Off to Sydney
After one last kayak trip up the waterway, we left the quiet serenity of Bobbin Head and ventured back into the Pacific to Sydney Harbor.
We encountered 15 knot head winds the 13 miles from Broken Bay to the North Head, the entrance to the harbor, a bit uncomfortable but not bad.
Once we rounded the North Head, the scene changed into a cornucopia off vessels, fast ferries, speed boats, large fast sailboats practicing for the upcoming race and every other type of floating contraption imaginable.
The first sight of the city is breath taking. The architecture of Sydney is world famous and it lives up to its reputation. Massive sculptured buildings, amazing houses and historic land marks all meld together to make a unique city.
The crown of the city is the Sydney Opera House pictured in every postcard, book, and tourist photo album available. Again the sight lived up the high expectations.
We had time to kill and wanted a look around so we cruised the harbor for several hours. The waterways venture way up and around the city providing space for waterfront dwellings of every kind.
We had just missed the scheduled opening of the Split Bridge and had to wait several hours for the next one. We grabbed an available mooring and did what any boater does after a rough day at sea, a nap. Awakening to the twilight hour, I took the opportunity to hoist my LED colored lights. I have always loved decorating Furthur for Christmas, and really liked doing it in shorts and a t shirt rather than woolies and rain gear, ya I like it here. Singing “I am dreaming of a GREEN Christmas” we hit the switch and lit up the night.
We are rendezvousing with our friends on Totem and some other cruisers for a Christmas party so anchored just off their marina. The next week holds many new and exciting events; Boxing Day is the start of the Sydney Hobart Sailboat Race, a race made famous by disasters over a decade ago. It is an icon in the yachting world here and draws all the “big boats” the start should be thrilling.
Then there is the huge New Years Eve celebration, Sydney rocks for NYE and takes its position as the first place to enter the new year seriously—(ya I know, Kiwi fiends, Auckland is really the first. ) There are seven barges loaded with pyrotechnics spread through the harbor and the blasts go on for hours, I am really eager to see this. I will make sure my air horn is fully charged!!!
