His: Steaming on Sydney Harbour

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A few months ago my dad messaged me on Facebook and asked if we would be interested in a Sydney Harbour cruise. Amanda would have been content floating on the harbour inside a rubber dingy so being able to cruise on an seaworthy vessel sounded like a great idea. The boat dad found was a 1902 steam powered boat. Its name is the "Lady Hopetoun" and was once the Governer General's boat. I loved this vessel as it held about 40 passengers and there was plenty of room for everyone and no need to fight for space to take photographs.

 The Opera House, Fort Denison and the Harbour Bridge

As the Lady Hopetoun is a smaller vessel it was able to get up close to the coast line and into shallower waters than many other vessels. The cruise took us past many of the iconic sights of the harbour including the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. After passing these sights the cruise went into to the western part of the harbour which is not as well traveled. There were several islands in the harbour, in addition to many harbour front houses. Amanda asked me to buy her one for Christmas but sadly I had to tell her that it was just a wee bit out of my budget right now.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

I remember reading Bill Bryson's book "In a Sunburned Country" a few years ago. In the book he talked about walking around Sydney Harbour and being able to see the Harbour Bridge from just about anywhere in the harbour. I discovered he was right, as many times you would cruise around a corner or behind some houses still be able to spot the bridge out in the distance.

The cruise was a great way to see all of the sights of the harbour. Being on the smaller ship was a blessing as you never felt crowded and was almost like being on your own personal charter boat without the exorbitant price tag. I have lots more photos to share so continue to scroll down to see the rest of the photos.

   

Part of the Sydney City Skyline

The Sydney Opera House

Luna Park (an amusement park by the harbour)

Many parts of the harbour have cliffs

Amanda would love one of these houses for Christmas

The Harbour Bridge seems to be visible from just about anywhere on the harbour.

Cockatoo Island, an old Navy Facility

A tug boat in front of ANZAC bridge

The photos of the harbour are stunning but do not begin to do it justice. If you ever get a chance to cruise on Sydney Harbour I highly recommend it as there are few better ways to relax on a sunny afternoon. What is your favorite view of the harbour?