11

      HARBOUR CRUISE + FERRY RIDES      

November 2012  

not much walking

but it takes a day or two

So far this year I have done all the Inner Harbour walks and also walked across the Bridge. 

But there is still some time left till the end of the year. So I thought instead of starting now to walk along the water’s edge of the North Shore and Eastern Suburbs, in November I will be lazy and go for rides on all ferries and look at the Harbour the easy way. 
No way of having an easy time. 
It was  hard work too to catch all day some ferries, 7 of them. I did not go on the Parramatta River Ferry this time, because I did that in May.
Writing up over 8 hours of excursions and selecting photos of the far too many I have taken was not easy. With Christmas approaching I hardly could  find enough time to sit down and work solidly on my project. Finally it was all done.

11.1.1 

CRUISING ON THE HARBOUR     

November

  

Before I even began to look at all the ferry time tables, an invitation  arrived to join the 90th birthday celebration of a friend on a Tall Ship Harbour Cruise! 

No better way to start going around on the Harbour.

The ‘Southern Swan’ is an 1850‘s style Tall Ship and was built in 1922 in Denmark. She came to Australia for the Bicentenary Celebration in 1988 and stayed in Sydney ever since.

The voyage started from Sydney Cove.

The boat used its engine to travel to Watson Bay, 

. 

and then returned under sail.

This was magic. 

11.1.2      

I went downstairs, 

It was so quiet there, 

only the calming sound of the swell against the timber to be heard. 

Soon more of us explored the tight facilities and admired the timber work.

This silence, just sailing, no motor noise, is not so noticeable on deck, because of all the happy talking and food and drinks being offered all around.  

The lively atmosphere was great,

and the view was fantastic. 

11.1.3     

Only too soon we were back at the Bridge and the sail came down, 

and this beautiful  little voyage came to an end. 

What a great way to see Sydney Harbour. 

AND 

a few days later I saw the beautiful Southern Swan go past Barangaroo,

AND

then again at Circular Quay.

11. 2  

         

  HARBOUR FERRY RIDES

November 2012  

a day or two

Sydney Ferries can take you to 8 destinations along the Harbour:

Inner Harbour - west of the Bridge:

  Darling Harbour via North Sydney, Luna Park and Balmain 

  Woolwich via Cockatoo Island

  Parramatta and Rydalmere 

East of the Bridge:

  North Shore :                                      

  Neutral Bay

  Mosman

    Taronga Zoo

    Manly

  Eastern Suburbs:

    Watsons Bay

To go on all the ferries one needs a whole day, or more if the connections are not perfect.

One can just go to Circular Quay and take the next ferry leaving to wherever it takes you, and on returning to Circular Quay get on the next available ferry to another destination. 

Or one can work out a schedule and do it systematically. 
I just went in the morning to Circular Quay and tried to follow my Harbour Walks. 

Circular Quay is always an interesting place. 

It is interesting to watching the ferries come and go, often a big Cruiser is in the harbour,

 also looking at people, admiring the street artists there is fun. 

Waiting for a ferry is never boring.

11.2.1  

DARLING HARBOUR   

  I started with the Ferry to 

The Darling Harbour Ferry departs Circular Quay every at 30 minutes interval, on weekends every 20 minutes and it takes almost 1 hour to do the return trip.

Ferry going west go under the Bridge 

and stop first at North Sydney, Lunar Park.

Some big yachts were on the harbour, maybe practicing for the Sydney to Hobart Race on Boxing Day.

It was real nice to see now the places I have walked along a while ago from  the water:

Walsh Bay,

      

   Darling Harbour 

with Barangaroo and the City skyline to the east,

 and to the west White Bay with the Anzac Bridge 

and Balmain Peninsula 

Some things have changed:

the restoration of the 1880s Fenwick stone building

at  Bell’s Foreshore, Balmain East Wharf has been completed.

It is great  to see the Heritage Ships at the Maritime Museum close-up, especially the Endeavour.

I wonder what Barangaroo will look in a few years time. 

Will it become the new centre of Sydney?

11.2.2  

WOOLWICH

The next ferry took me to

The Woolwich / Balmain Ferry does not go so frequently, hourly service only, except during peak hours. 

The return trip takes 1 hour.

This ferry goes also west under the Bridge,

past Goat Island, 

                                       

into Mort Bay

around Ballast Point,

across Snails Bay, 

and on to  Birchgrove.

At Woolwich I had a good view of the Woolwich Dock. 

The next ferry stop is Cockatoo Island.

Cockatoo Island is very popular since it has become a National Park.

It has a rich convict and shipbuilding history. Now many of cultural events happen here.

Nice to see the old Coal Loader at Ball Head Bay from the ferry.

Passing Balls Head,

                                           then Blues Point

    

                      and Lavender Bay.

This ferry trip was great, it took me past most of my harbour walks along the water’s edge.