As I mentioned in my last post not many yachts had arrived when I went to check out the Sydney Hobart race yachts the other day so on New Year’s Eve I went back for another look. What a difference a day makes! All the yachts bar one had arrived and the dock was full of them.
I met my friends Ally and Matt and we had fish and chips at Mure’s Lower Deck before embarking on a tour of the fleet. Most of the photos here are mine but my friends have given me permission to use some of theirs as well. My photos were taken with my Nikon Coolpix L120. Matt and Ally used iPhones to take theirs and sent them to me via Facebook this morning. I have not edited their photos except for one of Matt’s panoramas to crop out an intrusive yellow railing. Hope you don’t mind Matt.
All the yachts from the Clipper Round The World Race had arrived giving the place quite an international feel. The Sydney Hobart Race is part of Leg 4 of their race around the world. If you are interested to learn more about this race you can visit the website here. There are twelve identical 70 foot yachts which are supplied by the race organisers. The crews are made up of people from all walks of life, not necessarily experienced sailors. They are trained especially for the race. If you have always dreamed of ocean sailing this might be the way to achieve it. Here are three different takes on the subject. First mine, then Ally’s then Matt’s.
There were even two entries from South Australia, Clipper Ventures 5 and 10. Clipper Ventures Australia has recently been set up to offer training and experience to amateur sailors in Australia through corporate events and taking part in races such as the Sydney to Hobart Race.
There were other international entries. Two from UK Armed Forces Sailing; Discoverer of Hornet and Adventure of Hornet were berthed side by side. 
I mentioned French yacht Teasing Machine and Italian yacht Maserati but there was also a German entrant, Haspa Hamburg. I thought that this yacht had retired due to the bad weather but she turned up in Hobart after all I was pleased to see. Another French yacht Courrier Leon took out second place on handicap. There was also a Chinese entrant Shuguang Haiyang which means Dawn Sailing. I think I did see this yacht but don’t seem to have an individual photo of it.
On New Year’s Eve the Hobart Waterfront becomes one big party zone with a ticketed party at the Taste of Tasmania and two lots of public fireworks, an early one at 9:30pm and the main one at midnight. I’ve always wanted to see the fireworks but due to living 60km away I have never been able to go to see them. However, Ally and Matt who live closer to the city, did go to the early fireworks and have sent me their best photos.
I hope you have enjoyed reading about this year’s race. For those interested in statistics here is a link to the race results. I can tell you that the overall race winner on handicap was Paul Clitheroe’s Balance, remember him from the other day?
Finally here is a montage of photos from Ally, Matt and me. Happy New Year!
Our Other Blog: Two Sisters and Two Points of View 
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! 😀
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Same to you and Chris.
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Lovely series of photos and info. I was under the impression the Sydney to Hobart had been cancelled so I haven’t been down to the wharf. I will now, thanks 🙂
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It was cancelled. My posts were about races in previous years to kind of make up for missing it this year.
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