Cruising Sydney Harbour

The next day, a Saturday, was election day in Australia. We worried that stores and restaurants would be closed, but Mikala assured us that we would hardly notice. As in the U.S., schools are used as polling places, and school clubs take the opportunity to raise a bit of money selling sausage rolls and cakes to voters. One surprising twist is that voting is compulsory. Citizens who fail to vote without a valid reason are fined.

This would be the last day Mikala could show us around, and she had arranged a special treat - a cruise around the harbour on a luxury power boat owned by a friend.

We cruised under the Harbour Bridge and past the Opera House. This is Fort Denison, a former prison and military fortress.

Here are some other pictures we took as we cruised through the harbour.

We anchored in a peaceful cove by the zoo. Mikala popped open the grill on the stern, and barbequed sausages and chicken sticks for everyone. Our new Australian friends hardly mentioned politics as we bobbed up and down, soaked up the sun, and enjoyed the food and drink.

We watched a fleet of sailboats nearby which seemed to be jockeying for position at the start of a race.

All too soon it was time to pull up the anchor, sail back under the bridge, and return to the dock.

We had sampled the Sydney lifestyle, and I gotta say that I am envious.