From the water this time!

We sailed into Sydney Harbour a couple of days ago. The first night we anchored just inside the entrance, the next day we sailed by the Opera House and then under the Sydney Harbour Bridge. We are currently anchored very close to downtown. We went ashore this morning and here is proof that cruisers will do just about anything. We left our dinghy in a spot that was gated and fenced but we did not want to row across the harbour and walk an extra mile so we just rolled under the gate!! Today we spent the morning at the Maritime Museum and then wandered around central Sydney for the rest of the day. Sydney is hustling and bustling at the moment, crammed full of tourists and everyone doing their last minute Christmas shopping.

The anchorage we are in is very full. There are a gazillion boats in Sydney and most of the prime anchoring spots have been allocated to moorings. There are marinas and sailing clubs all over the place leaving few spots to drop your hook. Last night Barry only got about 3 hours sleep because we were very close to another boat. When you drop your hook in a crowded anchorage, the wind is blowing in a certain direction and you calculate whether or not there is room and generally there is, until the wind shifts and then watch out. We reanchored this morning and it looked good, but later on today after we had returned to the boat the wind shifted and we almost touched a different boat. We pulled up our chain and went across the bay to where a boat had just vacated a spot and we seem to be okay here.

We are anchored just under this bridge

At the Maritime Museum with downtown Sydney in the background.

Central Sydney, an interesting mix of the old and the new.