TASMANIA -- EAC

Australia is the size of the continental US but has only 8 states (including AU Capital Territory). Seven states are on the mainland. Tasmania is a small island state off the southeastern coast of AU proper. Because it’s close to Antarctica, Tasmania’s weather is usually cool. It was “jumper” (sweater) weather while we holidayed in Jan (mid summer for AU).

We flew into Tasmania’s capital city of Hobart and took a boat trip on the Tasman Sea. We were fascinated to know that the East Australian Current (EAC in “Finding Nemo”) is real and does, in fact, bring with its warmer water MANY jelly fish, just like Marlin and Dorie swam through! (See jelly fish in the picture, but there were LOTS that didn’t show up). Our captain was telling us there is a fish called “The Snotty Nosed Travelli” (no kidding!) that eats jelly fish. Snotty Noses disappear from the Tasman Sea when the warm waters of the EAC cool and the jelly fish are gone. (I had eaten Travelli for dinner the night before I found out their whole name…ugh! It was good in spite of its name.)

From the Tasman Sea we went into the Southern Ocean. How spectacular to see huge sub-Antarctic fur seals in their natural habitat!