Last Post

This is the last post on this blog in 2014. This was a wonderful bamboo creation at the Woodford Folk Festival. It was lit by colour cycling LEDs and open to the sky above. The first post of 2015 is coming your way tomorrow. Happy New Year one and all.

Flying

Red Bull flies a hull on the harbour. This is an Austrian entry in the Extreme Sailing series.

Moths

These are hydrofoil moths. They were part of the pre-race entertainment on Sydney Harbour. The craft glide so quietly while foiling but every now and then they crash and burn spectacularly when the balance is lost through a tack or gybe.

Kite

A kite for surfing with, when one goes kitesurfing.

Night Heron

This shy Nankeen Night Heron was trying to hide out of sight while keeping a close eye on the photographer who was stalking it.

Comanche

This is Comanche, a 100 foot super maxi, as she was preparing for the Sydney Hobart race near Manly a few weeks ago. Later today, she will be starting the race with over a hundred other yachts.

Merry Christmas

A very Merry Christmas to you all and may you have a wonderful day filled with peace.

This photo of a life guard is typical of an Australian Christmas afternoon at the beach. No snow, no white, just sand and surf.

Wild Oats

Sailing past on the harbour was this this boat preparing for the Sydney to Hobart race. It is one of the most awarded boats in the fleet, Wild Oats 11.

Sunset

A Glasshouse Mountains sunset. Wonderful.

Electrical Activity

The cold glow of electrical discharge lights up the night sky clouds.

Kite Sailing

A different type of sailing on the wind with a kite. This was at Cotton Tree on the Sunshine Coast. 

Sailing

The extreme sailing series is sponsored, perhaps paradoxically, by Landrover. They even have their own boat to sail around and show off their brand logos.

Comet C/2014 Q2

The latest Christmas Comet, Comet Lovejoy C/2014 Q2. Seen as the small green glow just right of centre, this was taken with a 200mm lens and 5 second exposure. The tail is not quite visible here but hopefully it may brighten in the days ahead.

Finishing

The race for the finish line was crowded with plenty of jostling for clean air.

Starting Positions

The 40 foot catamarans on the start line near the Opera House for race one on Saturday 13th December. 

Sydney Harbour

I visited Sydney to see the Extreme Sailing Series Act 8 on the harbour. Sydney is a beautiful city indeed, and the perfect venue for some serious sailing action.

Ocean View

The view of the Pacific Ocean as seen from the headland near Moffat Beach.

Target

Beerwah now has a Target store. This place is growing so fast it doesn't even look the same anymore.

Moon

The waxing Moon, as it was three days ago.

Lake Hues

The evening sunset colours of a Lake Moondarra summer.

O Christmas Tree

The Christmas tree at Mount Isa Mines has been relit for another year.

Sol View

The solar disc spinning and fusing amidst the blackness of space.

Serene

The car parks are plentiful and serene. The cars even seem to enjoy the wait for their drivers to return.

Haze

The Isa on a warm and hazy summer morning.

Barbed Wire Underline

The BoM sign on Telstra Hill, underlined in wire.

Model

Sometimes dogs can be the best photographic models.