I tend to geek out on the latest and greatest gadgets and gizmos, in an attempt to stay up to date on what’s new in the marketplace. Today however, I took a step back in time, and turned into a little boy on board the James Craig, a 3-masted, 19th Century barque from the Sydney Heritage Fleet. This was truly a spectacular day at sea – reaching around 8 knots at full sail in the waters just off of Sydney!
Through our work, Megan and I do a bit of charity work with not-for-profit organizations around Australia. One of these, the Sydney Heritage Fleet, returned the favour and invited us out for the day on their iconic flagship, the James Craig. Following an $18 million restoration, the James Craig is one of only four similar vessels in the world still sailing, and the only one regularly carrying members of the public off Sydney Heads. Today’s voyage was it’s first trip out of Sydney Harbour since completing the most recent renovation and certification. We couldn’t have asked for a better day – the entire crew (which consisted of more than 50 volunteers) continually remarked on how the conditions today couldn’t have been better, and it was by far one of the best days for sailing they’ve seen in the last few years. It’s a pretty cool sight to see her at full sail.
With whales off our bow, and the wind in the sails, we set out onto a full day of sailing that took us out of the bay and south past Bondi and Coogee beach, to return six hours later. This was truly an extraordinary event, from a non profit organization which takes pride in their “Museum at Sea”.
If you’re ever in Sydney, or have a day to kill, I highly recommend spending a day on the James Craig – you definitely won’t regret it. She sets sail once a fortnight from Darling Harbour. When sea bound, she’s limited to a maximum of 80 guests, so get in early. Prices are around $160/person, and include morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea. She’s even available for cocktail parties in Darling Harbour or, if you’re in need of an amazing New Years Eve venue, she’s typically anchored just off shore near the Sydney Opera House – providing a second to none view of the New Years Eve fireworks display.
Here’s a few more photos from our day today. Enjoy!
