12/28/2014: Sugarloaf Bay

Position: -34° 47.72′, 151° 13.57′

After a few nights in Bantry Bay, we moved over to Sugarloaf Bay for a change of scenery. We enjoyed the anchorage, but it was a lot more crowded than Bantry Bay.

12/28/2014: Spit Bridge

Position: -34° 48.21′, 151° 14.64′

We followed at least a dozen boats through at the 10am Spit Bridge opening.

12/28/2014: Manly Corso

Position: -34° 47.95′, 151° 17.08′

We anchored off Manly and went ashore for lunch and a walk around. The Manly Corso was incredibly busy on this holiday Sunday.

12/28/2014: Fairlight Tidal Pool

Position: -34° 47.98′, 151° 16.52′

The view to our anchorage over the Fairlight Tidal Swimming Pool just west of downtown Manly.

12/28/2014: Moth

Position: -34° 48.13′, 151° 16.57′

This Moth sailor was really moving across Manly Cove.

12/29/2014: Socket

Position: -34° 48.13′, 151° 16.57′

We installed a 15-amp, 240V socket in the lazarette so we can plug in 240-volt equipment.

12/30/2014: MV Octopus

Position: -34° 51.23′, 151° 14.49′

Evidence we’re in all the right places: this is our third sighting of Paul Allen’s Octopus since leaving Seattle. We last saw Octopus off Waikiki Beach, and before that in San Francisco Bay.

12/30/2014: Woolworths

Position: -34° 50.82′, 151° 13.20′

Woolworths grocery delivery has been incredibly convenient for us here in Australia. We had several orders delivered in Brisbane, a large one to Bobbin Head and another large one here at the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron. This is one of four loads the driver is bringing us.

12/30/2014: Grocieries

Position: -34° 50.81′, 151° 13.20′

Groceries to stow from our big Woolworths delivery. Woolworths doesn’t deliver alcohol in Queensland, but they do in New South Wales. So we took advantage and stocked up for the next few months.

12/30/2014: Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron

Position: -34° 50.87′, 151° 13.17′

Dinner at the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron. Dirona is visible behind Jennifer at the left end of the dock. We’ll be staying here through New Year’s.

12/31/2014: Farm Cove

Position: -34° 51.57′, 151° 13.21′

With Dirona moored at the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, we went on a dingy tour of the harbour. Farm Cove is one of the prime locations for viewing the fireworks by boat, and already was getting pretty packed. Only boats less than 15m are allowed, but a few seemed to be pushing that limit.

12/31/2014: Fireworks barge

Position: -34° 51.63′, 151° 14.64′

One of the several firework barges being towed into place. Those shells are huge.

12/31/2014: Octopus

Position: -34° 51.60′, 151° 14.72′

We took a closer look at Paul Allen’s Octopus–there’s a pretty large boat inside the garage. Several of the larger yachts were stern-anchored to keep their stern to the display. Their anchor chain is visible at the left corner.

12/31/2014: Gloria Maris

Position: -34° 51.49′, 151° 14.77′

Nordhavn 86 Gloria Maris also was here for the fireworks. We’ve seen that boat a few times in our travels: in the Tuamotus, Papeete, and New Zealand.

12/31/2014: Athol Bay

Position: -34° 50.98′, 151° 14.48′

Athol Bay is another popular anchorage for viewing the fireworks and was pretty full. We’re told this is a less busy year than normal though.

12/31/2014: Superted

Position: -34° 51.15′, 151° 14.30′

Matt and Jean Findlay had Superted anchored in Athol Bay and invited us in board for a drink.

12/31/2014: Barquita

Position: -34° 50.90′, 151° 14.33′

Graham and Margarita Weir also were anchored in Athol Bay in their Norhdavn 43 Barquita.

12/31/2014: Family fireworks

Position: -34° 50.80′, 151° 13.18′

We ran the tender out to the edge of the exclusion zone to watch the 9pm Family Fireworks display. The harbour was packed with boats ranging from kayaks to large charter boats. Fireworks are launched from many platforms spread throughout the harbor and the sheer volume of fireworks concurrently released with the city waterfront as a backdrop for the display is amazing. There are fireworks everywhere.

12/31/2014: Bradfield Park

Position: -34° 50.93′, 151° 12.79′

We walked up to Kirribilli before the midnight fireworks. The streets were closed to cars and vendors were selling hot dogs by the dozen with people, and police, everywhere. A constant stream of people were arriving at Bradfield Park to watch the show.

1/1/2015: Happy New Year

Position: -34° 50.80′, 151° 13.18′

We watched the midnight fireworks from Dirona. It was absolutely amazing.

Position: -37° 49.32′, 150° 4.49′

The fishing vessel Shira working a net just north of Eden.

Position: -38° 4.74′, 149° 54.81′

Eden Marine Rescue perched on Lookout Point. We’ll be stopping in Eden for a couple of days to wait for a weather system to pass through before continuing on to Tasmania.

Position: -38° 4.31′, 149° 54.43′

Eden is a thriving commercial fishing town. This is the Multipurpose Jetty, primarily used by fishing vessels.

Position: -38° 4.29′, 149° 54.48′

Eden is a popular stopover for boats returning from north from the Sydney-Hobart race. It’s also a common place to pull in during the race if conditions become too dangerous or a fault occurs. Victoire placed 15th in line honours this year.

Position: -38° 4.19′, 149° 54.55′

The view across the Mooring Jetty and Snug Cove from a lookout on Warren’s Walk. Dirona is anchored in the distance at the right of the photo.

Position: -38° 4.01′, 149° 54.42′

The Eden Killer Whale Museum was closed for the day when we went past. A feature display is the bones of “Old Tom”, a killer whale who with his pod helped the locals hunt great baleen whales.

Position: -38° 4.33′, 149° 54.58′

We had an excellent meal of fresh local fish at the Wharfside Cafe.

Position: -38° 4.42′, 149° 54.00′

Looking southwest from the anchorage. With the winds from the north, this was a picturesque and sheltered anchorage. A little swell came through occasionally, but not enough to warrant theflopper-stopper.

Position: -38° 4.41′, 149° 53.98′

We dove the boat today to clean the bottom. It wasn’t in that bad a shape since it’s last clean at Lady Musgrave Island, but it still took us 2 1/2 hours each. We definitely do not need a larger boat. We wore our new O’Neill 5mm wetsuits for the first time and were perfectly warm in the 76F water. We’re quite happy with them.

Position: -38° 13.16′, 150° 3.19′

We got underway at 6:45 this morning for Tasmania. When we went to bed last night, the forecast wouldn’t have conditions sufficiently good until this evening. But when we got up this morning, wind conditions were calm and the new weather reports showed that it might be a little lumpy this morning, but generally good most of the way. If the weather conditions hold, we expect to be arrive at Freycinet Peninsula before noon on Tuesday. The red line shows our intended route–click on the image to see a larger view.

Position: -38° 15.80′, 150° 4.41′

First lit in 1883, the Green Cape Light is the most southern lighthouse in New South Wales. It’s also the second tallest in the state, at 95′.

Position: -38° 33.56′, 149° 59.41′

We’re off the coast of Victoria now–this is the rather bleak-looking Gabo Island light.

Position: -39° 12.01′, 149° 46.44′

As forecast, we had a few hours of 15-25 SW winds that have since eased off to 10-15. The wind came up surprisingly quickly, and the seas built up a bit, with tight 6-8′ waves on the bow and a fair bit of pitching motion. But it wasn’t a big deal a