Drove to the Low Head Lighthouse and had a wander around. It has the only operational "G" type diaphone in the world (whatever the hell that means). It was first used in 1929 to warn sailors they were nearing Low Head and abandoned in 1973 because of technical advances in navigation. In 2000 a group of volunteers restored the fog horn and in 2001 it was heard again. It currently sounds every Sunday at noon and is described in the brochures as "the magnificent roar of a thousand elephants". Hopefully we will hear it tomorrow.
Next stop was the Low Head Pilot Station Museum. There are 13 rooms with information and exhibits about whaling, deep sea diving, navigation, shipwrecks, semaphore and morse code and relics from the numerous wrecks of the area. Over an hour later we headed back to van for lunch.
The afternoon was spent at the Bass & Flinders Centre. This has a replica of the Norfolk which was the ship that Bass & Flinders sailed when finding out if Tasmania was an island or attached to the mainland. There are about 10 different types of boats there together with nautical memorabilia. You can even walk on the replica of the Norfolk. The side railing is so low I felt uncomfortable walking near the edge. I have no idea how all the sailors never went over the edge. The stairs down to the inside were far to narrow for me to attempt, although Ian went down for a look. I must say all the staff at any of the places we have been to have been extremely helpful and knowledgeable.
Back to the van to update the blog and have a bite to eat before heading out this evening to see the penguins.
No comments:
Post a Comment