Arrived NZ

OK, OK, I know.

We've not updated the blog for a while (too busy 'doing' rather than blogging) but now Harlequin is settled in New Zealand for a while, there will be time for a bit of a catch-up, so watch this space. Promise!

Meantime, here's the big picture of our second Tasman crossing: 1,300 nm from Southport, Queensland to Opua then Whangarei, NZ from 14 -27 Nov 15...

Sydney photo-op'

A rather dull icon...

OK, it had to be done: the classic photo opportunity by the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The weather was a bit dull at first attempt, as we motored by en-route to anchor in Blackwattle Bay by the Anzac Bridge - an interesting anchorage, right in the CBD by the Sydney Fish Market.

So we came back with friends for a Sydney Harbour cruise and timed the weather perfectly this time...

Lunch in Rose Bay

Cheese!

Group selfie

THE picture

Arriving Sydney

North Head

On 14 March we finally entered Port Jackson, which includes North, Middle and Sydney Harbours - plenty for us to explore over the next fortnight. And what a striking view, as we entered: sails everywhere, with all the yacht and dinghy clubs out racing, the fleets all 'threading the needle' between the high-speed ferries and each other.

Family-free zone

We motored pretty close under North Head as we expected family to be there for an arrival photo op'. Turns out they were actually stuck in a traffic-jam in Manly - how very Sydney, a city where it takes a minimum of 45 minutes to drive anywhere!

Who should we meet instead? Why, Chris Mallet, former DBYC member and Harlequin of old (nick-named 'The Commodore' during the rudder loss incident in PNG), as he flashed past on an Adams 10, pre-start maneuvering for a MHYC Saturday race.

Wave from 'The Commodore'

Then in to Middle Harbour itself to await the 1500 opening of the Spit Bridge and a short motor up to Cammeray Marina where we'd booked a berth alongside for the night - the better to have family & friends aboard to pop a few bottles of arrival fizz!

Spit Bridge

Just as well we were on time, though, as we just caught the crew of another yacht who had taken our spot and were just stepping off for a night ashore! Luckily the dock manager arrived and re-located them to a nearby mooring, or all our arrival fizz-popping plans would have been blown!

Shortly after, the important groceries were delivered: ice-cold beer, bubbly, ice and nibbles. All to be sherpa'ed down the 200 steps to the marina, but that just served to work up a thirst! Let the party commence!

Cheers from Sydney!!!

Pittwater & the Hawkesbury River

Throw-back...

Next stop Pittwater - getting so close to Sydney we can almost taste it! Can certainly see it's effects at night!

Setting off through the Swansea Channel (against the flood this time, to again catch the bar at high tide) was no problem - getting expert by now, a lot more confident when you know it can be done. Another ex-SA Ozzie, Gavin accompanied us for the short trip as a suck-it-and-see before hopefully joining us again next month for the longer sail back north to the Gold Coast.

America Bay

We had the fishing lines out immediately and Sue quickly reeled in a couple of mahi-mahi for Gavin to land. Not keepers, though, so back they went. We expected something bigger along later, but sadly that wasn't to happen.

Sue loves spiders...

Arriving quite late in Pittwater, we went straight to anchorage at Careel Bay, where Gavin disembarked the next morning. Then off to explore the Hawkesbury!

First In America Bay, from where we hiked a sweltering 20 km along the Lambert Peninsula to West Head to check out the aboriginal carvings, general wildlife and superb views over Pittwater.

Then up the Hawkesbury River to famous Refuge Bay. "Considered by cruisers to be one of the world's best anchorages..." [Alan Lucas] might be a bit of a stretch, but it's certainly pretty. We nick-named it 'The Bay of 1,000 Moorings', after the sea of private moorings cluttering the place. Including 2 or 3 public moorings, one of which we grabbed.

Sphinx monument

...and explanation

Thence all the way up Cowan Creek to Bobbin Head marina, not to overnight, but to check out hikes at the Tourist Info office at the Kuring-gai National Park, and to fill with water. We picked up a public mooring in Houseboat Bay then dinghied ashore in the morning for a long hike to the Sphinx war memorial - quite something.

And so on: exploring Castle Bay, Jerusalem Bay, Pinta Bay, and lastly Hallets Beach where we enjoyed afternoon drinkies with Heather & Steve aboard cat Inforapenny II. Sadly, we couldn't stay for their CYA sail-in and beach party the next day.

Hawkesbury River

All lovely, but by now we were looking forward to the Big Arrival in Sydney, so after a fortnight amongst the lakes, rivers and creeks it was time for our last leg south to Port Jackson...

[Not forgetting the fascinating aboriginal art, possibly thousands of years old...]

carving 1

carving 2

carving 3

sign 1

sign 2

sign 3