We left Balls Head Bay to make our way to Middle Harbour. The breeze from the night before persisted but it had eased off somewhat. We couldn’t resist letting out the foresail just a little: after all we have done very little sailing in the month we’ve been away. It was a an exhilarating feeling sailing under the bridge and down Port Jackson dodging ferries, motor boats and even a large container ship. As usual I took the helm and Mike kept an eye on the GPS and traffic around us. We are now at Cammeray Marina in Long Bay and to get here it was necessary to go under The Spit Bridge. There are special times when the bridge is open so we needed to be in the vicinity of the bridge at precisely the right time. We really didn’t know what to expect so we gave ourselves plenty of time. We were early and discovered to our delight that we could pick up a casual buoy and sit by the bridge until it opened. I set about making a cup of coffee (Mike never says no to a ‘cuppa’) after all it was 10.00 am and everyone knows that’s coffee time!! But even before we had finished our morning tea we heard the ringing of the bell indicating the imminent opening of the bridge. Mike started the engine as I let go of the buoy and we cautiously made our way under the now raised bridge. It was strange seeing the cars, trucks and buses waiting for us to pass beneath them.
The bridge opens for us
Middle Harbour.
The view on the other side of the bridge
Cammeray Marina
A wreck in Long Bay
We had been in touch with the Marina and they gave us directions and were waiting to help tie us up (they must have heard about our past experiences tying up at other Marinas!!) This Marina has no road access and sits at the bottom of a steep cliff. The only way in is either by boat or by climbing down or worse still climbing up 100 or so steps.
Because there is no access by road there is also no regular garbage collection to speak of, so cruisers like us must either take their rubbish with them or take it by dinghy just a short trip across the bay to Tunks Park where there are recycle and garbage bins. Contrary to what we believed, there are no pump out facilities here so to reduce the risk of our holding tank filling to overflowing, and so that we don’t have to make the trek to the marina toilet in the middle of the night, we have invented something we call a‘guzinto’: that’s like a ‘guzunder” but it’s a pot that goes into the toilet as opposed to a pot that goes under the bed!! Mike has the job of emptying it in the morning because, well, he is the captain. What a life hey? Don’t each and every one of you wish that you could experience all of this??!!
It’s always nice coming to new places and meeting different people. Some of the first people we met here were a New Zealand couple we had exchanged stories with in Eden. When we first met them, they had just come across from Tassie in 60knot plus winds and were repairing some of the damage the wind and waves had done to their boat. They certainly looked much more relaxed this time.
Our newest acquaintances are a pair of very large ducks who introduced themselves by knocking with their beaks on the hull of our boat. When we didn’t acknowledge their presence, they proceeded to quack at us very loudly. We are trying very hard not to feed them so they will leave us alone - but they are trying equally as hard to wear us down. Let’s see who wins this battle!!
Ducks coming knocking...
We have travelled around Cammeray and further afield by foot and public transport. We walked into Northbridge to do some victualling and to find a good coffee shop, then next day we took a bus to Crows Nest (Mike was having Whitworth withdrawals.) I needed to have my legs waxed… and we had to find a coffee shop.
The mad Irish woman who waxed my legs left half the wax on in some places and ripped half the skin in others. Those of you who put themselves through the agony of waxing will know exactly the pain I went through.
Today we took another bus and headed to the City and the aquarium. It was great. I packed some lunch and we had a lovely picnic on the steps overlooking Darling Harbour (…then we found a coffee shop!!).
Well, that’s it from me now. It’s Wednesday night and that means TV night. Spicks and Specks and Glasshouse. Good that we are just across the way from the ABC transceiver …..perfect reception!!
Jo
