| Cockatoo Island is of the largest of several Sydney Harbour islands and one which we could get to by ferry and tour on our own. The island has a varied history:
|
| s/y Nine of Cups Sydney, Australia December 2011 - January 2012 |
| To get to our marina, we passed thru the Spit Bridge at its designated opening time. |
| Cammeray Marina has been around since 1890. It welcomes international cruisers and had a mooring for us thru the holidays. |
| Cammeray Marina, Sydney - 33S49.02 / 151E13.49 - Moored |
| Christmas morning toast (above) Turkey drumsticks for Christmas dinner with Shawn & John of "Active Transport". |
In Australia, Santa uses six white kangaroos called "boomers" instead of a
traditional eight reindeer team to pull his sleigh. The boomers names are
Jackaroo, Bluey, Curly, Two-Up, Desert-Head and Snow. Listen to the
song/story of the "Six White Boomers" here.
traditional eight reindeer team to pull his sleigh. The boomers names are
Jackaroo, Bluey, Curly, Two-Up, Desert-Head and Snow. Listen to the
song/story of the "Six White Boomers" here.
| Boxing Day, 26 December 2011 - Sydney-Hobart Race |
| The current race record for the Sydney-Hobart Race was set in 2005 by Wild Oats XI, which crossed the line in a time of 1 day, 18 hours, 40 minutes and 10 seconds. |
Sydney, Australia Facts...
|
Passing through Sydney Heads and seeing
the city before us was thrilling. Here we
were... finally in Sydney, Australia.
the city before us was thrilling. Here we
were... finally in Sydney, Australia.
| We motored round Grotto Point with its picturesque lighthouse into Middle Harbour. |
| Sydney was established as a British colony in 1788 when the First Fleet sailed into Port Jackson and anchored in Farm Cove. |
| We hung out around the Sydney Heads at the sea mark waiting for the race to start. The scene was pure bedlam. Hundreds of boats of all shapes and sizes, crowded the harbor. Midst the big boats were kayakers, paddle boarders and skiffs. We counted 12 helicopters hovering above, adding to the frenetic atmosphere. |
What it lacks in flash, it makes up for with
friendliness and a funky, Bohemian
atmosphere.
friendliness and a funky, Bohemian
atmosphere.
View of the bays of Middle Harbour taken
from a steep hill above. Cammeray has no
road access to the road above, so....
from a steep hill above. Cammeray has no
road access to the road above, so....
| we climbed the 109 steep, narrow, jungle-like stairs every time we wanted to go to town. An adventure! |
| Cammeray was made even more interesting by the critters we met on the stairs...like the pair of water dragons that inhabited the stairwell. |
| The marina was surrounded by bush on the north side. Hundreds of sulphur- crested cockatoos live in the area and their raucous squawks can be heard from dawn till dusk. They are cheeky little buggers as evidenced by the fellow to the left who was methodically removing someone's wind indicator. There were geese and ducks floating around the docks. Lots of gulls and cormorants soared by as did huge, Australian pelicans. We even spotted a little blue penguin poking its head up near the boat. Evidently the fishing was good in the area because lots of folks could be seen fishing from the dock at Tunk's Park. |
Geese and ducks regularly waited at the
dock for handouts from the cruisers.
dock for handouts from the cruisers.
| The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race (sometimes referred to as the 'Bluewater Classic' in the Australian media) is hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, starting in Sydney, Australia on Boxing Day (26 December) and finishing in Hobart. The race is run in co-operation with the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, and is widely considered to be one of the most difficult yacht races in the world.The race was initially planned to be a cruise by Peter Luke and some friends who had formed a club for those who enjoyed cruising as opposed to racing, however when a visiting British Royal Navy Officer, Captain John Illingworth, suggested it be made a race, the event was born. The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race has grown over the decades, since the inaugural race in 1945, to become one of the top three offshore yacht races in the world and it now attracts maxi yachts from all around the globe. (from Wikipedia) |
| The 630 nm Sydney-Hobart Race begins in Sydney Harbour, crosses the Bass Strait and ends in Hobart Harbour, Tasmania. |
| From left, Mary-Anne Purkiss, Marcie, David, Dal (our captain) and Tony Purkiss aboard "The Indefensible". |
| The Results Line Honors: Investec Loyal 2:06:14:18. Wild Oats XI 2:06:17:26 Lahana 2:12:34:26 Overall Honors: Loki Living Doll Ragamuffin |
The race is sponsored by Rolex and
marks indicate the route out of the
harbor into the Tasman Sea.
marks indicate the route out of the
harbor into the Tasman Sea.
| Investec Loyal checks out the winds at Sydney Heads just minutes before the start of the race. They ultimately won the race ...a big upset for Wild Oats. |
| Wild Oats, 5-time previous winner, and Investec Loyal were immediately in the lead and were neck and neck as they rounded the mark. |
| Everyone wants a view! |
| Of the 88 boats that started the race in Sydney, 76 boats finished. |
| Our friends on Fifth Season arrived with more guests aboard and they rafted up to us. We later separated when it didn't seem prudent to remain rafted. |
| Our view of the race was pretty exciting from our vantage point just inside the North Head at the entrance to Sydney Harbour. |
| The 2011 race marked the 67th running of the Sydney-Hobart Race. |
| New Year's Eve 2011 - Sydney Harbour - Athol Bay - 33S51.07 / 151E14.41 |
| A smoking ceremony is an ancient custom among the Aborigines that involves smoldering various native plants to produce smoke which they believe has cleansing properties and the ability to ward off bad spirits. It's performed at major events, such as births and deaths and the start of the Sydney NY's Eve celebration. |
| We moored outside the Spit Bridge for the night in order to get an early start to Athol Bay in the morning and stake our claim for a primo viewing spot for the fireworks. |
| By Noon, the anchorage was pure bedlam. Hundreds of boats were anchored, rafted up and vying for the best vantage spots. In actuality, from this anchorage, there wasn't a bad spot. Everyone had a great view! |
| The sunset with the iconic Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge in our front yard was stunning. |
| The New Year's Eve festivities began early and included a sky writer and an impressive aeronautics display. |
| About once an hour starting at 9pm, some "teaser" fireworks were shot off to whet our appetites for the real thing. |
| A view of the boat parade of lights |
| We counted down the seconds, synchronized with the clock on the bridge, to the stroke of midnight. The sky erupted in an unbelievable display of color, sound and dazzling lights. On and on, the pyrotechnics continued and we pinched ourselves to confirm we were really here to witness it all. The fireworks are launched from seven barges on the Harbour, the rooftops of seven city skyscrapers and, unforgettably, from Sydney Harbour Bridge. Bringing more than 1.5 million people to the Harbour, this majestic fireworks display is the reason why Sydney is the New Years Eve capital of the world. |
| The Sydney Ferries |
| The fireworks display is carefully designed by Sydney’s Foti International Fireworks and requires a pyrotechnical crew of 45 people. Foti Fireworks is a carbon-neutral company that uses carbon credits, low-environmental- impact fireworks and recycling. |
| An estimated 1 billion people around the world see the Sydney New Year’s Eve Midnight Fireworks and Bridge Effect. |
| The City of Sydney’s New Year’s Eve fireworks display is the world’s largest and most techno- logically advanced New Year’s Eve fireworks display. It draws larger crowds than Paris, London, Berlin and New York City with about 1.5 million people gathering on the Sydney Harbour foreshore and 2.6 million Australians watching the fireworks on TV. |
| Approximately 11,000 shells, 25,000 shooting comets and 100,000 individual pyrotechnic effects were used in the display. The fireworks weigh 7 tons. Fourteen shipping containers worth of equipment are needed for both displays – that’s 120 tons of gear. Twelve computers digitally launched the fireworks on the Harbour Bridge, barges and buildings, synced by 10,000 cues. |
| Sydney Festival in Parramatta |
| Folks from Sydney are called Sydney-siders. |
| More than 60 kilometres of wire and cables link the launch computers. There are 130 firing points on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. |
| Some Sydney fireworks stats: |
| Early settlement grew around Sydney Harbour and quickly stretched up the Parramatta River, over to the North Shore and to Manly. The only realistic way to travel around was by boat. Within a year of colonization, Sydney's first ferry was built and launched. |
| In 1788, European settlement in Australia began on the shores of Port Jackson, described as "the finest natural harbour in the world". |
| Sydney Ferries' fleet consists of 28 vessels (all of which are wheelchair accessible), which travel around 1.3 million kilometres per year. In the 230+ years since colonization, more than 500 ferries have serviced the harbour and its adjoining rivers and coves. |
| Sydney Ferries operates approximately 175,000 services, transporting more than 14 million people across Sydney Harbour and the Parramatta River each year. Above, the view across the harbor from aboard the Mosman Ferry. |
We decided an entire day riding the
ferries would give us a good feel for
Sydney Harbour and all it had to offer.
We bought an inexpensive day-ticket
which allowed "all day" on and off the
ferries. A new adventure...
ferries would give us a good feel for
Sydney Harbour and all it had to offer.
We bought an inexpensive day-ticket
which allowed "all day" on and off the
ferries. A new adventure...
Doug and Fay enjoyed a front row seat as
we headed across Sydney Harbour. The
extensive ferry network connects 39
destinations and spans approximately 37
kilometres.
we headed across Sydney Harbour. The
extensive ferry network connects 39
destinations and spans approximately 37
kilometres.
| A view of "the Rocks", the historic area which is the location of Sydney's original settlement. Once we got a taste for what Sydney has to offer, we planned to return on foot. |
| We traveled east under the Sydney Harbour Bridge on the Darling Harbour ferry for views of Darling Harbour and the Maritime Center. We'll have a lot of "returning" to do. |
Luna Amusement Park was one of the
ferry's many colorful stops.
ferry's many colorful stops.
A wee bit of history |
| Above, the Darling Harbour ferry stop. To the right, a view from our ferry window as we approach Circular Quay, the main terminus for all ferries. |
| Fort Dennison, one of several of Sydney's harbor islands is now a heritage site visited only on tour with National Parks personnel. |
| The "wedding cake" is one of Sydney Harbour's historic navigational aids which still lights the way for sailors. |
How could you get a more scenic view
of the Sydney Opera House?
of the Sydney Opera House?
| Sydney Harbour Bridge |
| Whether you walk under it, sail under it, ride over it or walk over it (some fly over it while others climb it), it's hard not to be impressed by the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The iconic structure is a steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district (CBD) and the North Shore. The dramatic view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic image of both Sydney and Australia. So, just a few photos of a very famous bridge. |
| In 1932, Francis De Groot, a retired cavalry officer, managed to get himself selected as part of the honour guard at the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. When the ribbon was about to be cut, he galloped forward on his horse and slashed the ribbon with his sword, declaring the bridge open in the name of 'the decent citizens of New South Wales'. The ribbon was then tied back together and the ceremony continued. De Groot was carried off to a mental hospital. When a psychiatric examination declared him sane, he was fined for the replacement cost of one ribbon. |
| The bridge was designed and built by the English firm of Dorman Long and Co. Ltd. and opened in 1932. |
| The Sydney Harbour Bridge is affectionately nicknamed "The Coathanger" because of its arch-based design. |
| Christmas Day - December 25, 2011 |
| According to the Guinness Book of World Records, it is the world's widest long-span bridge. |
| It is the fifth longest spanning-arch bridge in the world and is the tallest steel arch bridge, measuring 134 metres (440 ft) from top to water level. |
| Until 1967 the Sydney Harbour Bridge was city's tallest structure. |
| We snagged a passerby to take this photo. |
| We walked across and took this picture of the harbor. |
| The top...you can barely see figures up there who were doing the Bridge Climb. |
| Going under in Cups ...strained my neck. |
| The view from the other side |
| Sydney Opera House |
| The Sydney Opera House is situated on Bennelong Point in Sydney Harbour, close to the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It sits at the northeastern tip of the Sydney central business district (the CBD), surrounded on three sides by the harbour (Sydney Cove and Farm Cove) and neighbored by the Royal Botanic Gardens. The Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre, conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957 and following constant altercations and scandals with local officials which led to his resigning before the Opera House was completed. The Opera House was formally opened by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on 20 October 1973. The architect, Jørn Utzon, was not invited to the ceremony, nor was his name even mentioned. The opening was televised and included fireworks and a performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9. Sadly, Utzon died in Copenhagen on 29 November 2008, aged 90. He never returned to Australia to see the completed opera house. |
| The Sydney Opera House was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site on 28 June 2007. "It is one of the great iconic buildings of the 20th century, an image of great beauty that has become known throughout the world – a symbol for not only a city, but a whole country and continent. "...the 2003 Pritzker Prize for Architecture citation. "Utzon made a building well ahead of its time, far ahead of available technology, and he persevered through extraordinary malicious publicity and negative criticism to build a building that changed the image of an entire country. It is the first time in our lifetime that an epic piece of architecture has gained such universal presence." Frank Gehry, when Utzon was awarded the prestigious Pritzker Prize in 2003. |
| A view from Circular Quay |
| A view from the Bridge |
| Approach from wharfside Opera House Bar |
| Walking up the stairs was a dizzying feeling. Wish we were here for a performance, but not this time. |
| Up close, it's all mountainous peaks and angles. |
| A close-up of the tiles that cover the roofs. |
| Sydney on foot ... Chinatown |
| Sydney's Chinatown is located in the Haymarket section of the city. It's centered around Dixon Street, a pedestrian street mall with many Chinese restaurants, and with a Paifang (welcome arch) at each end. |
All the street signs here are bilingual
as are most signs and all the menus.
as are most signs and all the menus.
| A yin-yang Chinese calendar hangs outside a restaurant on Dixon St. |
Two Chinese guardian
lions, known as Shishi
guard the Paifang entry.
lions, known as Shishi
guard the Paifang entry.
| Colorful banners announce Chinese New Years - January 23, 2012. |
| Chinese New Year (also called the Lunar New Year) is 15 days of celebration and the start of the Year of the Dragon. |
Red Chinese lanterns adorn the ceiling of
the Market City mall in Haymarket.
the Market City mall in Haymarket.
| Colorful Chinese New Year decoration kiosks were in abundance. Red, corresponding with fire, symbolizes good fortune and joy in the Chinese culture. |
| Sydney's Paddy's markets, a Sydney institution, are a flea-market and fresh market adjacent to Chinatown and great fun. |
| The fresh market was lively and well...fresh! |
| The Chinese meat market offered kangaroo tail, duck feet, duck tongue, ox tail and pig maws. We bought boneless, skinless chicken breasts. |
| Chinese New Year is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. 2012 is the Year of the Dragon. It's one of the 12-year cycle of animals which appears in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar, and the only animal that is legendary. The Dragon is the mightiest of the signs. Dragons symbolize such character traits as dominance and ambition. There are metal dragons, water dragons, wood dragons, fire dragons and earth dragons depending on your year of birth. |
| Eclectic Sydney ... a bit of this, a bit of that |
| Cockatoo Island |
| From a distance, Cockatoo Island does not look very appealing...especially the big "No Trespassing" sign. Dismal and industrial from afar, it was quite interesting once we arrived and took a self-guided tour of the two different levels of the islands. |
| We were constantly amazed at how agile the ferrymen were at making fast to the docks. |
We were greeted at the the Visitor Info
center, given tour brochures and off we went.
center, given tour brochures and off we went.
| Built to get men and equipment from one side of the island to the other, the tunnel doubled as a bomb shelter during WWII. Right, Fay takes a look at some interesting artwork. My favorite was the hippo with ship above. |
Views of the drydock and buildings below and the Sydney Harbour
Bridge in the background were great from the vantage point of the
Plateau level above.
Bridge in the background were great from the vantage point of the
Plateau level above.
| Public camping is now allowed on the island in the area that was once the plate yard...the area in which large steel plates were cut and bent to shape and then incorporated into the hull of ships that were being built. |
| Above, on the Plateau level, David takes a look at the old Guardhouse barracks, designed to double as a fort. If there was a prisoner revolt, the guards could barricade themselves inside and fire through the embrasures. Right, an old warehouse becomes a work of art with indigenous Australian animals painted on its walls. |
| The waters around the island were believed to be shark-infested. Only one man, aided by his Aboriginal wife, ever escaped from the prison. |
| Part of our enjoyment of Sydney was walking around and finding places and things that amused us or fascinated us. We'd walk and see a building or a sign or a scene or just a light (right) ... something different that caught our attention or made us take a second look. So...no rhyme or reason here, just because... |
| Irish pub (above) Oldest pub in Sydney (right) where we had lunch and a pint. |
| Commonwealth of Australia Bank |
| Massive, regal Queen Victoria Building (QVB) |
At the Royal Botanic Garden, relics of
sandstone blocks carved in centuries past by
masons and stonecutters and taken from
demolished buildings connect Sydney's past
with the present.
sandstone blocks carved in centuries past by
masons and stonecutters and taken from
demolished buildings connect Sydney's past
with the present.
| Vuitton Roo on George Street (above) Right, "Forgotten Songs", Sydney's Laneway art at Angel Place, mourns the loss of natural habitat for native birds. |
| An obliging young Aboriginal man poses with Marcie while taking a break from playing the didgeridoo at the Circular Quay. |
| What's that? It's a fancy urinal! |
| The bronze boar statue which sits in front of the old Rum Hospital was a gift from Italy. It's considered lucky if you rub his nose...notice it's pretty shiny. Right, Centrepoint aka Sydney Tower Eye rises 1014 ft. It is Sydney's tallest free-standing structure, and the second tallest in Australia |
| Sydney's Rum Hospital was built by rum barons in return for receiving the monopoly on rum sales in Sydney. |
| Cadman's Cottage is one of Sydney's oldest surviving buildings. Built in 1816 as part of the Government Dockyard, it accomodated the government coxswain, the officer in charge of boats, operations and crews. The house was named after John Cadman, the third and longest serving in this post. Both John & Elizabeth Cadman were convicted criminals. He stole a horse and was sentenced to death which was commuted to "14 years transportation". She was convicted of stealing two brushes and some knives and sentenced to "7 years transportation". Pretty stiff penalties in today's society. |
| The bronze "WelcomeWall" in Darling Harbour outside the maritime museum is a tribute to the millions of people who arrived by sea to settle in Australia. As of the end of 2011, the wall contains 24,000 names |
| Approximately 4.5 million people visit the Sydney Opera House each year. This is about a quarter of Australia's total population and more than twice the number of yearly visitors to America's White House. |
| The lightship Carpentaria, an unmanned lightvessel (effectively a floating lighthouse) built during 1916 and 1917 sits moored near the Maritime museum. |
| Sydney Anchorages |
| Time waits for no man ... and the minutes and days of summer were ticking by much too quickly. We left Sydney regretfully. It's a wonderfully electric, vibrant place to be, but Tassie called and off we went. Our plan is to return to Sydney at the end of this year. There's so much we did and so much left to do. We still haven't visited the Royal Botanic Gardens, the Maritime Museum, NSW Art Gallery, the Australia Museum, the zoo...the list goes on and on. Thank you, Sydney and Sydney-siders for your hospitality and making these cruisers feel exceptionally welcome. |
| You could stay in Sydney for a year and still not have visited all the nooks, crannies and anchorages that abound. Too many anchorages...not enough time...at least not THIS time. We moved from Cammeray Marina shortly after the Grimms left us. We moved first to Bantry Bay, still in Middle Harbour and still behind the Spit Bridge. |
| Bantry Bay - 33S46.71/151E13.89 |
| Though only six miles from Sydney CBD, we were in the bush.. |
| The anchorage is surrounded by Garrigal NP. Outdated munitions buildings are off-limits. |
| A small jetty on the east side of bay allows access to park grounds and picnic areas. |
| Lane Cove River - 33S50.24/ 151E10.13 |
| We opted for an anchorage with ferry access to the city. There are several across the Harbour, but we knew they were a bit crowded. Instead we chose the tranquil Lane Cove River. Though crowded with moorings, there was plenty of room to anchor and good holding in the muddy, river. Also just a short walk to the Woolwich ferry dock. We were in the bay opposite the Longueville Wharf, Aquatic Club and Rowing Club and were frequently entertained by the young sailors and crew teams practicing in the river near the boat. |
| Young sailors learning to sail. These little boats are much less forgiving than Nine of Cups...thank goodness. We watched as one team tacked too tightly, capsized and then righted themselves. They seemed non-plussed by the ordeal, nor particularly shaken by the cold river water and handled it all in stride. |
| Sydney Festival is a month long, annual arts celebration. Music, theatre, dance, visual arts and talks are scheduled throughout the month. Fifth Season invited us to meet them in Parramatta, way up river from Sydney, for a picnic and free concerts one evening. |
| Via ferry and train, we made it to Parramatta for the concert. The river is so shallow that even the Sydney Ferries cannot make it all the way up at some low tides. |
| Our meeting place was the historic Old King's School. We arrived early before any crowds and staked out a good picnic site on the lawn which afforded good views of the stage. |
| Clockwise from above left: Laying out the picnic. Look at the dark clouds in the background and the results; Gail & David (Fifth Season); A very damp Marcie & David (photo John Lewis); Marcie puts the moves on a real camel jockey; the Barefoot Divas concert; John & Shawn (Active Transport) wait out the rain under an umbrella and tarp. Nobody melted, all the picnic plates were rain-washed without any effort and a good time was had by all. The concert was terrific and the company superb. |
Follow us down the New South Wales
coast to Eden and then on to Tasmania.
coast to Eden and then on to Tasmania.
| While in Sydney... |
| From the blog 15 Jan 2012... I broke David's favorite mug today. I accidentally whacked it against the counter as I was taking it down from its hook to make coffee this morning and the handle broke off. This is really his favorite mug. It's a Charleston South Carolina mug with the iconic blue crescent moon and palmetto tree on a solid white background that I bought for him our first Christmas aboard. It's cracked and crazed through and through from more than a decade of daily use. Though I'm fickle with mugs and buy a new one in every country we visit, David has remained loyal to the Charleston mug. I've given him a new Australia mug and argued that it's the "half-way around changeover mug", but the coffee just isn't tasting the same. I'll be on the lookout for a replacement when we return to the States. In the meantime, we'll commend the broken mug and a tot of rum to the sea when we depart ... our usual tribute Neptune when we set out on a new passage (and we did!). |
Can anybody help me out? If you
know where I can purchase a
replacement mug EXACTLY like
this one for David, please let me
know!
know where I can purchase a
replacement mug EXACTLY like
this one for David, please let me
know!
| Brewmeister at work.... In our continuing efforts to be self-sufficient, independent and thrifty, David bought a Coopers DIY beer brewing kit at the local K-Mart for $85 and began brewing his own beer. We'll add a page to the website soon outlining the process and the results. Cheers! |