If you look at a map of Sydney, you’ll see there’s an inlet that snakes several miles from the sea to the city. Along the way there are peninsulas of harbors and beaches, most of which are reachable by ferry out of Sydney’s CBD.
One afternoon I hop on a ferry towards Manly to walk the beach and grab a bite to eat. There is a longer walk in this area (Manly to Spit Bridge) but I only have an hour or two before sunset so I plan to stick to the beach.
…they even have a Yogurtland. How SoCal.
It’s a quiet weekday afternoon and there’s not much activity in the water. It’s a pleasant stroll but perhaps less than I was expecting?
After sunset I catch the next ferry back to Sydney (they run every half-hour or so) and drink in the twilight sky with a sliver of moon.
Flash forward to a few days later — I am delighted to meet up with my friend Sarah who lives in Sydney! We met in the Galapagos back in 2009 (perhaps you’ll recognize her from this post, among others):
It is such a treat to see her in person and catch up. She suggests we take the ferry to Watsons Bay, which is perfect because I’d hoped to visit that area ever since my uncle emailed me this link to CNN’s World’s 50 Best Beach Bars — and Doyle’s on the Beach in Watsons Bay ranks #10.
We grab coffee and order fish & chips to enjoy on the outdoor patio.
Since we don’t test any beverages other than coffee, I can’t verify CNN’s claim that this is one of the world’s best beach bars, BUT their fish & chips are quite good and the seaside patio is a lovely spot to catch up with an old friend.
After lunch Sarah suggests a short hike to Gap Bluff, which overlooks the ocean. The views back towards Sydney are an added bonus:
Gap Bluff is at the very eastern edge of Australia — if you were to jump in and swim straight out, you’d eventually hit New Zealand (you’d also have to be Michael Phelps in this scenario but we won’t think too hard about that).
Before taking the ferry back to Sydney, we stroll past cottages, cafes, and hotels.
Sarah admires this charming blue beach house and I see the appeal — what a cute weekend getaway (or a fun place to commute from if this is a primary home). Commuting via ferry sounds much more relaxing than bumper-to-bumper traffic on the 101 in L.A., which I endured daily for seven years!
I love the seahorse detail in the gate below.
Many thanks to Sarah for suggesting this excursion — it was a delightful way to spend an afternoon, and the best part was catching up!
A quick note regarding public transportation in Sydney — it is SO easy and worthwhile to purchase a pass for the duration of your trip, available at metro stops and many convenience stores. The pass covers rides on the metro, buses, ferries, some trains — and it only cost me $44 AUS for the week. I simply kept in my pocket and tapped on and off every time I used public transportation. It’s worth noting that if you get the slightly more expensive pass (I think it’s $65) then it covers the train that goes to the Blue Mountains, a popular destination just outside of Sydney. I’ll write more about that area later in the week.
