January 4, 2026 Sydney

Noordam arrived in Sydney ending the 14 day cruise and beginning the 28 day cruise. We stayed in the same stateroom.

What a disappointment this morning to see on the News that United States invaded Venezuela and captured President Maduro and his wife in early morning of January 3. The Delta Force raided Caracus. Maduro was indicted in New York on drug and weapons charges. The States will run Venezuela until transition to a new government. [In Sydney the time is 18 hours ahead of Washington D.C.]

We had breakfast in the dining room with three Australian women who are leaving the ship today. There are 142 passengers from this cruise staying on the ship for the next 28 day cruise like us.

We were off the ship just after 8 a.m. We had our “In Transit” cards with us, to be able to bypass the checkin line when we return to the ship. Across from the cruise terminal was a statue of William Bligh 1754 - 1817. William Bligh was a Royal Navy vice-admiral and colonial administrator who served as the governor of New South Wales from 1806 to 1808. He is best known for his role in the mutiny on HMS Bounty, which occurred in 1789 when the ship was under his command. The reasons behind the mutiny continue to be debated. Near the statue was the 1816 built stone house called Cadman’s Cottage, where from 1827 to 1845 John Cadman and his family lived while he was the Superintendent of Government Boats. John Cadman was sent as a convict to Australia in 1797 for stealing a horse. After receiving his pardon he worked for the Government Boats working his way up to Superintendent with responsibility for 28 boats. When he retired he received a pension of £182 and moved to the Steam Pocket Inn until his death in 1848.

There was a staircase up to George Street where we found the building that housed the Sydney Sailors Home from 1865 to 1979. On March 12, 1868, Queen Victoria’s second son, Prince Alfred Ernest Albert, Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Kent and Earl of Ulster, presented the home with £50 and shortly after he was shot by a mentally unstable Irishman. The bullet struck the prince's back, glanced off a rib, inflicting only a slight wound. The prince was nursed by the newly arrived Lady Superintendent of Sydney Hospital, Lucy Osburn, sent years earlier after a request to Florence Nightingale and her London nursing school.

We walked over to Dawes Point, Tarra, under the Sydney Bridge which had a good view of the Sydney Opera House and our ship. We found a plague near an old cannon stating that the 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas that divided the world, including uncharted regions, between Portugal and Spain. The eastern coast of Australia falls to Spain creating a potential conflict when claimed by Britain.

In 1805 three French ships captured by the British were saluted at Dawes point as they entered Sydney Cove, where our ship was moored.

In 1870 British troops officially withdrew from Australia and the colony’s local voluntary militia would be the defence force.

Construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge took place between 1925 and 1932. It was officially opened on March 19, 1932 to both vehicles and trains.

We walked through the streets of The Rocks then along Lower Fort Street which was lined with townhouses. Several were for sale either a 5 bedroom 3 bathroom or a 4 bedroom 2 bathroom. We then walked to the Observatory on Upper Fort Street at Millers Point. It was closed on Sundays. It was time to return to Circular Quay to meet the Manly Ferry and Larry’s cousin, Janine and her daughter, Mae. Steps so far 7,635 about 4 kilometres.

After fuelling with coffee at a kiosk, we strolled over to the Royal Botanical Gardens, chatting as we walked. We enjoyed to various gardens including the Succulent Garden and the Rose Garden. There was a fountain below a statue of Captain Arthur Phillip, Royal Navy, who the first governor of New South Wales arriving at Botany Bay on January 18, 1788 after an eight month voyage. The original site for the penal colony was not suited for settlement due to poor soil, no secure anchorage and no reliable water source. Within three days, Phillip relocated to Port Jackson and creation of the settlement began. A total of 1,030 persons went ashore, 736 convicts, including 188 women, 230 marines and civil officers, 27 with wives, and 37 children In the eleven ships of the First Fleet. This was the start of the city of Sydney. He returned to England in 1792 due to ill health from his poor diet. The New South Wales colony’s population when Phillip left was 4,221, of whom 3,099 were convicts. On medical advice he resigned on July 23,1793. His health recovered. In 1805, aged 67, he retired from the Navy with the rank of Admiral of the Blue receiving an annual pension of £500 a year. He died in 1814 in Bath, England.

Too soon it was time for us to say goodbye to Janine and Mae at the Manly ferry wharf.

We wandered over to The Rocks Market, which takes over at least three streets on Saturdays and Sundays. We found a Gelato kiosk, at the corner of Argyle and Playfair, with good gelato before returning to the ship. The temperature was 28°C, sunny skies, a few clouds and a light breeze.

We used our in transit card to pass the checkin line at the cruise terminal. We were back on the ship by 12:30 p.m. having disembarked just after 8 a.m. this morning.

Steps to date 19,012.

The next cruise started its sail away from Circular Quay shortly after 6:15 p.m.

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