Classic AquaSport
General Aquasport Forums => Chum => Topic started by: RickK on April 07, 2008, 01:25:02 AM
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The end of Feb I had the opportunity to go to Australia for 3 weeks for work and I'd like to share some pix of that area with you - starting with the Sydney area.
I'll start out with this pix from the hotel in Bondi - a town just east of Sydney. It is a famous topless beach and also where they held the Olympic volleyball competition (too cold and windy for any topless sight-seeing, sorry guys):
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0533.JPG)
I then took a bus to a ferry pickup point to head to Sydney Harbor. The ferries are part of the public transportation system - $16 "day tripper pass" gives you 1-day unlimited access to all the transportation - buses, trains and ferries. You can see the ferry coming in.
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0536.JPG)
These are BIG Cats
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0551.JPG)
This is the Sydney Harbor Bridge
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0557.JPG)
and a few shots of the Opera House - typical "tourist pix"
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0558.JPG)
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0560.JPG)
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0562.JPG)
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0600.JPG)
Close-up of the bridge
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0565.JPG)
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0564.JPG)
More ambitious than I was
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0569.JPG)
I took another ferry to Parramatta. I knew I was going to be safe :wink:
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0581.JPG)
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0588.JPG)
I heard a "local" telling someone that this used to be where they off-loaded ammo off ships
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0594.JPG)
Sydney skyline
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0599.JPG)
The last ferry I took was to Manly. This was a BIG ferry - maybe 100ft long and could be driven so that it go either direction - was no front or rear of the boat.
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0602.JPG)
The winds were up to about 35 knots - I got really windburned. Here is a BIG auto-transport ship going out to sea.
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0603.JPG)
One of the "Heads"
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0608.JPG)
These were NOT small snailboats - maybe 50 footers and although it's hard to see, they had maybe 12 people hanging over the side for balance. The ferries have the right-of-way. Had one big sailboat almost broadsided us - I mean tacked away at about 20 ft out. :shock:
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0605.JPG)
We reached Manly in about 45 minutes
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0613.JPG)
The rest are pix on the way back to Sydney;
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0616.JPG)
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0621.JPG)
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0624.JPG)
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0626.JPG)
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0628.JPG)
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0631.JPG)
And you thought it wouldn't be about boating, huh?
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After 2 days in Sydney I had to head to Mebourne to go to work. This is where I spent the majority of my time in Australia (and the least time sight-seeing)
Here are some pix of the Melbourne area - we had a weekend off and headed to the southwest along the Great Ocean Highway. Our goal was to make it to see the 12 apostles - about a 4 hour non-stop drive from Melbourne. Needless to say, it was a LONG day (about 15 hours)
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0652.JPG)
The first stop was at Bells Beach, probably the most famous of surfing beaches, with Jan Juc, a close by beach, being right behind it. To say the least, surfing is the primary past time here and where they say surfing started.
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0653.JPG)
Most of these pix are just scenery pix as we worked our way southwest. Some of this could be like our West Coast.
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0658.JPG)
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0659.JPG)
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0660.JPG)
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0662.JPG)
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0666.JPG)
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0667.JPG)
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0668.JPG)
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0669.JPG)
We finally make it to the Twelve Apostles which I think are what is left of the shoreline after the water eroded the sandstone looking rock away leaving 12 unique pieces of it standing out away from the shore. I think there are only about 8 "apostles" left - still cool looking.
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0723.JPG)
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0724.JPG)
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0725.JPG)
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0726.JPG)
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0730.JPG)
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0731.JPG)
(http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/data/588/68S_IMG_0732.JPG)
Hope you enjoyed this. A little reprieve from your hectic day.
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Brings back memories from my Navy days :) Being the typical sailor I did not take many pictures when I was there, but do remember hitting the bars :!:
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Cool pictures Rick, too bad it was cold and windy :(
Marc..
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Thanks for sharing Rick!
I will in Australia and New Zealand in 1992. I was only 23 years old. Had a great time.
Great pictures! Thanks!!
//Lars