River Cruise

Through the local branch of the National Trust we have come to know John and Susan, who belong to the Wooden Boat Association. Last Saturday they invited us to join them and some other enthusiasts on a cruise up the Nepean River at the foot of the Blue Mountains. The Nepean is a broad, calm stretch of water. It was here during the 2000 Summer Olympics that the rowing competitions were held.

Our craft was the lovely MS Molly.



We were accompanied by an assortment of other little wooden boats, including speedboats (one of which had travelled all the way from Lake Tahoe to Australia)






and a small craft that reminded us of "The African Queen", the boat in which Henry Fonda and Katherine Hepburn escaped in the movie of that name.





This area on the plain at the foot of the mountains is blazingly hot in summer, but has mild winter temperatures, at least during the daytime. On this day, it reached 20º C. Michael enjoyed the sunshine.




We travelled about as far up the river as it was navigable. A broad rock provided a handy place for our picnic lunch.






Susan guarded the Esky full of beer...



but I preferred a glass of wine.



Note our suitably nautical attire.

Below us the boats bobbed patiently.




By early afternoon, the sun was already beginning to drop behind the high banks,



so we headed back to the landing stage, where MS Molly was loaded back on the trailer for the short journey home.



Thank you, John and Susan, for a lovely day.