We are not sure why yesterday's blog didn't post yesterday. Mark added it this morning. What an amazing New Years' Eve in Sydney, Australia! David arrived just after 6 pm. He could not drive to Milk Beach as there were some big parties going on in the park and he didn't have a ticket to get in. Mark took the dinghy to Shark Bay and picked him up. Had drinks and snacks outside until it started raining. Came inside and had dinner. It was quite the lightning and thunder storm. Weather cleared some for the 9 pm Family Fireworks, intended for the children that don't stay up until midnight. We felt pretty sorry for all the people up on the hill in the rain. They were pretty cheery singing a lot of oldies but goodies songs. The early fireworks were released from a barge on either side of the bridge, plus the bridge. Our line of sight was very good. The big ships that were anchored behind us all moved into the mega yacht reserved area closer to the bridge, so that was a nice surprise. We could see fly overs, lighted boat parade and a sky writer, but most of this was too far from us. The bridge had an amazing light show thru the next fireworks and after. The midnight fireworks were the best I have ever seen. Not only the two barges and the bridge, they added several more barges, the Opera House and more lights & fireworks off the bridge. Wow! So happy we could be here. Then a continuous line of boats exited the area for the next hour or so. We enjoyed our bubbly and talked for another hour or so. I was still awake when we headed to bed. Fell right asleep. I woke up at 6 am to a loud thump on the starboard hull. The sailboat, Grey Goose, that anchored very close to us actually hit us. Not at any time did they apologize and ask if they could do anything. They were further away when the wind was blowing but early morning, there was no wind at all. They kept drifting closer to us, so Mark sat out on deck with our boat hook and pushed them away a couple of times. Eventually, they got the hint and hauled anchor and left us in peace. I busied myself doing dishes while we waited for some action. We tried to go back to bed but could not sleep. Mark checked for damage and there's a scuff mark for sure. Poor Charabia! Got up and checked wifi messages. Mark put on the coffee and we all had breakfast. Then Mark dropped David back at Shark Bay via the dinghy. Hoisted the dinghy once he got back. Hauled anchor and headed thru the Sydney Harbour Bridge & downtown Sydney. Motor sailed with the jib only, but it didn't hold very well as the wind was light and from behind. Made some phone calls along the way. Was able to connect with another one of my sisters. So many boats on the water today, including way too many ferry boats. Lots of wake as we sailed thru downtown. The sun was shining and the sky was totally blue. Very hot in the sun, but always cooler on the water. Had lunch underway. Mark selected Birkenhead Point as our next anchorage. We are anchored across from a marina with a huge mall with grocery stores. Lots of boats have gone by but most of them are going slow. So nice not to have to deal with the constant wake of big power boats. Made a few more phone calls but mostly everyone was out partying on the other side of the world. Since we didn't get enough sleep last night, we each took a rest. I was happy for a rest. Answered emails and caught up on wifi. It's after 7 pm and it's still bright and sunny out. There is a nice breeze. Salon is 85 degrees. Cooler outside with the breeze. Very pleasant. Thanks for all the emails and messages. We totally love hearing from you. Shared an sg&t with Mark. Enjoyed some nachos with humus and cheese slices and fruit. Mark will drop me off at the mall, tomorrow. Looking forward to some uninterrupted shopping time!! Happy New Year 2019 to everyone!! Thanks for continuing to read our blog!