Feb 22: Devonport, Tasmania via return ferry to Melbourne and on to the Yarra Valley

After our short 1 km drive to the ferry, we queued up and drove onto deck 5.  The ropes were cast off and again we were away a few minutes early.  About 30 minutes into our sail the captain came over the loud speaker and said that there was a medical emergency on board and that we were turning around and going back to Devonport.  The ship is staffed with paramedics who work with hospitals in both Devonport and Melbourne.  We were told that to turn around was uncommon and meant that an event was occurring that they could not manage for 9 hours at sea..

When we arrived the ambulance was waiting.  It backed onto the car deck put of view.

15 minutes later it left slowly and without lights or siren.  Not likely a good ending.

The sea was fairly calm, similar to our outbound journey the previous Sunday, with  little pitch or roll. Overall, though, our two voyages across the Bass Strait were fairly easy.  We met up with Greg and Terri Borschman, our friends from the first crossing, and exchanged email addresses.

We arrived 1½ hours late into Melbourne, and at about 8:15 drove off of the ship and headed for our campground, arriving later than we desired at about 9:30 pm.  Vowing to not drive after dark, we broke our own rules and took it easy into the kangaroo and wombat rich night.

But we would awaken in the morning in the Yarra Valley, the last of our Aussie wine regions.

http://www.visitmelbourne.com/Regions/Yarra-Valley-and-Dandenong-Ranges/Things-to-do/Food-and-wine/Wineries.aspx