Australia Day 2010

[Peter Stinson]

I have to try and keep up with Doron's travel pics even though as a photographer I am no where near Doron's level of expertise
We had a great Australia day holiday on the 26th January (anniversary of the day in 1788 when Captain Arthur Phillip landed in Sydney, raised the Union Jack and proceeded to fill Australia with the criminals Britain didn't want) It is a Sydney tradition to find a boat and go out on the harbour- gets pretty crowded out there. Found a quiet beach on the north side of the harbour, sourced seafood platters from the Fish market and had wine, beer, prawns, calamari, Baramundi, scolops.
Great day- bit sunburned but worth it
Not a lamp or cooker in sight

Where is lunch?

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That's me in the red and white shirt

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I have seen that building somewhere before

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The old coathanger bridge

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[Doron Papo]

first of all thanks for the compliments
that looks like a great day and all the sea food - yum yum

[Andy Graham-Cumming]

Great fun, Peter, but such a shame you couldn't find the right ensign for the boat

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Cheers
Andy

[Peter Stinson]

Andy you suprise me. I was waiting for a comment on the convicts but got one on the ensign instead. Should have thought it of a true yachtsman like yourself

[Andy Graham-Cumming]

Peter,

Convicts? There's not much point pushing at an open door

While being picky about flags, Captain Phillip, as a true Navy man, couldn't have raised the Union Jack on the beach. It must have been the Union Flag - it's only a jack when hoisted on the jackstaff of a warship in harbour or at anchor.

[Juan Caiti]

Great fun, Peter, but such a shame you couldn't find the right ensign for the boat Cheers
Andy

What's wrong? I can see other blue ones the pictures.

Great pictures Peter. Being in the wine industry I hope I can go there at least once.

Juan

[Andy Graham-Cumming]

What's wrong? I can see other blue ones the pictures.
Juan

It's a very British thing, Juan. Australia, being a former British colony, has retained the British tradition of having separate national, naval and civil maritime flags. The Australian national flag is the blue one, the Royal Australian Navy's flag is a white ensign.

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The civil maritime flag is a red ensign, as posted above. Although the Australian flags have British origins, Australian law on ships' flags (Shipping Registration Act 1981) differs from British law (Merchant Shipping Act 1995).

Ships that are registered in Australia must fly the Australian red ensign. Small ships, fishing boats and pleasure craft can fly the national flag or the red ensign - so the boats in Peter's photos are not doing anything wrong.

In British law, it is a criminal offence to fly any national flag other than the red ensign, the union flag with a white border (the pilot jack), or an alternative ensign for which a government permit is held. In other words, it is a crime, punishable by a substantial fine, for a British ship or boat to fly the Union Flag. The maximum fine in a magistrates' court is £5,000, and in the Crown Court is unlimited. I'm sure that seems odd to foreigners - it is - but only the Royal Navy may fly the Union Flag.

In my case I belong to the RAF Sailing Association and have a permit to fly this ensign on my boat

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but I must (as the owner and permit holder) be present when it is flown. There is no requirement for British small craft to fly national colours in British waters, but if they choose to they must comply with the law.

[Nils Stephenson]

Thanks for posting the pictures Peter. As an Australian that's been living overseas for way too long, they sure make me homesick. As the only Australian for miles around, Australia day goes pretty much unnoticed here (not to mention it's the middle of winter).

Andy, thanks for sharing the rules on the different ensigns. I didn't know that Australia had adopted different rules to Britain. Not that it ever worried us. We never flew a flag on our 12 foot aluminium fishing boat.