Sydney, Australia

During the night we had traveled southbound along the coast of Australia to Port Jackson, a natural harbour of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Once we tucked inside Port Jackson, a Sydney harbour pilot gently guided the Diamond Princess to her berth at the Overseas Passenger Terminal located just in front of Circular Quay, next to the famous Sydney Opera House.

Great Barrier Reef

Two days at sea and ready to set foot on terra firma. On Wednesday, November 12th around 5:50 a.m., our ship rounded Cape Kimberly from a southwesterly course. Approximately 2 nautical miles from land, we dropped anchor in Port Douglas, Australia. Around 6:40 a.m., the Diamond Princess was ready to commence tendering passengers ashore from the ship's docks.

Darwin, Australia

Two sea days had passed after our stop in Benoa (Bali), Indonesia. During that time, we had sailed southeast across the Lombok Basin of the Indian Ocean. After passing through a group of shoals named Fantome Shoal and Jabiru Shoal, the Diamond Princess entered the Timor Sea. From there we cut an easterly course towards Australia. Early Sunday morning on November 9, 2014, our ship approached the Darwin Harbour passing Charles Point Patches off the Cox Peninsula. Once we entered the channel, we passed Elliot Point and Emery Point on the port side around 6:30 a.m. At approximately 6:38 a.m. we came alongside our berth at Forthill Wharf located at the waterfront in Darwin, Australia. 

Wow, we were in Australia! I was excited to step foot on Aussie soil for the first time.