Tuesday 1 January 2013

The first day of the new year. Where will we go? Who will we meet? It's all part of the big adventure. However, first was breakfast for all, a tidy up from the night before. Many boats had left after the fireworks finished last night and many more had left early this morning before we got up.

With normal ferry traffic resumed in the harbour the rock and roll returned causing poor Lily to feel unwell. We were going to give our guests a trip in the big boat but with Lily unwell and the convenience of a ferry dock and link to train Cathy and Andrew opted for a short ride in the dinghy to the ferry.

Shortly after they'd left us we picked up our anchor with difficulty it was so firmly set and came back to Blackwattle Bay hoping to find a spot closer in the anchorage closer to the fish market. We were in luck and wriggled in between two long term residents with our stern nestling towards the foreshore wall.

In the late afternoon sunshine we went for a walk along the shore side path, passing Glebe Point and into the park where we watched the joggers and dog walkers. David was in need of a dog fix and he got a good one, stopping to pick up puppies, talking dog to the owners and rubbish to the dogs. We also met local people out enjoy the park too to chat to. Before industry left the central city area these were working docks; timber yards, tanneries and other industries, now it is an upmarket, bijoux place to live with many of the original nineteenth century terraces turned into luxury homes and very modern blocks of flats in the spaces between. Our short walk lasted two hours, twenty dogs met and six new friends made.