Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

Boxing Day was spent out on the harbour sending off the yachts racing down to Hobart in the famous Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht race...one of the most famous and difficult yacht races in the world.

Pre-race...boats demonstrating their storm sails

The morning was wet and overcast but hundreds of boats still gathered in the harbour to cheer on the sailors. It was pretty spectacular to watch the 87 boats race out of the harbour and all of the spectators cheering on.

Our crew took our sailboat out past the heads and sailed down with the fleet out a few miles.

Boats sailing off towards Tasmania

The majesty and speed of the super maxi's amazed me. I had only a few seconds to snap shots of the Wild Thing (the 98-foot yacht our friend Rusty is racing...you can see him hanging of the bow in the photo below) before she sped past us (and at this point we were still under motor; because of restrictions spectator boats were not allowed to put up sails until they were clear out of the harbour).

Wild Thing

Wild Thing racing into the horizon...you can make out Wild Oats XI on the right

GO WILD THING!!!

Bono in Sydney

December 14, 2010--Steph and I saw U2 live at ANZ Stadium.

It was a spectacular performance. Their 360 stage is truly amazing--and allows the band to get closer to their fans. We were probably within 50 meters of Bono at one point :-)

Here is what they played...

Main Set: Return of the Stingray Guitar, Beautiful Day - Sgt. Pepper's, New Year's Day, Get on Your Boots, Magnificent, Mysterious Ways, Elevation, Until the End of the World, All I want Is You - Need You Tonight - Never Tear Us Apart - Slide Away, Love Rescue Me, Pride, In A Little While, Miss Sarajevo, City of Blinding LIghts, Vertigo, I'll Go Crazy (remix) -Two Tribes, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Scarlet, Walk On- You'll Never Walk Alone

Encores: One, Amazing Grace - Where the Streets Have No Name, Ultraviolet, With or Without You, Moment of Surrender

Victory!

The silly season is in full gear...more about that later...

But I had to take a minute to let you all know that I've officially crewed my first winning sailing race...Caroline la Duce won Friday night's Twilight :-) We were first in our division and second across the line!

I'd like to think my winching contributed to our win...our prize--a bottle of wine, signed by our crew--to be saved for a very special occasion. Or as Graeme suggested--put away into my "cellar".

Watson's Bay adventure

Recently we have been blessed with a long series of "perfect" Saturdays...

(as a side note--I've just realized I've typed "recently"...but what that should really read is since my arrival in Sydney)

One recent Saturday was spent in Watson's Bay. Meredith, Tom and I took the ferry from Cicular Quay (a great and efficient way to travel to the various bay's in Sydney harbour)...we managed to catch the 12 pm ferry (with only 3 minutes to spare) despite the late conclusion of Friday night festivities :-)

We had a brilliant lunch of a seafood platter and fish & chips at Doyle's. I recommend sitting on the second floor as you can take in brilliant panoramic views of Sydney.

Stephanie and Ed joined us for an afternoon hike up to South Head opening up to spectacular views of the harbour and ocean.

In honour of AJ we took a "staged pass out" photo along our walk. While walking, someone yells "pass out" and you must collapse on the spot. We gave some asian tourists quite a fright!

Kicking off the Holiday Season at the Squady

I have to be honest...I'm missing the white Christmas...it's been quite an adjustment getting used to Christmas trees decorated with emus and kangaroos, store front decorations with sand and Christmas balls, Santa in a Hawaiian shirt and a panama hat, parrots on decorative "Happy Holidays" flags...I miss the coziness of being wrapped up in a soft blanket while sipping hot chocolate and reading a book (preferably in front of a roaring fire).

But Australia none the less has it's charms and traditions...we kicked of the Holiday Season on Monday with a beautiful dinner and Christmas Carols at the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron. The night was filled with great company, fine champagne, a cheezy choir decked out in sequence and lots and LOTS of singing....my heart filled with the holiday spirit and as we toasted to the Queen I realized that there is no other place I'd rather be :-)

I even won a bottle of Squady champagne by finding the "coin" in my Christmas pudding! Stephanie was sad she couldn't find the coin in hers...

We wrapped the night up singing the AUSTRALIAN version of The Twelve Days of Christmas...

On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

an emu up a gum tree

On the second day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

two pink galahs and an emu up a gum tree

On the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

three jabirus, two pink galahs and an emu up a gum tree

......

On the twelth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

twelve parrots prattling, eleven numbats nagging, ten lizards leaping, nine wombats working, eight possums playing, seven koalas climbing, six platypuses, five kangaroos, four kookaburras, three jabirus, two pink galahs and an emu up a gum tree.