Miker wrote:Well there you go, I did manage to get to the harbour for NYE, and only saw one other Top Hat, but couldn't read the name. It looked like an all lady crew too, but not Curly Tops.
We left Careel Bay on the 30th, but as the wind was on the nose we motored most of the way, dropping in via Dee Why to take some photos for my Canadian mate who was on board and lived there for a year back in 09. We anchored off Manly wharf at about 3pm and had a couple of beers and watched the passing parade of paddle boarders falling off all around us and generally soaking up the summers atmosphere. A far cry from the Canadian -30 winter Kevin had come from.
At 6, Gabi and Kev's wife Diny arrived with pizza and we ate that on the beach as the sun set. They all left me a lone around 10 and I slept off an on until about 8. Manly near the Wharf Hotel isn't the best overnight anchorage, there's always a little bump coming from somewhere and the ferries go until 1am.
At midday they arrived back and we sailed down to Athol Bay via Watsons Bay. When we arrived at Athol, the first boat we recognised was a lovely old Swanson 38' with Bear grinning from ear to ear, accompanied by Tom and all the Bear Clan.... The wind was up a bit so anchoring was a little tricky, but after being moved once by RMS we settled in and watched the goings and comings of the various boats who came late trying to squeeze in.
I did go and visit Bear and have a look over his boat briefly, and it's a great thing. Not sure where he put all those folk he had on board over night! We also had two other small boat visitors, who had intended rafting, but with the strong winds we weren't holding well enough, so they left for calmer waters.
The aerial display by two stunt planes and the fireworks were in one word Awesome, a word that's so often over used, but in this case an understatement. Our Canadian friends were agast at the spectacle, and the unbelievable atmosphere. Of course there were the occasional knobs with not quite enough experience to know how to anchor properly and the expert RMS guys managed to politely move them on, or help them out.
After the festivities I dropped the guests and the bride off at Manly, and apart from a pitiful display of showing off to his mates by a large cruiser jumping the jetty queue at Manly, I was anchored and in bed before Gabi has got in a cab to get home.
Kev arrived back at 0830 for the return trip on New Years Day, and we motored out with a pod of dolphins around North head. By the time we were mile or so off, we had enough sea room to set sail in the reasonably strong Nor Easter. We were pretty hard on, so going a bit slower than I'd have liked, but once around Bangally head we were able to hear away and speed up a bit. Back on the mooring by 1500.
Would we do it again? Yep, but perhaps not something we'd do every year. It would have been nice to have been able to sleep all of us, and stay a little longer, but I had other commitments in QLD on the 2nd. If you go expecting that you'll have the occasional knob head doing stupid stuff and them being inconsiderate of others, you'll have a grand time.
Good to see you Bear, after all this time. Hope your trip back to the Lake was a good one......
Hi Michael,
Thanks for sharing the details of your NYE adventure, it’s a trip that my partner Neil and I hope to do one year when we have more sailing experience (and confidence!) We are brand new to the boat scene, having taken ownership of a sweet little MKI called ‘
Jess of Sussex’ mid last year. She is moored around the corner from your Dulcamara, just off Clareville beach.
We spent five days over new year’s exploring Pittwater, the Hawkesbury and Cowan Creek. It was just awesome and Jess was on her best behaviour. Consequently we are hooked.
It would be great to say hi sometime when we are both on the water, and perhaps you might be willing to share some of your Top Hat knowledge over a beer or two?
Kirsty & Neil
“Jess of Sussex”
Clareville NSW
Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2015 1:37 pm