As mentioned in the weekly entry for 15 February, we chose to celebrate Valentine's Day by cashing in a gift certificate from a friend entitling us to a "coffee cruise" on Sydney Harbour, operated by Captain Cook Cruises. On a clear, warm Monday afternoon in late summer, we embarked on our two-and-a-half hour cruise through the Main and Middle Harbours of Port Jackson, which is the real name for the body of water that everyone thinks of when they think of Sydney.
The cruise departed from the ferry docks at Circular Quay, situated directly between the peninsula to the left that supports the Harbour Bridge and the artificial peninsula to the right on which the Opera House was built. As we headed out towards the Pacific Ocean, we were treated to a view of the Opera House that you can only get from the water. 
As we cruised, our host described the various landmarks along the Main Harbour, including the Royal Botanic Gardens behind the Opera House, the active naval base, and the plentiful white sandy beaches that seem to be almost right downtown! (If that seems dreamy to you, note that those posts you see in the water at Shark Beach, pictured right, are shark nets. Hey, it's salt water...)
With the city skyline in the distance, our cruise ship then turned into Middle Harbour, which is largely residential and some public parklands. With not much to narrate for us, they turned off the PA system and served us our afternoon tea, which as you can see to the left, we drank heartily and enjoyed. (Though not quite as over-the-top as their British forbears, the Aussies really do take their tea quite seriously.) Many of the northern suburbs of Sydney lie along Middle Harbour, and the ferries form an integral part of the city's public transport system. Residents of the steep hills along the Middle Harbour walk to the water every morning to board the public ferries, which go directly to Circular Quay, in the heart of the Central Business District. 
We spotted many houses built along and over the water in the little inlets along the Middle Harbour-- houses with patios and views we drooled over... so, naturally, we decided to buy one when we were rich enough to have a summer house in Sydney. Of course, we still have to figure out how to bring the cats (not to mention the eventual dog) with us to our retreat, but we should have a few years to solve that problem.
There were a few more great views waiting to surprise us, though, including a view of the Opera House through the pilot's window (left) and a close-up look at the underside of the Harbour Bridge (right).
Sydney is a port city, nestled in a deep basin, surrounded by the Blue Mountains. Cruising Sydney Harbour (Port Jackson) doesn't help a stranger to navigate among the skyscrapers on foot, but it does let you see the sprawl of history and residential areas wherever the water touches. And that gives you a strong sense of the city's connection with this vital pathway to the sea.
And besides, being on a boat is just cool. ;)