out sites, dolphins and Humpback whales often visit the surrounding waters, and millions of Short-tailed Shearwaters come here between September and April.
If you had a chance to see the Shearwaters return to their burrows at dusk on Bruny Island, here you can witness a feeding frenzy when hundreds of birds are hunting at the same time.
While the shearwaters are few and far between, Australian fur seals are easy to find – they are blissfully passed out on the coastal rocks.
Our approach causes a little bit of a stir, and the seals start to wake up from their slumber, waddle across the shore and have some arguments with each other. A couple of them hop into the water, jumping off the rocks like chubby gymnasts. But while they may appear clumsy on land, I remember how graceful they looked underwater when we went snorkelling with them in Narooma.
We spend some time watching them as the skipper slowly rotates the boat so that everyone can get a good look. The large rolling swells make photography from the boat super challenging, and I am grateful for more time.
While we are checking out the seals, a White-bellied sea eagle is checking us out from above. With shearwater numbers dwindling, the predators have to work harder for their lunch.
When I find myself on the ocean side, while people on the other side of the boat watch the seals, I try to take a shot of a Shy albatross. There are a few of them around, but they tend to stay further out at sea until one approaches us quite closely. I imagine that most of the boats here are fishing vessels and the birds probably learned to associate boats with fish.
Cape Pillar
The peninsula coastline across the Tasman Passage from the Island is dominated by the impossibly high cliffs of Cape Pillar. We cruise towards a dramatic sea cave – a square-shaped opening at the bottom of the soaring sheer cliff face, like the door into the mines of Moria.
The 300-meter-high hexagonal columns (the highest coastal cliffs in the Southern Hemisphere) really do make me feel like a little hobbit who stumbled into the land of giants. In comparison to these mammoth walls, the 80-meter-high cliffs of my beloved Royal National Park in Sydney seem like children’s toys. To see the top of the cliff as we approach the cave, I have to crane my neck so hard that it’s starting to hurt.
The swells that batter these cliffs are also nothing short of mammoth – the highest recorded wave was 19 meters! Today is the gentle 3-meter swell. The last time I faced 3-meter swells was during a seabird survey on Broughton island, and I thought they were going to swallow us. Here, in the unforgiving Southern Ocean, they feel like child’s play.
Cape Hauy & Totem Pole
Once I see the instantly recognisable shape of the Totem Pole formation, I know we have arrived at Cape Hauy. This thin, sheer dolerite pillar is the Instagram image of the Tasman Peninsula. It is also a popular climbing challenge for hardcore rock climbers, notorious for keeping search and rescue crews busy.
The Totem Pole is the star attraction on the Tasman Island cruise. It is an incredible formation. Standing 65 meters tall and only 4 meters in diameter, it is categorised as a coastal stack or sea stack. Erosion by the winds, the waves, and sea salt shaped it into a free-standing column.
And the most incredible thing about Totem Pole is that it’s still standing. Considering the constant pounding by waves at the base of the column, it should have collapsed a long time ago. And the fact that it can collapse at any time is part of its appeal to rock climbers.
As we cruise around the cliffs surrounding Totem Pole, we spot a few more seals. Only these are much rarer and much less numerous Long-nosed fur seals. They also seem to appreciate their personal space a bit more than their Australian cousins. There are just four of them chilling out a respectful distance apart from one another.
Around the headland, we are thrilled to spot the misty spray of a whale’s breath, as it wafts above the waves. It’s quite early in the Humpback migration season, but this youngster must’ve had enough of the Antarctic freeze and couldn’t wait to get to the warmer waters of the Tasman Peninsula. I can certainly relate – I am getting quite warm underneath the layers of my synthetic blubber.
The whale stays with us for quite some time, only going for very short dives, and flicking up its tail every time it does. It rolls around in the water right next to the cliffs and waves its enormous pectoral fins at the terns and gannets flying overhead. It seems to be having a very good time.
Waterfall Bay
We leave the whale on such a high note that it’s difficult to imagine that something ahead could be equally exciting. Until we arrive at a series of such extraordinary sea caves that we briefly forget about the whale. These caves are perhaps the wildest environments I’ve ever seen.
Their walls are made up of horizontal layers of sandstone that have been eroded by wind and water into sharp-edged sheets. Dark grey above, they are bright pink at the bottom where they meet the dark turquoise waters of the ocean. They are so deep that our boat can go all the way in and not cover even half the distance. The skipper takes us into each cave and tells us about the magnificent undersea caves that lie below us. In his view, this is one of the best cave diving spots in the world.
There are no waterfalls in the bay today, it’s been too dry in this part of the country for too long. It’s hard to remember that Tasmania is considered the second driest state in Australia.
Tasman Arch
The last geological marvel we see is the Tasman arch – a towering cavern with a partially collapsed roof. What remains of the roof creates a natural bridge on top of a 200-meter cliff. By now, I feel like my capacity to feel awe has been exhausted and I mostly just stare at the colossal structure.
This cruise has been an incredibly engaging journey into one of the most remarkable environments on earth. The combination of the striking landscape and the abundance of wildlife makes the Tasman Peninsula a rare find for anyone who enjoys nature adventures.
The cruise ends in Pirate Bay at Eaglehawk Neck, which is a small isthmus that connects the peninsula to mainland Tasmania. We drive back to Port Arthur and stop for lunch at Lavender Farm before heading out to Remarkable Cave.
The cruise ends in Pirates Bay at Eaglehawk Neck, a narrow isthmus connecting the Tasman Peninsula to mainland Tasmania. When we took the tour, the afternoon came with a choice: you could visit the Port Arthur Historic Site, or head to Remarkable Cave and stop for lunch at Port Arthur Lavender Farm.
Port Arthur Lavender Farm
I picked the latter, rather naively forgetting that we were visiting in May and the lavender wouldn’t actually be in flower. As it turned out, I still enjoyed the visit. I spent an inordinate amount of time in the farm’s “everything lavender” gift shop and cafe, browsing lavender chocolates, fudge, teas, bath products and just about anything else that could conceivably be infused with or inspired by lavender. Then I took a slow meander around the property, chasing some of Tasmania’s endemic birds through the gardens and patches of native vegetation.
Remarkable Cave
After lunch, it’s a short drive to Remarkable Cave, our next stop on the Tasman Peninsula.
Lying just 7 km south of Port Arthur, Remarkable Cave is a long tunnel that extends underneath the cliffs to the ocean. It began much like the sea caves we sailed into earlier in the day, with waves exploiting weaknesses in the rock and gradually carving a passage into the cliffs. Over time, part of its sandstone wall collapsed and the debris was carried out to sea, leaving the long tunnel you see today.
The cave is reached by a short walk down 115 steps from the Remarkable Cave car park via the rugged Penguin Rocks. The walk brings you to an elevated viewing platform at the back of the cave, where you can watch the waves surge through the tunnel, filling the narrow gully with water and a deep rumbling noise.
So, what is so remarkable about Remarkable Cave? For one thing, when you stand at a certain angle, the opening of the cave towards the sea resembles the shape of Tasmania.
Another interesting feature of the cave is that you can clearly see two very different types of rock here. The sandstone forms horizontal layers across the cave walls, while columns of dolerite cut through them vertically. Standing at the viewing platform, the contrast between the two is striking — especially after spending much of the morning sailing beneath the great dolerite columns along the coast.
Safety Cove Beach
The last place we visit on the Tasman Peninsula is the tranquil Safety Cove Beach. After the weather-ravaged coastline of the peninsula, this beach is an unexpected reprieve. White sand, gentle surf and whisper-like breeze. In the summer months, Safety Cove Beach would be a great spot for a swim.
It’s late in the day, and the forested shore of the beach provides a good opportunity to spot some birds: the Tasmanian endemics Yellow wattlebird, Black-headed honeyeater, Green rosella, and Black currawong, as well as Grey fantail, Superb fairy-wren and Rufous whistler.
We leave the Tasman Peninsula by pretty much driving off into the sunset. This has been an extraordinary adventure and one of my most memorable experiences in Tasmania.
More Nature Adventures in Tasmania
- Best Places to See Wildlife in Tasmania: My 5 Most Reliable Spots
- Tasman Peninsula Cruise from Hobart: What to Expect
- Freycinet Day Tour from Hobart: Is It Worth It?
- The Best Place to See Wild Tasmanian Devils in Tasmania – From Your Cabin
- 14 Things to Do in Stanley – Tasmania’s Prettiest Small Town
- Maria Island Wombats: Where to See Them & How to Have the Best Encounter
