Moored Rushcutters Bay, Port Jackson
Wind: NE, F3 gentle breeze
Sea state: 2 - wavelets Swell: nil
Weather: overcast, warm

The main catalyst for sailing to Sydney was to attend the Gulf War Reunion at the Australian National Maritime Museum this Saturday last, marking the 35th anniversary of completion of hostilities. I had procrastinated over whether I wanted to attend the event; however, I had been invited to do so by one of my old shipmates from HMAS BRISBANE and, recollecting the excellent team I worked with at that time, I felt I would regret not going. There were a number of speeches, all of which were well presented expressing appropriate sentiments, but the best part of the evening without a doubt was standing on the aft gun deck of the old Daring class destroyer, HMAS VAMPIRE, with the dark grey steel deck under our feet and VAMPIRE’s twin 4.5 inch barrels overhead, sharing a few stories over a glass or two of wine with my old shipmates. I am very glad I went.

There are two other events coming up in Sydney that I also wish to attend; namely RANSA’s (my number one sailing club) 60th anniversary mess dinner on the 14th of March, and, on the 21st, the Fleet Review commemorating the RAN’s 125th anniversary (though the date has been questioned seeing as the RAN was officially created in 1911, ten years after the Federation of Australia – so I think the Review maybe ten years early).

While in Sydney I am also having a few medical matters attended to – at this stage nothing to worry about, more in the way of preventative maintenance to ensure I can keep my ageing body fit for long-distance sailing for as long as possible. To this end I expect Sylph and I will be moored here for about another four months or so. Then, once my material well-being has been attended to, at this stage my intention is to head over to New Zealand/Aotearoa to attend to some hull maintenance on Sylph to ensure that she also has a few more long-distance miles left in her.

All is well.