Urban Exploration

Sunday in Sydney is $2.50 public transportation day. This includes bus, train, and ferry. So each Sunday I wander out into the world and ride to far and distant corners of the city that are generally an expensive transit. This past Sunday I decided to go waterfall hunting. I took a bus, ferry, then walked a few kilometers to get to Spring Cove, a small beach near Manly.

Collins Falls were dry; still a very good beach find. I'll bring my swimming gear next time.

Some of the local architecture along the ferry ride back.

Boats and Blue-Tongues

Over the past several weeks I have been sailing on the harbo(u)r and working with Alex to get Berrimilla III seaworthy. She's currently set up for short day trips in fair weather. Our goal is to attach the wind vane (wind-guided auto pilot) as soon as possible and make the inside more comfortable for longer voyages. Alex and I stayed on BIII overnight on New Years to watch the fireworks over Sydney Harbor and found several vacancies in cabin comfort. Alex's partner, Hilary, made lee cloths for the bunks, which we tested for the first time. The bunks are usually filled with tool boxes, cooking equipment, and random extra boat parts when they're not being used by people. On a gusty sail a couple weeks back, one of the tool boxes fell to the floor, popped open, and spilt washers and nuts into the depths of the bilge. Thus, lee cloths became a priority.

We bunk the same as in Berrimilla II, Alex lives to port (left side) and I take up residence to starboard. Storage and cooking areas are still being sorted. Alex removed the toilet long ago and now has a portable self-contained toilet. The compartment previously housing the loo is being converted into shelves for storage by yours truly. The cooking area is my next project. (Or Alex's depending who gets there first.) At the moment, there is a functional stove and a teapot. The difficulty we found was the absence of a food preparation surface and utensil storage. I have been using the engine box for food preparation and all the utensils, cups, and bowls are tossed in a jumble under the sink. It's an on-going project.

Yesterday Unchi the cat brought home a present. He captured and brought home a live blue-tongue lizard. A full-grown lizard lives in the back yard and is about half the size of the cat. Yesterday's prize was a live baby which the cat released into a pile of boat equipment in the middle of the living room. It was about six inches long. Alex chased off the cat while I caught the lizard and released it outside. It seemed unharmed, but was scared and gnawed on my finger. The only defense of a blue-tongue lizard is just that; his blue tongue. By displaying it, he pretends he is poisonous and cannot be eaten. Sadly, the cat does not speak Australian fauna, so harmless lizards are occasionally brought home.

Blue-Tongue Lizard after release

Adult Blue-Tongue who lives by the pool. It's a little over a foot long.