Lonely Botany Bay

Botany Bay is naturally surrounded by what can only be described as one enormous sand dune. It is a total wonder that Cook described it as suitable for a settlement. Of course he never saw Port Jackson some kilometres to the north, whose appearance was altogether more inviting. It is also no surprise that when Phillip and the first fleet arrived, 18 years later, he really didn't like Botany Bay and moved the site of his colony northwards, to where it sits today.

If you look carefully, you can just make out the distant towers of modern Sydney. Neither Cook nor Phillip could possibly have imagined such a settlement at that time. Check out the extras if you would. You get a glimpse of the distant Port Botany container terminal along with Sydney International Airport from which a plane has just taken off. 

Here I am situated on a pontoon wharf adjacent to a launching ramp at Kurnell. The fellas in the boat had just got their act together and were about to head off. Once again I am reminded of the conventional advice. "Don't shoot in the middle of the day." Trouble is, that's when I was there.