Sea, sand and sharks (D24)

Predictably the Emissions Trading Scheme has been voted down. It seems this is no bad thing after all. It was a weak compromise scheme. The Prime Minister will nevertheless put the bill to the Senate again in the next session, hoping that mature minds will come round to it, and that the people will blame the opposition for forcing a general election. The Greens, whose support is needed will not sign up to the ETS in it's current form anyway. They, and many, want a more radical proposal.

That was the news on a bright, wind free morning. A perfect day for another go at kayaking. This time we will venture through the Iron Cove Bridge and on to Cockatoo Island in Sydney Harbour itself on the Parramatta river. It is a former imperial prison, and was a shipyard until just 25 years ago.

In 2005 the island was re-opened to the public for the 'Cockatoo Island Festival'. It is being renovated as a site of historical interest, and there's a campsite there as well. Rob has a friend whose great great grandfather was imprisoned here and also knows of someone who spent 50 years there for a murder he probably didn't commit. For me there were some splendid views of Sydney which you wouldn't otherwise get.

It seems that wind and rain are not the only hazards faced by kayakers in Sydney harbour. Rob tells me that sharks only rarely come into the harbour, and then only when hungry. Hardly ever. He is a card. You can't tell they're there until suddenly they jump out at you. They are just dark shadows. Yes OK I got the picture.

Then, right on cue, an enormous flying fish jumped out of the water right over the front of me. I shouldn't publish what I said, as a warm feeling spread down my legs. My paddle technique improved markedly after that. He's a laugh old Rob, isn't he?

The other hazard is, of course, other boats. Some seem to delight in not seeing you until the last minute. The big ones couldn't do much about it anyway, but leave you bobbling about in their wake and hoping the sharks have been fed. Brilliant.

In the afternoon it's off to Bondi. Yeah. We parked at Clovely beach and took the coast walk to Bondi. We past Tamarama (find out what it means yourself) and Bronte beach. At Bondi, and it is fabulous, we walked along the beach watching the surfers waiting, falling over and sometimes gliding gracefully with the wave. Then a beer at the iceberg club overlooking the whole scene. I can't tell you how much the beer cost as I'd left my money in my other shorts. I'm guessing it was at the high end of the range. Another marvelous day.