Macquarie Star
On Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010, I went on a 4-hour lunch boat cruise on Lake Macquarie with Betty, Juliet's mum. Lake Macquarie is Australia's largest saltwater lake covering an area of 42.5 miles. It is 4 times larger than the Sydney Harbour. The lake was discovered in 1800 by Captain William Reed who had been sent from Sydney to retrieve a load of coal from Newcastle Harbour. Reed took a wrong turn and found himself on a lake rather than a river, with no coal to be seen anywhere. The name "Reed's Mistake" was retained until 1826, when it was renamed in honor of Governor Lachlan Macquarie.
Just one of the many beautiful homes on the waterfront. I really like this house with all the glass. They must have awesome views of the lake.
The cruise was very relaxing and I really enjoyed being on the water. The weather had cooled off and it was an overcast day so the temperature was perfect!
We went by a place called Caves Beach. The caves were used by the Aborigine women as birthing caves. Can't even imagine having a baby in a cave!
We went by several marinas with every size of boat, houseboat and beautiful yachts anchored in the water.
One of the premier venues in the Hunter Region, a 90-minute drive north of Sydney, the Belmont Sailing Club offers fine dining and entertainment facilities. They have approximately 26,000 members.
The Norfolk Island Pine has a distinctive appearance, with its widely spaced branches and symmetrical, triangular outline. It is widely planted in Australia.
Toward the end of the cruise I was so excited to see two dolphins swimming along with our boat. They were swimming under the front bow of the boat, guiding us along. Every once in a while they would jump through the water. Unfortunately they were so fast I couldn't get a very good picture.
Thanks Judy for the travelogue and taking us along with you...you are good at this. Loved all the photos. Seeing the dolphins had to be awesome.
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