SYDNEY!!!
Miss Molly 4
Bob & Peggy Wilkerson/Geoff & Merel Pettifer
Sat 18 Dec 2010 01:44
We left Pittwater this morning and as we came out of the inlet we managed to sail on a nice NW breeze to Sydney. We could see the high-rise miles out. We got pretty excited as is does not happen every day that you sail into a major world city. The entrance - Sydney Heads - was spectacular. Once inside the heads busy waterways with lots of ferry traffic, aluminium dinghies, paragliders and of course: sailboats preparing for a race! Judging by the size of most of the participating boats it must have been a pre run to the Sydney - Hobart race which leaves on Boxing Day.
Just past the race boats we had to turn a corner and around that: the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. The camera was doing overtime. Shame it was not sunny, but at least it was not raining. Up the Parramatta River we went, until we got to our dedicated berth in the marina at Cabarita Point. Four people were waiting to take our lines, but as always we are a bit weary of strangers taking our lines as they do not always know what to do with it as Miss Molly is heavier than the average sailing boat. Lots of good intentions can sometimes lead to near accidents we have noticed oftentimes while docking. And yes, another one to add to the collection: the harbour master of all people managed to tie off the stern line before we had wanted him to do so, and off went the bow! Luckily we could use the thruster to correct, and tell the harbour master to ease the line until we were in the wanted position. Nothing or nobody got hurt apart from may be an ego.
It ended all good and Miss Molly got a few compliments from the line takers. She is one of the two bigger boats in this marina. She is now getting a well deserved rest for Christmas - no more sailing till after that. May be this is a good time to wish you all Happy Holidays and see you back on the other side of Christmas!
Christmas cheers from your crew,
Geoff & Merel