After seeing Wineglass Bay and Hazards Beach yesterday the hard way, today we decided we would take the easy option and cruise the area instead with Wineglass Bay Cruises. It was much easier on the legs, butt and feet and we joined the 1% club. Our skipper, Duncan Sinclair, told us on boarding and before cast off that "only 1% of visitors to the Freycinet National Park take the opportunity to see the stunning Freycinet coast line, including the world famous Wineglass Bay."

Our four-hour journey on board the Schouten Passage took us from Coles Bay, past Promise Rock, Refuge Island, Hazards Beach (yesterday's lunch spot), through Schouten Passage to Slaughterhouse Bay, Waterfall Cove and then Wineglass Bay. Along the journey we spotted sea eagles, a very large (12 feet across eagle's nest), Australian Fur Seals and hundreds of Shearwaters (Mutton birds). No whales or dolphins on our voyage today.

Duncan provided a very informative running commentary on the history of the area, including a wee bit on how Wineglass Bay came to be named. During the 1820s, whalers came to Wineglass Bay, setting up shore bases in the bay. From shore, they would set out in small boats to chase and harpoon passing whales, and then tow the carcasses back to shore to butcher and boil down the blubber to extract oil. Shore-based whaling lasted about 20 years on the peninsula but in that time, whenever the whalers were about their grisly business, the bay was dyed red with blood ‒ like rich red wine in a glass.

A sampling of local Tasmanian produce was included in the cruise price and after anchoring at the southern end of Wineglass Bay, we were invited to partake in local champagne, beer, freshly shucked oysters and cheeses.