Boxing Day

Ahh, Boxing Day; the day for rugby league and cold frosty walks to a country pub. Snatching half an hour to look at the books you've been given for Christmas and deciding what order you'll read them in. Convincing yourself it's really still Christmas in order to justify sticking your snout into that big tin of Cadbury's Roses.

Except this is Australia, where boxing day means stinking hot weather and the Melbourne test match and the start of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race. And all that left over ham.

The weather was glorious today, seeming like a whole different season from the cold and dull conditions we had yesterday, so we headed down to Watson's Bay with what felt like half the population of the eastern suburbs for the start of the yacht race.

The Sydney to Hobart yacht race has been running for the last sixty-two years and it's a really big deal on the Australian sporting calendar, right up there with the Melbourne cup. It's when the people of Sydney all flock down to the parks and beaches along the shores of the harbour to get a glimpse of the floating action.

There are plenty of good vantage points along the harbour, but the best ones are found around the north and south heads, where you can see the yachts coming up the waters of Port Jackson and (if you're quick enough) run over to the other side of the headland to watch them start their ocean journeys south towards Tasmania.

To be honest, I was feeling a bit half-arsed about going to see the yacht race, not least because I knew that (a) we'd have to lug a picnic and drinks and the big blue IKEA bag we use as a beach bag (which, I can assure you, is full to bursting every time we leave the house) and (b) I also knew there was bugger all chance of parking the car at Watson's Bay so we'd have to park somewhere else and get on a bus, not exactly easy with all that luggage plus the big camera bag, zoom lens, a collapsed pushchair and a two year old.

And then again, when exactly have we taken the easy option during all our time down under?

So we made the effort, and yes, it was good and now I can say I've seen the beginning of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race on boxing day, along with the Sydney Mardi Gras and the Australia Day celebrations and the cricket at the SCG. All that's left is the new year fireworks.

(a) The flotilla of yachts approaching Watson's Bay along Sydney Harbour.

(b) The crowds leaving Robertson Park to climb up to Gap Bluff as the yachts come through the heads and into the ocean.