Sydney harbour
The Gap
The bay opens on the Pacific ocean through the Gap, a narrow entry between cliffs, signaled by beacons. From Centerpoint tower, you can see how the inland shore alternates headlands and bays, sheltered and suited to sailing.
Eastern shore
Next to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Woolloomooloo bay has long been used for industrial and military purposes, rusty pontoons are still moored there.
On the road to the Gap, you can turn back and catch the skyline of the city, by day or at sunset, with the Opera and the Harbour Bridge. On the shore are small beaches facing the skyscrapers, and big bays like Rushcutters bay.
These beaches alternate with expensive houses dipping their feet in the water like in Double Bay, and docking quays for the ferries.
Closer to the Gap, Camp Cove beach is a very nice little cove.
Northern shore
In the northern part of the harbour, the shore is rockier, with less houses, but some are spectacular. Beaches like Balmoral are also very pleasant.
In a narrower part of the harbour there’s a bascule bridge, the Spit bridge, on which the road to Manly passes.
This is the northern shore of Sydney downtown at sunset. I love the colour of the sea.
Bondi beach
Bondi is Sydney’s most famous beach, on the Pacific, south of the Gap. It is patroned by surfers—not afraid of sharks—and tourists.
Manly
Manly is a big beach on the Pacific, north of the Gap. It is a very pleasant ferry ride away from Circular Quay, though you get to rock and roll when you go along the Gap.
On this winter photo, I find it resembles Brittany a lot…