After departing Noumea, there were two days at sea, before arriving in Australia, at Eden and Sydney the following day. The first day at sea went well. However, that evening it started to get a little rough and only got worse by the following morning. At lunch on the day before we were supposed to arrive in Eden, the Captain still expected we would arrive on time. However, there might be some problems with the ability to Tender.
It was around 7 pm during dinner service that the Captain made an announcement. Due to the weather and sea conditions only getting worse it would be unlikely we would make it to Eden on time. As a result, they were redirecting and expecting to arrive in Sydney one day early. As I understand there was a round of applause from almost everyone on the ship. I would have enjoyed seeing Eden as there is some family history there. However, I am sure there will be another chance in the future for me to visit the area.
Sydney, Australia
Besides Brisbane where I live, Sydney is the next closest capital city to home. However, I have spent very little time here, maybe 1 or 2 days in total. Where in comparison early last year I spent a whole week in Melbourne, and months overseas.
Coming into Sydney a day early was kind of like a bonus. I did have a hotel for a couple of nights after the cruise. But having a chance to explore a little without the first task being to sort out luggage and hotels first.
Arriving into Sydney harbour was rather early, just before the sun would rise. As a result, with an overcast morning, the photos were not great. However, there was just enough light as we were arriving near the Sydney Opera House to get the above photo.
Watson’s Bay Ferry
Having never been to Sydney to explore the area, I let a friend from the cruise take the lead. It was decided to catch the ferry from Circular Quay to Watson’s Bay. The ferry takes around 30 minutes and gives some great views of the harbour along the way. It cost around $10.60 return, which is much cheaper then the tour options available.
Watson’s Bay is a small community with some nice spots to walk. With a park and some places to eat nearby to the ferry, you also have the option to walk up to the Southern Head. The Heads are the entry point from the Pacific Ocean to Sydney Harbour and offer a great view. You can see out to the Pacific Ocean, while also getting an amazing view back to the Sydney Skyline.
On the Southern Head are two pieces of history that are linked. The first is Hornby Lighthouse, which was erected in 1858. The second the lightkeepers cottages also built in the same year. They are both a very interesting piece of history, and sure to have saved many a ship over their time. But often never visited by many visitors to Sydney.
Sydney By Night
It has been great being in Sydney a day early, especially being onboard MS Volendam overnight. It allows you to get some rather unique views of the city. Such as the below photo taken from onboard the ship.
After the last dinner on board the Ms Volendam, a group of us went for a walk around Circular Quay. To see the area by night, capturing some images of the Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge and the ship by night.
There will be a little more to come from me about Sydney over the next few days. I am booked in to stay for a couple of nights and have a little time to explore the city more.
