Big day at the festival on Saturday, and what a beauty. Sunny, but I wouldn’t go as far as saying hot, with hundreds of wooden boats decked out in flags. By the end of the day a wind shift meant the whole show was shrouded in smoke from a bushfire behind Mt Wellington, a little disconcerting. There is something for everybody here, from cooking, history of huon pine and other specialist timbers, boat building, fishing, rope work, scrimshaw etc. Being able to watch these people make it in front of you has been fantastic. Tasmania has been very smart to embrace and celebrate its timbers and the local expertise in value adding.

A quick visit to Salamanca markets only to find most fresh produce sold out before ten o’clock, shows how popular the weekend is. Apparently no accommodation for miles around Hobart.

Louie is recovering slowly from her small op (think milking it for all its worth), limping around until she sees another dog, then all action.

Back to the festival today, still a few more things to see.