We had two very generous and tempting invitations to Christmas festivities with friends but decided instead to make it a family day aboard Escape Velocity anchored in Blackwattle Bay with a view of the Sydney skyline. It’s been two years since we’ve been with my sister and brother-in-law and many years since we spent Christmas with them, as we lived far apart when we were landbased. Since we moved aboard in 2012 Christmas has sometimes been a lonely day but we keep up our traditions of cinnamon buns and curry and samosas for dinner to help us feel connected no matter where we are.
We awoke to perfect weather and between bouts of cooking we went ashore for a walk around the point at Blackwattle Bay.
We came across this group of friends playing cricket, a game that fascinates and confounds us. Some day we hope to watch a match in the company of someone who could explain it all to us, perhaps Mark of Macushla, who used to entertain us with incomprehensible dissertations on the finer points. On Christmas we were left to try and figure it out on our own.
Many years ago Jack and I went gift free for the holidays. It took all the stress of shopping and spending out of the season because in the end our time spent with loved ones making memories is the only gift we ever want anyway. Despite missing the rest of our family — and snow — we count this as one of our most memorable Christmases ever.
