2018-01 - MONTHLY LOG STATISTICS
Travelled distance : 219.46 km (118.50 nm)
Average Speed : 10.11 km/h (5.46 knots)
Peak Speed : 21.58 km/h (11.65 knots) on 2018/01/06
Welcome to 2018!!
After all of the excitement of New Year’s Eve, the first day of 2018 broke over Sydney Harbour with a lot of boats still at anchor. We separated from the other cats that we had been rafted up to and grabbed a mooring once it became free. After breakfast David ferried Brian and Annie across to the ferry terminal, leaving Denise, Chloe, and Dad onboard to ease into the day.
After lunch the girls had to depart, and David jumped in the tender to again pretend he was a water-taxi. Just near the terminal there was a 30 foot flybridge honking a horn and drifting back onto the rocks. He was yelling out that he had no rudder, and the with a small swell and moderate wind, he was in real strife! David dumped Denise and Chloe on the wharf, and powered back to help. When he got there, the flybridge was on the rocks and being lifted up and down by the waves. David tried to grab the anchor which was dangling, but then the skipper saw what he was doing and rushed to the bow and threw him a line. The 15HP Yamaha was up to the task, and David was able to drag the nose away and the skipper could apply power as David provided steerage. As the boat came away from the rocks the crowd at the ferry terminal broke into applause.
After all the excitement, we stayed on the mooring overnight. Dad had decided to stick with us for a few days.
2018-01-02 - FROM Athol Bay TO Manly
Trip end : 2018/01/02 09:59:05
Trip Duration : 0h49m (49 minutes)
Start Point : 151.243728,-33.848678
End Point : 151.282516,-33.800331
Travelled distance : 8.29 km (4.48 nm)
Average Speed : 10.15 km/h (5.48 knots)
Peak Speed : 12.34 km/h (6.66 knots)
Straight-line Distance : 6.461 km (3.488 nm)
VMG Average Speed : 7.91 km/h (4.27 knots)
We sailed up to Manly, and after some pies for lunch we walked to Manly Beach, looking for somewhere to celebrate Colleen’s birthday. We decided on a nice meal at a pub, and it was terrific.
2018-01-03 - FROM Manly TO Rozelle Bay
Trip end : 2018/01/03 12:18:15
Trip Duration : 1h46m (106 minutes)
Start Point : 151.282531,-33.799800
End Point : 151.178176,-33.871520
Travelled distance : 16.89 km (9.12 nm)
Average Speed : 9.56 km/h (5.16 knots)
Peak Speed : 15.61 km/h (8.43 knots)
Straight-line Distance : 12.510 km (6.755 nm)
VMG Average Speed : 7.08 km/h (3.82 knots)
2018-01-04 - Rozelle Bay TO Rozelle Bay VIA White Bay Fuel Dock
Trip end : 2018/01/04 20:38:04
Travelling Time : 0h22m (22 minutes)
Trip Duration : 0h54m (54 minutes)
Start Point : 151.178176,-33.871368
End Point : 151.178405,-33.871559
Travelled distance : 3.66 km (1.98 nm)
Average Speed : 9.99 km/h (5.39 knots)
Peak Speed : 11.96 km/h (6.46 knots)
Straight-line Distance : 0.030 km (0.016 nm)
Another top-up of the water tanks. Visitors sure tend to go through a lot of water!
2018-01-06 - Rozelle Bay TO Hawksbury River
Trip end : 2018/01/06 10:16:25
Trip Duration : 4h49m (289 minutes)
Start Point : 151.178207,-33.871589
End Point : 151.232284,-33.541210
Travelled distance : 53.71 km (29 nm)
Average Speed : 11.15 km/h (6.02 knots)
Peak Speed : 21.58 km/h (11.65 knots)
Straight-line Distance : 37.075 km (20.019 nm)
VMG Average Speed : 7.70 km/h (4.16 knots)
We had been invited to the 80th birthday party of Brian.. who we hosted on New Years Eve. It was being held at the Mooney Mooney Club, up past the railway bridge in the Hawksbury River. We sailed north again, running a spinnaker up the river which was good fun as we gybed around the fishermen. We anchored just the seaward side of the bridge, taking a bit of care to place the anchor as the tide ran through quite hard.
2018-01-08 - FROM Hawksbury River TO Manly
Trip end : 2018/01/08 12:36:56
Trip Duration : 4h06m (246 minutes)
Start Point : 151.232254,-33.541301
End Point : 151.282165,-33.801010
Travelled distance : 44.40 km (23.97 nm)
Average Speed : 10.83 km/h (5.85 knots)
Peak Speed : 13.91 km/h (7.51 knots)
Straight-line Distance : 29.245 km (15.791 nm)
VMG Average Speed : 7.13 km/h (3.85 knots)
Sailing back south, we dropped into Manly for the evening and to do a spot of grocery shopping.
2018-01-10 - FROM Manly TO Rozelle Bay
Trip end : 2018/01/10 14:18:34
Trip Duration : 1h37m (97 minutes)
Start Point : 151.282135,-33.800708
End Point : 151.179214,-33.871360
Travelled distance : 14.82 km (80 nm)
Average Speed : 9.16 km/h (4.95 knots)
Peak Speed : 13.28 km/h (7.17 knots)
Straight-line Distance : 12.332 km (6.659 nm)
VMG Average Speed : 7.63 km/h (4.12 knots)
Time to do some tourist stuff! We booked in for a walk around the top of Sydney Tower, and made the trip in to the CBD on the Sunday. The joint was PACKED, and if it being a weekend as well as school holidays wasn’t bad enough, only half of the lifts were in operation. People were complaining that they had been in line for the lifts for an hour, but as we had a Skywalk booked we were escorted to the head of the line. Once at the top, we were told that the strong winds meant that the Skywalk would not be conducted and we booked in for the following day.
Sydney Tower. Great view from the viewing level or walk on the outside like we did.
On the Monday, the crowds had gone and we walked straight to the elevators. After donning overalls and having a safety briefing, we were soon outside and seeing the amazing view.
Our group on the Sydney Skywalk
Jumping for joy on the Sydney Skywalk
2018-01-20 - FROM Rozelle Bay TO Rose Bay
Trip end : 2018/01/20 11:03:48
Trip Duration : 1h00m (60 minutes)
Start Point : 151.177004,-33.872136
End Point : 151.254705,-33.869606
Travelled distance : 11.38 km (6.14 nm)
Average Speed : 11.38 km/h (6.14 knots)
Peak Speed : 21.25 km/h (11.48 knots)
Straight-line Distance : 7.179 km (3.876 nm)
VMG Average Speed : 7.18 km/h (3.88 knots)
2018-01-21 - FROM Rose Bay TO Rozelle Bay VIA Manly
Trip end : 2018/01/21 16:27:17
Travelling Time : 2h15m (135 minutes)
Trip Duration : 5h20m (320 minutes)
Start Point : 151.254745,-33.869598
End Point : 151.177047,-33.872329
Travelled distance : 25.91 km (13.99 nm)
Average Speed : 11.52 km/h (6.22 knots)
Peak Speed : 14.78 km/h (7.98 knots)
Straight-line Distance : 7.180 km (3.877 nm)
VMG Average Speed : 3.19 km/h (1.72 knots)
Flying our parachute as we sailed back towards Sydney. Chutes must not be too common as we drew a lot of attention.
2018-01-26 - FROM Rozelle Bay TO Rozelle Bay VIA Milsons Point AND Manly
Trip end : 2018/01/26 17:34:42
Travelling Time : 4h59m (299 minutes)
Trip Duration : 7h32m (452 minutes)
Start Point : 151.177205,-33.872057
End Point : 151.177344,-33.871982
Travelled distance : 40.39 km (21.81 nm)
Average Speed : 8.11 km/h (4.38 knots)
Peak Speed : 19.96 km/h (10.78 knots)
Straight-line Distance : 0.015 km (0.008 nm)
Australia Day! We were up bright and early and all hands were on deck to decorate XTsea with flags. With everyone’s help we soon looked quite festive, and after a quick lap around Darling Harbour, we headed out to participate in the Australia Day festivities.
Our regalia for the 2018 Australia Day Sydney Harbour Parade.
Australia Day 21-gun salute. Loud!
We gave our visitors a bit of a tour, doing a lap of a cruise-ship before returning to the mashalling area for the Harbour Parade. After the parade, we zapped up to Manly and took our visitors on a walk to the beach. A quick turnaround back to Rozelle as we needed to leave for the Blue Mountains early the next morning.
A bus to Central followed by a train to Katoomba and we were soon checking out the sights of the Blue Mountains. A visit to The Three Sisters followed by a visit to ScenicWorld.
The three sisters at The Three Sisters. (Apologies to Debbie, the missing sister.)
The Three Sisters at Katoomba, Blue Mountains.
It’s a steep ride (52 degrees) but perfectly safe. Colleen still got the willies though.
The steepest passenger railway in the world at Scenic World Katoomba.
David filling the water bottles from a small stream. Beautiful water.
With a couple of cable-cars and a 52 degree incline Scenic Railway as well as a boardwalk around the floor of the rainforest, the day flew by, and it was soon time to return to the city. We thought that the food court at the Star casino complex would offer a good range of food, but it was disappointing and expensive. Back to the boat on the Light Rail and a last night aboard for our guests.