Calling out a good deed from an Aussie member, Koldgold

[Bob W]

Before taking my family to Australia for a short two-week touring holiday, I posted some questions in the Community forum section:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...ell-me-about-Eden-NSW-Possible-May-June-visit

Lots of helpful advice from the Aussie members, which is only natural since Australians are about the friendliest people on the planet. But one mate in particular deserves to be called out for a special Thank You. Forum member KoldGold, who frequently posts here in the Schrade area, mailed my family three guest tickets to the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney.
On the second-to-last day of the vacation Wife, Boy, and Myself had the opportunity to visit the museum. It was quite impressive, especially the on-ship tours of a military submarine, destroyer, and patrol boat.
Thank You, KoldGold.

Meako, too bad we couldn't meet up for a pint at the pub. Maybe next time? We did spend a single night in Kiama, but arrived late after spending the afternoon driving through the Royal National Park. And we left very early in the morning to get an early jump on touring the Illawara, and to find our lodging in Kangaroo Valley before dark.

My next trip to Australia is scheduled for July, and will have me in the Singleton and Mudgee areas.

 

[koldgold]

Hi Bob,
In the late 1700’s and early 1800’s Australian Waters were often visited by American Whalers.
Your President Mr Bush came to the National Museum to see the American Whalers section at our Sydney museum.
Mr Bush, also presented the museum with some Original logs books and maps; from the early American Whalers.
I hope you saw the American Whale-boat while you were looking about.... Ken

 

[Bob W]

I do recall a whaling exhibit, even though we were pressed for time. There's so much to do in Australia and the winter days were so short that we found ourselves pressed for time every day.

For instance, our day in Sydney began around 4 am at our rented cabin near Blackheath. Woke up, rode the train to Central Station, walked to the Australian Museum grabbing donuts at a 7-11 and eating in the park, being first in line at the Australian Museum for the special Tyranasaurs exhibit where we stayed until noon, walk to the harbor area and lunch at Pancakes on the Rocks, enter the Maritime Museum and explore the walk-on ships until 3:30pm (they close at 4), visit the indoor exhibits until nearly 5pm when the museum closed, walk (in the dark) back to Central Station, train to Blackheath, late dinner at the local pub, and in bed ready for the next day's sunrise at Three Sisters....

We also visited a couple of historic whaling sites near Eden. Didn't have time to stop in the Eden Whaling Museum, but we did visit Boyd's Tower and the Davidson Whaling Station.

While staying in Malua Bay we drove down to Guerrilla Bay one evening hoping to find a good location for the sunset. I can't recall the exact location but we found a nature reserve or national park and bushwalked out to a point overlooking the ocean. From the point we watched as a pod of whales passed below on their migration. Unfortunately I had turned my head just as a large whale breached. Even though I missed the action, it was a highlight of the entire trip for Wife and Boy.