The month of August was relatively quiet, cold and wet. Our first sail outing in a while was on the 16th August to the Basin for a BBQ with the Sail Cruising Division. We had a good turnout as the sailors were keen to get out and socialise again.
But enough of sailing – this is after all a sailing and travelling blog. So let’s start travelling.
Annie and I spent some time on the internet and booking.com organising visas, accomodation and rental cars for a trip to the USA, Canada and New Zealand during September and October. We’ve been everywhere, but believe it or not, not the USA! (or Russia)
We flew out of Sydney to San Francisco on the 3rd of September. Fortunately for you, we can’t bore you with selfies of us sipping champagne in the first class lounge, because we still fly economy. The risk of a sumo wrestler sitting next to you!
The Bart system – still modern today and very fast.
Arriving in San Francisco, I was excited to ride on the Bay Area Rapid Transit system (BART). The system was brand new in 1974 when I did my thesis for a degree in architecture (An integrated transport hub for mainline trains, underground rail, busses and a parking garage for cars). I received information from various underground systems from around the world – the most comprehensive information I received was from BART.
Union Square.
We checked into an hotel close to Union Square, which is central to the city. Our first day out, we explored by foot, covering 12.5km up and down hills – SF is famous for its steep topography and cable trams. A nice downhill walk through the financial districtgot us to the Port of San Francisco, from where we followed the shoreline past all the piers to number 39, which is the famous Fisherman’s Wharf. We stopped for lunch there and I had my first clam chowder, which was delicious.
Main entrance Port of San Francisco.
Looking across the bay with the Bay bridge behind us.
Model of Alcatraz island at Pier 35.
Looking out to Alcatraz.
Fisherman’s Wharf.
Then, up and down the hill back to our hotel for a shower, snacks and a bottle of tasty Napa Valley Chardonnay. What was clear after our day out and seeing the locals, is that SF is the world capital of alternative genders – but everyone is laid back and accepting. I was happily humming the lyrics of the Kinks 1970 hit Lola:
Well, I’m not the world’s most physical guy
But when she squeezed me tight, she nearly broke my spine
Oh, my Lola
Well, I’m not dumb, but I can’t understand
Why she walks like a woman and talks like a man
Oh, my Lola……
Fisherman’s Wharf – another view.
Saints Peter and Paul church on top of the hill.
The other interesting thing about SF, is the many driverless Waymo electric robotaxis on the road. There are currently more than 300 of them in service and they are quietly and efficiently doing on average, 4,300 trips per day currently, accounting for 23% of the taxi market share in SF. The whole fleet are Jaguar electric vehicles.
A Waymo robotaxi.
Clearly, nobody behind the steering wheel.
The next day, we took the Big Red Bus hop-on, hop-off essential day tour, to rest the legs. This was an excellent way of covering all the popular areas including the Haight Ashbury area where the hippies hung out in the late sixties. I used to dream of being there for the summers of peace and love, but it was hard enough paying for Uni, never mind travelling.
Beautiful “Painted Ladies” on the way to Haight Ashbury.
Turning into Haight Street.
Jimi Hendrix’s pad.
Having played in a band at school and being a bit of a music tragic, I followed the SF scene with Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead, Santana, Crosby, Stills etc, all home grown SF musicians. This time around, I was humming Scott McKenzie’s 1967 “Summer of Love” hit, San Francisco:
If you’re going to San Francisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
If you’re going to San Francisco
You’re gonna meet some gentle people there (and so on)
The Transamerica Pyramid completed in 1972.
San Francisco City Hall. The United Nations Charter was signed here in 1945.
Passing th harbour front again – interesting sculptures.
On Saturday our second last day, we tried the cable car (tram) system. For $15, you can ride the trams of the four lines for 24 hours, San Francisco’s cable cars were invented by Scots-born engineer, Andrew Smith Hallidie in 1873 to overcome the city’s steep hills, which horses struggled with on the wet and slippery cobblestone roads.
The central powerhouse and museum – the heart of the cable car system. Four lines run out from this powerhouse.
The four sets of winding wheels with their electric motors in the powerhouse.
From here the cables head out into different routes.
San Francisco’s cable cars work by being pulled along by a continuous, underground 32 mm steel cable, rather than having their own engines or exposed electrical cables. The longest looped cable on the California line is 6,600 (6.6km) long. The cable is moved by giant winding wheels in the central powerhouse. A crew member, the gripman, operates a lever to open and close a clamp (grip) on the car, which bites onto the moving cable to pull the car forward.
A friendly driver or gripman.
Annie stepping off a tram.
The same tram at the bottom of the hill and the end of its loop.
And now a bit of background on the 1906 SF catastrophe, which destroyed the cable car system: The 1906 San Francisco earthquake, which struck on April 18th 1906, was a catastrophic event that triggered a three-day fire from broken gas lines, destroying over 80% of the city, leaving around 250,000 people homeless. The earthquake destroyed over 500 city blocks, leaving 28,000 buildings in ruins.
Caused by a violent rupture along the San Andreas fault, the earthquake damaged infrastructure, including the crucial water system, which prevented effective firefighting efforts and allowed the ensuing fires to consume the city. While the death toll is estimated to be around 3,000 to 3,500. The disaster led to major changes in building codes, improved disaster response, and a dramatic, rapid rebuilding of the city, although the disaster also exposed social inequalities.
Afterwards, I nearly busted my gut walking up this section of Lombard Street – twisting because its so steep.
After the cable car rides, we walked to the Tenderloin Museum in Eddy Street.The term “Tenderloin” was originally applied to vice-ridden districts in cities like New York and later San Francisco, where it was said that police officers could afford better food (like tenderloin of beef) on bribes, than they could earn on regular salaries. This museum is very informative, but the surrounding area lives up to its reputation: drug addicts living on the pavements, openly using meth and fentanyl.
The tenderloin museum entrance.
People living on the pavement just outside the museum.
After a busy and wonderful time in San Francisco, on Sunday the 7th September we picked up a car at Avis and headed north out of SF to see the Redwood forests of California, enroute to Portland, Oregon. We will report back after our visit to Portland. Cheers for now.
May to August is the hibernating season for retirees in Sydney – and probably for retirees everywhere south of latitude 34 degrees south, in the Southern Hemisphere. We start this post with an old photo of Michelle our daughter, during her 49er FX sailing days in her early twenties, to remind us of warmer sailing days, which is not too far away.
Restored Art Deco interior at the Haydn Orpheum.
May was a relatively quiet month with less sailing (only to Akuna Bay) and less socialising (the John and Yoko movie retrospective show at the Orpheum theatre) in early June. With regular visits to Summerhill to see our granddaughter Nina, we stayed active – Annie helping Karen where needed, once a week.
Karen and Nina 28 June 2025.
When Harry met Sally? – No, when Paddy met Nina.
The annual Vivid Sydney Festival of Lights came around again in June. We haven’t been for the last eight years and decided to make an evening of it by taking the B-Line express bus to and from the city. The weather was clear, albeit chilly, but we stayed warm by walking a 9 km circuit form Wynyard station through Martin Place and the city to Circular Quay, then Barangaroo, on to Darling Harbour and back to Wynyard.
Martin Place – The Main Post Office building.
Circular Quay, Museum of Contemporary Art and the Harbour Bridge. (I can’t believe my old phone took this photo!)
Barangaroo – New office buildings
Winter solstice was on the 21st June, after which our daylight hours gets longer.The reality is of course, that the months of July and August are actually colder. But, our garden’s growth slows down – so my gardening activities also slow down. I did however manage to continue walks and cycling with the aid of gloves and warmer underwear, but Annie braved the cold gym she attends six day a week. We also started playing pickle ball with friends on Wednesdays and Fridays in Avalon, weather providing – good exercise, sociable and fun.
Winter Solstice walk to Long Reef Point.
Long Reef Headland next to the golf course – irreverent Aussie humour.
The Sail Cruising Division had a pleasant mid winter Outback BBQ lunch at PAC on the 12th July. Annie won a bottle of wine for her barn dancing moves. It was great to catch up with Michelle, who came to visit on the 13th July, after launching her Pasifika Wayfinders youth program in early July.
Michelle and her favourite and only niece, Nina
Karen and Evan packed up their rental in Summerhill and put everything into storage, before flying to San Francisco on the 22nd July. Karen will do a six month registrar placement in paediatric orthopaedic surgery in Portland, Oregon. We trust that Evan and Nina will have fun and support her.
Saying Bon Voyage to Karen, Evan and Nina on the 22nd July.
We had the annual Madison Way “Christmas in July” lunch at Ross and Heather Allan on the 26th July and caught up with our longest-standing Sydney friends.
Well, that sums up the quiet winter months here in Sydney. Watch out for our Spring 2025 post!
Since our last post, much has been happening in our family. First up, Karen our daughter and her husband Evan, welcomed their first child Nina Quinn, on the 6th February after an induction by her obstetrician, at North Shore Private Hospital,
Evan, Karen, first time Granny Annie and Nina.
Nina’s first bath – screaming blue murder!
We attended Graeme Smith’s 80th birthday party at the Middle Harbour 16ft Skiff Club on the 15th February.
Stef and Cath Adelbert, Jenny and Graeme Smith, Annie and Dirk.
My two brothers Vanna and Peet, with Vanna’s wife Annemarie, arrived in Sydney on the 1st March for a two week visit. Despite the confused weather due to Hurricane Alfred, we managed to get out on Esprit to sail on the Pittwater
Vanna, Annemarie and Peet at the Basin.
Tour de Narrabeen lake.
We also managed some cycling trips and walks on the Northern Beaches. The twins brought along some photos of our sailing days in South Africa on our first Esprit in the mid 1970’s.
Esprit racing in the Minister’s Cup.
Good sail trim.
Nina had her first vaccinations at six weeks and she and Karen visited us for a sleepover while Evan was away in the Hunter Valley.
A smile for Ouma. (Afrikaans for Grandma)
On the 8th March RMYC held a charity event “Raft Up 4 Life” in Refuge Bay. Jim Parsons invited us to join him on his Bavaria 42, “Knot Again, which rafted up with 79 boats around “The Pearl” with two bands providing music. The largest event of its kind on the East Coast.
The Pearl – the centre of attraction.
The view from Jim’s boat.
We also had a visit from Derek and Nushin Lamb from London. We did a walk to Shelly Beach and had dinner at the Manly Skiff Club.
Derek, Dirk, Annie and Nushin.
Michelle came to visit Sydney for two weeks. She met her new niece Nina and then flew back to the Pacific islands.
Aunt Shelly and Nina.
Karen and Evan then went to Newcastle for a week to visit Evan’s family and catch up with some uni friends.
Doctors with babies: Emma with Paddy (12 weeks) and Karen with Nina (6 weeks)
We were planning to sail down to Sydney Harbour on Friday the 18th April for the Easter long weekend. I was officer of the day for the Sail Cruising Division until Monday the 21st April. However, Ex-Tropical Cyclone Tam located near New Zealand, generated powerful long-period swells that travelled across the Tasman Sea, reaching the Sydney coastline. Coinciding with the swells, king tides – exceptionally high tides – amplified the impact of the waves, leading to significant coastal damage. (At least eight people people drowned across New South Wales and Victoria).
The swells breaking on Sydney beaches (The Guardian)
Our group of sailors set out from the Basin at 10:00 on Friday the 18th, but then ran into massive swells off Barrenjoey Lighthouse. After discussing the conditions on channel 72, we did a quick turn around, surfed back into Broken Bay and sailed on to Refuge Bay, which we used as a base for a pleasant long weekend on the water. Apart from the festivities and music laid on for RMYC members on the “Pearl”, we visited Cottage Point and Akuna Bay. Some memorable dinners were held on the various boats over the four nights. All boats returned none the worse for wear to RMYC on Monday afternoon.
Paul, Annie, Robyn, Maureen, Ross, Dirk, Paul, Trish, Sandy and Bob at Akuna Bay.
Following ANZAC day on the 25th April, the Sail Cruising Division members attended the inaugural “Salty Cup Games” and Beach Party at Hallet’s Beach against the RMYC Cruiser Division (Motor vessels) for a fun day in the sun.
The Salty Cup athletes.
The games had two events: Finska and Boules. The Sail Cruising Division won both events, Annie clinching the Finska event by knocking out the no.11 pin to reach 50 points in the third and final game. The massive trophy was donated by the RMYC Cruiser Division – they have vowed to win it back next year.
Finska champ.
My birthday came around on the 28th April. Now 78, I am still the best-kept “body building” secret in Warriewood. Annie now has twice the man she married 38 years ago! Attached are historic photos of my thinner and more hirsute days in the 1970’s. (It’s OK if you want to laugh out loud)
Stoker on South African Railways, early 1970’s.
1974: My 6th and final year B. Arch. at uni.
Finally, you may recall that when Annie and I crossed the Pacific Ocean on Esprit a few years ago, we had Bob McDavitt from New Zealand helping us with our weather routing from Panama to Australia. Fittingly, on my birthday today, I received Bob’s latest “Weathergram”. In the attached link below, he describes the difference between the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), which we encountered between Panama and Tahiti, and the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ), which we encountered between Tahiti and Australia. Most informative and a must read for sailors interested in the weather.
With that, we have brought you up to date with our the news of the last three months.
With the sh*t flying as a result of Trump’s tariff wars, we are waiting to see if this madness will settle down, before booking our flights to the USA and Cuba for August. We’ll keep you posted.
We emailed our Christmas greetings mid December and received many in reply – good news from all around the world! Another year over and an exciting 2025 ahead of us! This year we plan to visit the USA and Cuba in July and August. At the end of the year we plan to sail down to Tasmania and cruise around the island for a month.
The Schady-Muller mob on Warriewood beach.
December, as for most of us, was a busy month. Michelle came back from Fiji and is staying with us until she has lined up her next project. We spent time with the girls on the beach as well as attend various events with our sailing friends.
Stumpy the lizard visits the Sail Cruising Division Xmas lunch.
It was good catching up with old friends from South Africa and local friends over lunches, as well as our neighbours at 153 Garden Street, in Warriewood.
Dec. 2024; Reini, Lynne, Annie and Dirk.
Dec.1983: Reini, Lynne, Annie and Dirk.
To work off all the festive food and drinks, I did a lot of cycling, Annie a lot of gym and together, we did walks and swimming along our local beaches.
Annie doing her laps in the Narrabeen rockpool.
Annie and Michelle enjoying the sail down the coast to Sydney harbour.
The girls asked us to sail down to the harbour for the New Year fireworks and we had the pleasure of meeting a lot of their friends. We ended up spending 10 days on Sydney Harbour (Port Jackson), before sailing back.
The extended family anchored in Rose Bay for the fireworks. Welcome Evan!
Another spectacular show, viewed from Esprit. Also, midnight ringing in Annie’s 70th birthday! (looking good and many more birthdays, my love!)
We celebrated our friend Gavin Birch’s 80th birthday for lunch and music on the Zephyr charter boat, cruising on the Pittwater.
The excellent duo performing on Gavin’s birthday cruise.
Dusk- Zephyr returning to Newport wharf.
Our friends Jim and Gail Petrie arrived at their apartment on New Year’s Day. Over dinners, we caught up with their Cape Town news. We visited Pretty Beach for two nights, did a coastal walk to Maitland Bay and attended a Joe Camilleri and the Black Sorrows concert in Gosford.
Gail, Jim and Annie on the Maitland Bay walk.
Joe Camilleri and the Black Sorrows at full tilt.
Australia Day on the 26th January fell on a Sunday, with a public holiday on the Monday. We started the festivities with champagne and canapes at the RMYC and ended with the SCD members at Bonny Doon beach.
Part of the Australia Day crowd.
Michelle, in the meantime, discovered that some of her frequent flyer points were about to expire. So off she went to Sri Lanka on a two week surfing holiday – evidently, the new Bali for surfers and yoga lovers. Latest news is, she was having a whale of a time.
View of the surf from Michelle’s accommodation.
Annie is getting excited about the prospect of becoming a grandmother on or about the 5th February. I have asked her to hold back until the baby has arrived. We will report back with the deets on gender, weight and name in our next post.
Annie at the helm sailing north – read more later.
What better way to start October than joining the CCCA members on the 5th, for an Octoberfest at America Bay. For the princely sum of $10/pp, Pam, Phil and Steve provided us with typical German fare aboard Nahli, rafted up with two other yachts for enough seating space.
On Labour day Monday the 7th October, Ron and Michelle, Russell and Helen joined us at the Basin for a long lunch until 6pm. After my bi-annual skin check and annual visit to the dentist with no problems detected, I was ready for the 98th opening of the RMYC sailing season on the 19th October.
RMYC and RAN flag officers.
This event with its usual pomp and ceremony, band, drinks and canapés, followed by a fleet sail past the RMYC flag officers and visiting Royal Australian Navy officers, is a popular and well attended event.
Clan MacLeod pipe band.
A long standing tradition.
Our daughter Michelle, gave a presentation on her youth programmes in the Pacific Islands, at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa and flew back to Fiji via Sydney. We hadn’t seen her for months, so it was great to walk the annual “Sculptures by the Sea” exhibition with her, between Bronte and Bondi on the 28th October.
Michelle being introduced by Chief Justice Nelson of Samoa.
Sculptures by the Sea: A bull made of car body parts.
Quite an extraordinary sculpture – one of many.
This was followed by dinner at her sister Karen in Summerhill. Annie was overjoyed to have her daughters together for an evening.
Michelle, Annie and Karen.
The first week of November was quite busy: Esprit was slipped again, this time at Mac Marine, to have her rudder bearings replaced. We had to do this before sailing to Port Stephens with the Sail Cruising Division.
Lift out at Mac Marine.
The rudder comes out.
The shipwright with the cleaned composite rudder stock and polished bearings.
We had a test run to the Basin afterwards to do a coastal walk with the Smith’s at Coasters Retreat and have a pleasant lunch. We dropped off our friends at RMYC and filled the water tanks and loaded provisions for the sail up north.
Gavin, Frances, Annie, Graeme and Jenny.
On Saturday the 9th November we set sail from Barrenjoey lighthouse in a steady 18 knot SE wind, having a fast sail to Lake Macquarie. We picked up a mooring at the Swansea lake entrance bridge at 2pm, to stay overnight.
Annie sailing past Bird Island.
The following day we had a disappointing 5-10 knot SE wind, which combined with the south flowing east coast current, forced us to motor sail the 35 nm to arrive at Port Stephens at 5pm. We picked up a public mooring in Shoal Bay.
Shoal Bay beach and Tomaree Head.
The overcast weather on Monday was ideal to climb Tomaree Head at the entrance to Port Stephens, up to the summit, to enjoy spectacular views out to sea and inland over the vast Port Stephens waters.
Dense ferns on the lower slopes of Tomaree Head.
Halfway up, looking out over Shoal Bay, with Esprit on a mooring near the beach.
Walkways near the summit.
Looking out to Fingal Island and Fingal Bay beyond the spit..
Looking North with Broughton Island in the far distance on the right.
Trees at the summit, weathered like me.
On Tuesday, a break in the rainy weather allowed us to do a 6 km coastal walk to Nelson Bay and back. At 5 pm, Ian and Lyn from a 40 ft. Jeanneau, “Blue Tango” joined us for sundowners. They were on their way back to Sydney after spending five months of our Sydney winter, cruising in the Whitsundays.
Next day, we motored to Soldiers Point jetty to pick up Eugene and Adelaide for a cruise around Soldiers Point, Cromarty’s Bay and North Arm Cove, before picking up a mooring in Fame Cove for lunch. After dropping them off later, we picked up an overnight mooring at Salamander Bay.
Historic Wangi Queen ferry passing us in Fame Cove.
Eugene picked us up the following day at Shoal Bay jetty to go sightseeing by car to Boat Harbour and have lunch at their house in Anna Bay. Karen and Evan arrived for a visit and lunch and later dropped us off at the boat in Shoal Bay.
Lunch at Anna Bay with Eugene, Karen and Evan.
After a pleasant four days in Port Stephens, we set sail at 10:00 on the 15th, in a 10-12 knot N-E wind and a 2 metre swell on the beam, to reach Lake Macquarie at 16:30. Overnight, the windpicked up to 20-25 knots from the east, so we made a 7:00 start the next morning. We set off with two reefs in the mainsail and a 50% furled jib to fly back to the Pittwater at more than 8 knots average speed, to pick up our mooring at 12:00. A good time was had by all!
Sailing back past Catherine Hill Bay.
On Friday the 22nd November the SCD boats assembled at the Basin at 11:00 for the annual Patonga Pub Cruise. This popular event is now held on a Friday to avoid all the weekend day trippers. Leaving lunch, the VW Kombi below was parked outside – iconic!
A well used classic VW Kombi.
By the way, we thank our friend Cath Adelbert for creating a new Blog Archive page for our site. Click on “Blog Archive – Start here” at the bottom of each page, to view all our posts by year from 2016 until the present. This is much faster than my previous static pages. When opening a year, the oldest posts can be found at the bottom of the page, working up to the latest for that year at the top of the page.
That’s it for now. We will post again early in the new year.
