I awoke last Thursday and felt like I hadn’t been anywhere new lately, so I decided to catch a formal presentation at the Sydney Opera House for the recently deceased architect, Jorn Utzon, who designed it. That didn’t work out, so I hope on a ferry in Circular Quay to Watsons Bay. When Lisa, Alex, Eric, and I took the Captain Cook mid afternoon coffee cruise last week, I remember the ship’s guide pointing out the gun placements along the “gap” or entry point into Sydney Harbor and wanted to take a closer look. Watsons Bay is on the south side of the gap.
Side track, The Captain Cook mid afternoon coffee or tea cruise was enjoyable. But I believe it is really dependent on the Ship’s guide. Ours had a dry sense of humor and was very informative at the same time. She clued us in on how much this house recently sold for, who lives in that house, there is a nudist beach that you won’t find any ladies on, there is a military base there, This is ‘x’ bay and this is ‘y’ bay, the history of that building is, etc, etc. Eric and I hid inside in the shade whilst Alex and Lisa enjoyed the brutal sun. On the way back, I think they either had grown tired of the folks they were sitting near, felt the sun was getting to them, or most likely their story was that they were having pity on Eric and I. The Coffee and Tea part of the cruise was very funny as the guide tried to verbally lead the seniors on our cruise into the appropriate lines. My eyes were rolling.
Some folks say if you don’t need the commentary, you can take the ferry to Manly beach and see pretty much the same sites for a good deal less money. One thing that surprise me on the cruise is how close sailboats and power boats, such at our get to within one another. Yikes! At times 5, or maybe 10 yards off. (This is a wide angle lens. Sorry about the lens flare, should have had my polarizer on).
Back to Watsons Bay
The ferry to and from Watsons Bay is very focused on tourist more than commuters. The first ferry from Circular Quay doesn’t arrive there until around 10am in the morning and the last ferry leaving is around 3:50pm. I know this because I was on it. When you arrive at Watsons Bay you may feel like 
you actually landed at Doyle’s Bay. Doyle’s is a local seafood chain that I mentioned in a previous post. On the dock where the ferry lands, is a Doyle’s on the dock. At one end of this building is Doyle’s Take Away (to go), and then on the beach is Doyle’s on the Beach. I decided to have a seat at Doyle’s on the Beach since the ferry coming over was full of seniors, that came off the cruise ship currently parked at Circular Quay, and they stopped at the first Doyle’s. Anyway, I think I was at the original at this location and it was nice to site right on the beach. I wasn’t super hungry and told my waiter that and asked if there was a half order of Fish and Chips or if I could get the child’s plate. He said ‘no.’ This was strange since not a week before at the Doyle’s in Circular Quay, Alex had successfully ordered the child’s plate with no issue. Anyways, if you aren’t there for the atmosphere, but just want the Fish and Chips, go to the Take Away place and get one less piece of fish for a savings of $30 AUD.
After I ate, I headed down the beach going North West until the beach ended and then climbed some stairs, went through a suburb and entered a park which led to a family beach that had a fair number of folks getting some sun and even a few doing some snorkeling.
Above snorkelers and canon that can’t quite reach the Sydney CBD.
I crossed the beach and climbs some more stairs and followed the path that winds along to the North cliffs where you get to walk past a nudist beach that was lacking the finer gender, check out the entry way to the harbor, folks fishing and view the old lighthouse. Eventually, if you follow the trail to its end, you run into a military base that is still in use.
Man against the sea, or just fishing. This in the only image that came out okay – where I metered off the water (the highlight). With digital photography, you really need to expose for highlight detail.
I headed back down towards Watsons Bay again, but this time turned west and walked up hill for a bit through a park and got the west part gap view. Here you can go north until you hit the military base from the other direction, or you can head south and take a paved trail that eventually puts you on the trail that leads from Watsons Bay all the way to Double Bay. I think I will take the trail another day. I think it may be called the southern heritage trail or something like that. Here are some more photos:
WWII big gun placement and a view of a couple of placements that were focused on the “gap.” Someone is standing on top of one of the gun placements.
Couple of snaps to the south of the ‘”gap.” In the first photo you can see where they used to cut sandstone. In the second photo, way in the distance, you can see a monument. $5 AUD if you can tell me what it is.
Want to know what you can bag?
