Setting sail for the Northern Beaches

We left bright and early Sunday morning about 5ish. A gorgeous start to the day, we motored out of d'Albora Marina, Rushcutters Bay...

...past Sydney Harbour and out through Sydney Heads. Magic day!

We got a bit of swell once out to sea and had left Ayla in bed - big mistake...she woke up, not knowing where she was and tossing and turning in her bunk. She came up for some fresh air but it was a little too late. Poor thing vomitted a couple of times but she came good after that.

We continued motoring up the coast - the wind was coming from the North so we left the sails tucked away. It was fascinating to me to see the area I grew up in, and the beaches I knew so well, from this vantage point! We went past Manly, Curl Curl, Dee Why, Collaroy, Narabeen, Warriewood and Mona Vale, constantly changing our minds as to which beach was which. We could see the Baha'i Temple sticking out for ages and then we recognised Mona Vale Hospital (where I was born and where I'd visited my Mum only a few weeks before) but it wasn't until I recognised Newport Surf Club that I could be absolutely certain where we were! That huge yellow building was undisputably Newport Beach!

Then of course it was easy to see Bilgola, then Avalon, then Whale Beach and finally Palmy! And around Barrenjoey Headland we went - the Lighthouse sticking out so far on the bare headland that looks so different after the fires 2 years ago.

Once we got around Barrenjoey Heads and between Lion Island, the swell subsided and we motored onto our mooring in Careel Bay, our home just off George Street in Avalon, for the next 10 days or so...