A Lazy Cruise up the Coast

With a couple of weeks to kill ahead of Christmas, and in pursuit of some quiet time for the Bloke to recover from recent surgery (no golf, no tennis was the instruction) we decided that a return to the Pittwater pond was a good idea. In any event, Gail and Debbie would be presenting at the RPAYC Cruisers First Friday on the subject of their visit to Port Davey, Tasmania during the last summer. Of course we'd be there to support or to heckle them! We wanted to sail up there. All that we needed was a slightly moderate southerly so we could enjoy a not-too-strenuous downhill ride. Getting back to Sydney for our flight to Brisbane  wouldn't be a problem as the winds are mostly northerly at this time of year. All we needed to avoid, was a 'Southerly Buster' to get up the coast.

As luck would have it, after some exceedingly hot days the conditions we wanted presented themselves. We were off again out into the ocean, even if not for long or far.

 Feet up. Its a downhill ride.

 Yup! Relaxed allright!

 

We rounded the Barrenjoey headland and aimed straight for Coasters to 'Our Mooring'. As always it was vacant. We have no idea to whom it belongs and we'd love to give them a couple of bottles of wine in gratitude. Even on the busiest of days, no one seems to want it. It's quite a hefty looking mooring, a longer rope than on most and a pretty heavy duty chain. We met a lady at the Palm Beach bus stop who we recognised as being 'the camping lady' who spent the whole of the winter in the National Park camp ground all on her own living out of a one man tent. She sat on the ferry jetty each day fishing in a floaty long dress which is why we noticed her. It was unconventional attire given the weather and activity. In conversation with her we mentioned the mooring and she thought it belonged to someone who had a chronic illness and therefore was unable to use it.  Sad to hear but lucky for us. It's a private mooring and not a club one like the majority of others and apart from always being available, nobody has even looked like they might ask us to move off it.

 'Our' mooring.

 Arrived in time to watch some racing under Barrenjoey Lighthouse.

For Captain Paulie..... yes, this lot are catamarans!

 The sun now disappeared, leaving as silvery dusk to settle over the anchorage.

How is that not restful?