I was chatting with my brother on Christmas Day and he asked me to accompany him and a mate on Boxing Day to take a trip to Sydney Harbour to watch the start of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race,really an offer that I couldn`t refuse.

At 10.00AM the morning of the race we left my brothers place on the Georges river and headed out into Botany Bay then out to sea.The water was pretty calm and none of us found the trip to be uncomfortable. The boat,it`s a twin hull, was a recent purchase and was bought from the Water Police,still looks like a police boat and we got a few second looks from a number of people.

We arrived at the entrance to Sydney Harbour in about 45 minutes and ended up deciding to anchor and have breakfast just 20 or so meters from the North Head Quarantine Station. Cooking eggs,bacon and sausages and having a couple of beers while watching the million dollar vessels cruising past was nice.

Probably a half hour before the start of the race we moved to the first turn in the race,only a 5 minute cruise from where we breakfasted, and took up position but left the motors running. In the distance we could see at least 6 helicopters fairly close to the water and also the view of two of the maxi yachts sails,just looked like telephone posts in the distance.

When the leaders approached the noise level increased almost to a crescendo,people cheering and horns blowing along with boat motors. As the leaders passed the flotilla of boats all turned to follow or pace them. I have never been in such a chaotic situation on the water! Ferry's,surf boats,yachts,kayaks,half cabins,cruisers and speedboats all churning up the water,it was like being in a washing machine and my brother had to take evasive action a couple of times to avoid being sandwiched.

We followed and circled the race leaders from the harbour back to just off Port Botany and were probably the last people to wish luck to the crew of Wild oats(the boat that won the race the previous two years and now this years as well).

I took along a five dollar waterproof throw away camera and took 24 snaps but I was really missing my digital.

The washing machine.
Leopard.
Wild Oats
Skandia.

We will definitely do it again next year as the experience from go to whoa was just so amazing.

Great piccies, mate.

Sailboat racing is a sport that never really excites me, but the start of the race is always a great spectacle.

Wow that must have been exciting!

I would like to be in Sydney for the start of the race, because I think it would be a lot more exciting live than one TV, I don't really watch the race though.