After a short stop to visit Libby, Alan and kids after our adventure in Tasmania, we headed back north with a planned stop in Sydney.  I guess our only disappointment is we didn't get the boat there.  We tried,  but the winds were never in our favor.  I would imagine sailing into that harbor would have been spectacular.  Just riding the local ferries gave you views that were outstanding.

We visited the markets, saw all kinds of tee shirts, gifts ideas, including kangaroo skins and everything made from kangaroo.  Of course, the highlight was the Opera House.  No visit to this part of the world would be worth it without that vision.  It is an incredible sight and one we will long remember.

The Didgeridoo is one of the oldest surviving cultural instruments in the world.  A didgeridoo is a hollowed tree that has been eaten out by termites or white ants as they are commonly called in Australia.  The trees are of the Eucalyptus, i.e., gum tree species. The Didgeridoo is selected after the termites have finished and departed.  The hollow tree is then cut down and dried in the shade for many weeks.  The bark is then removed, the log sanded down and finally painted with traditional totem animals or stories.  So much for your history lesson today.

We now reluctantly head north looking to return to the boat.  A few stops and we will be back in Southport getting ready for our next adventure.

We came across the following sign and took the turn.  We head out to the surf beach.  Thought we might find a campground to stay in.  Well there were definitely surfers, but by the hundreds.  Every available space was taken up with tents.  Almost on top of each other.  We checked out the beach and then kept heading north.

We also checked out the various harbor entrances along the route.  Just in case we had the opportunity to sail south the following season.  There is a problem in Australia in that almost all entrances are what you call "bars".  This meaning they shallow up quickly and the wave action along with the angle you have to turn your boat could be quite dangerous.  We also found that that when you call the port control and ask about the conditions on the bar for entrance you better understand the local language.  You see "quite ordinary" means "don't even think about crossing the bar that it is dangerous".  Who would have thought.  In fact, we heard of a boat that did ask and thought great and continued in only to have is boat overturn in the waves.

You can see with entrance between the too "piles of stones"

We were told this was a calm day on this bar.

Well I hope you enjoyed our brief visit to Sydney and north.