Day 4: When we were Stranded on a Deserted Island

4.4 km walked, but 15 minutes body-surfing felt like a marathon

Our objective for the 2nd day with our Hop On Hop Off Ferry Pass was to picnic and swim at Shark Island, so named (we heard from the friendly ferry tour guide the previous day) because the island is shaped like a shark, not because there are sharks near the island.   We picked up picnic food in Bondi (although I forgot to buy beer, as the island is also licensed), took a bus through rich Sydney suburbs to Watsons Bay, to then:

1. hopped on the ferry towards Circular Quay / downtown; 
2. got off at Fort Denison; 
3. to then catch the returning ferry back to Watsons Bay to be let off at Shark Island.

We had about 15 minutes to explore Fort Denison (a little longer as the return ferry was behind schedule), a former 18th century prison and military fortress.  Here are pictures with a spooky filter:

Shark Island per Wikipedia: Parts of the island were set aside as a recreation reserve as early as 1879 and it was also used as an animal quarantine station and naval depot until 1975. At that time it became exclusively a recreation reserve and part of the Sydney Harbour National Park. 

When we arrived at Shark Island around 1:30pm, there was a couple on the small beach by the wharf.  So to give them some privacy, we picnicked at the top of the island on the grass and shared our lunch with the ants (they don't like grapefruit so much though).  We then meandered around the very tiny island on rocks and a very roughly hewn pathway.

By the time we wandered back to the beach the other people were gone; we were all alone on a deserted island!  The tiny beach was lovely and mostly calm (except when a big boat created waves), although Gaby didn't appreciate walking on shells or swimming in seaweed (what a surf princess!).  I jumped in and cooled off, Gaby only went waist deep.

The view of the Opera House and the bridge from the Island:

The next and last ferry off the island was at 3:30pm; if we missed the Hop On Hop Off ferry, Gaby assured me she could call a water taxi to come pick us up, but I didn't want to chance it.  

With Gaby's disappointment at the less than perfect beach conditions, she wanted to go swimming at the always busy but more than perfect Bondi Beach.  So from Watsons Bay we jumped back on the bus to BB to hit the big waves.  By the time we reach Bondi, the weather had turned windy and it was getting close to sunset, but I guilted Gaby into running for it and jumping in.  She was having so much fun in the waves that I got jealous and had to go join her.  Best body surfing since Sri Lanka!  We each caught a couple of good waves, I bumped my shoulder somewhere and took in a giant mouthful of salt water; it was an awesome 15 minutes.  Gaby was freezing and just wanted a shower once we got out, so back to the apartment to recover it was.