13 October 2015 to 14 November 2015 – Pittwater, Australia, including Church Point, Sydney, Berry, Phillip Island and Melbourne Australia: Part 1 of our Adventures in New South Wales and Victoria – Flat Mr. Davis Visits Friends and Makes New Ones Way Down Under! By Anne
As some of you know from reading the previous blog entry, Jeff and I sailed Joyful southbound from MacKay, Australia, to the Sydney area in order to wait out the cyclone season. We lived on Joyful in the Sydney area from September, 2015 to May, 2016, with some missionary side trips to Tasmania and Bali. For your better enjoyment, I am dividing this time span into several blog posts. This particular one, Part 1, relates to our activities in the New South Wales and Victoria regions of this great country.
The wildlife in Australia is simply amazing! We encountered potoroos, wombats, echidnas, kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, Tasmanian Devils, fruit bats, Australian opossums, flying squirrels, iguanas, exotic birds of various types and more while living on Joyful in Australia. Encountering wild animals is one of the things I asked the Lord to let me experience while on this landfall. As you will discover by looking at the photos, He granted my request!
One of the amazing things about our life at sea, is just how small the world seems to be! If you ask almost any one who sails long distances if they ever see anyone they meet along the way again, they most assuredly will answer, “Yes!” That’s right, a sailor’s world is very small indeed. For instance, when we were in Bora Bora with Joyful, we met several other sailing missionaries. Ken and his wife Beatrice and their son and daughter, Josh and Gabriella, and also another great couple, Phil and Pam, as well as Dave and Karen! Like us, all are sailors, and all are spreading the Gospel to all countries they encounter. We call our happy group, “Sailors for Christ.” Then, after we sailed away from French Polynesia, we saw them later in several island groups in the South Pacific, as well as in Australia! We also met other sailing missionaries, Clayton and Margaret, and their daughters, Faith and Laura, who kindly helped us with our missionary work in Vanuatu.
So, some of the best times we enjoyed during our months in Australia were with these sailing missionaries. We held art ministry events together and had fun together exploring some of God’s creations like wondrous animals and plants found only in Australia.
We also made some wonderful new friends in Australia, many of whom are sailors as well. Through some of these friends, we accomplished Mission Joyful good works for abused children all over Australia. These photos and reports will be seen in Part 2.
Most of this blog entry Part 1 revolves around the wonderful sights and activities we enjoyed with these Sailors for Christ. You will see photos of art ministry events we held in Victoria, as well as in Sydney, and you will meet some very interesting indigenous Australian marsupials and other unique critters found only down under in this paradise in the Southern hemisphere. So, please have fun browsing through the photos I am presenting to you, and if any catch your eye, take a look at the caption. You might be amazed!
During our circumnavigation, Jeff and I want to continue carrying out the goals of the Blue Planet Odyssey, which aims to raise awareness of climate change and the most urgent issues facing our ocean, contribute to scientific endeavors, bring schools together from our country and others from countries we meet along the circumnavigation, and to contribute our services to community works. We also want to work for the Lord through our Mission Joyful endeavors. We wish to serve others and spread the Gospel in every country to which we sail during this circumnavigation.
I will briefly mention some of these accomplishments we have managed while in this part of Australia during the months of October and November 2015. However, most of our missionary works in Australia occurred in January to May (please read Part 2 for those photos and explanations).
SCIENCE
Observing Other Marine Wildlife
Oysters – While in Pittwater, we noticed countless oyster shells whose inhabitants unfortunately mysteriously perished possibly due to mankind’s introduction of pollutants into the sea in these regions. The Australians are working on introducing another type of oyster into the Pittwater area in hopes of reawakening the previously vibrant oyster industry. That is controversial as the new type of oyster is not indigenous to this area.
Sharks – While in Pittwater we actually did not see any sharks around Joyful, however the locals informed us not to swim in the water around Joyful when she was on her mooring in McCarr’s Creek. This is because sharks swim from the Tasman sea, up McCarr’s Creek to the most inland areas to breed. Joyful was moored fairly close to the origin of the creek, so our chances to have a “close encounter of the worse kind” was higher than if her mooring was near the mouth of the creek, as the fresh waters merged with the Tasman Sea. We hoped to see these creatures, but just being warned by the locals was good enough for us!
Bird Sightings
We saw extraordinary birds, and an extraordinary number of species while in this part of Australia. There were many birds we saw that we could not photograph. I’ll mention the ones we could identify here, and I hope you will browse through the photos on this blog entry to feast your eyes on spectacular birds perhaps you have never imagined existed! We were constantly amazed at the birds we did see, and hear! Their looks were just as striking and amazing as their voices! If you have the interest, perhaps you can try to find a recording of their voices on the internet.
Little Penguins of Australia (Eudyptula minor) – One of the most spectacular bird sightings we have encountered so far while sailing Joyful around the world involved the famous Little Penguins of Australia (Eudyptula minor). We saw hundreds of the 32,000 little penguins who live on Phillip Island come out of the sea just after sunset to feed their babies on land. These miniature masters of the sea and land are powerhouses of perseverance, bravery, and an overwhelming desire to be good providers to their young! I think plenty of human beings could take lessons from these little creatures on how to care for their offsprings! Please take a look at the photos of these extraordinary birds, and if you read the captions I bet you will be amazed!
Small Albatross – While in Victoria, Australia, way down under the equator in the country known as Oz, we spotted some small albatross. They flew up to us as we were having a picnic near the beach on the Tasman Sea.
More Bird Sightings – We also saw white Ibis, seagulls, gallinule, yellow faced birds, Asian Magpie, Common Magpie, Australian Bush Turkey, Lorikeets, Yellow Crested Cockatoos, Australian Wood Ducks, Gullahs, Tufted Pigeons, and more! Please take a look at these photos. Some of these birds live only in Australia!
Monitoring Radiation Levels
One of the scientific projects with which Joyful is involved is that of recording the radiation levels that we experience along our sailing route. Radiation is a form of energy that comes from various sources (e.g. x-rays, radon gas, nuclear power plants, etc.), which, if the levels are too high, could cause a health hazard. On Joyful, we use a GQ Electronics GMC-320 Geiger Counter to take radiation level readings. The data we record is sent to the Nuclear Emergency Tracking Center (NETC), a world wide volunteer radiation reporting site. NETC posts radiation readings from numerous sources, including the US Environmental Protection Agency and volunteer reporting sites, into a data base; the summary is shown on http://www.netc.com.
While in the Pittwater, Australia area, including Church Point, Sydney, Berry, Phillip Island and Melbourne, the lowest reading on the Geiger Counter was 5 counts per minute (cpm), and the highest was 16 cpm.
Plastic Pollution in the Ocean Workshop at the Sydney Opera House
Another educational highlight inspired by the BPO Sail the Odyssey Program occurred when we sailed Joyful to the Sydney area. I helped teach an art/science class at the Sydney Opera House about plastic pollution in the oceans. The event was organized by the indigenous people of Australia. During the class I constructed a sea turtle out of plastic and metal debris found floating in the ocean, explained the dangers of plastic and other debris in the ocean, and inspired many children, teens, and adults to make their own sea creatures out of the plastic debris in order to use it as a tool to teach others how plastic debris harm the ocean, sea creatures, and subsequently all life on the planet, as well as the planet itself.
Community Works
MISSION JOYFUL, BPO, COMMUNITY, AND EDUCATION
Art Ministry at Elder Care Centers and a Police Department
Jeff and I had the blessing to conduct art ministry events for residents at Elder Care Centers both in Queensland and in Victoria, Australia. By looking at the photos, you will see we taught about Jesus and the Gospel through art lessons held at these wonderful elder care centers. During these events, some sailing missionaries we met in Bora Bora, assisted us, and felt blessed, as did we, to do work for the Lord together.
The same sailing missionary family assisted us in constructing gingerbread houses while in Phillip Island, Victoria, and gave them to the local police department and elder care centers as a way to bring the workers and residents joy at Christmas time. When the 14 year old missionary girl gave the policeman the gingerbread house she constructed for the policemen, tears actually filled his eyes. He said he was awe struck that a young teenager would wish to give them a present like this wonderful gingerbread house. I wish you could have been there to witness this act of kindness! We each thanked the policeman for his service to the community.
Artistic Inspirations from the Lord About this Landfall of New South Wales and Victoria, Australia
As on every ocean passage between landfalls, and at every landfall on this circumnavigation, I endeavor to create a piece of artwork which reflects a significant observation worthy to be remembered. Within each design, will be a passage from the Bible, the Word of God. I am designing the art during the circumnavigation, and plan on creating the finished work back on land in the USA, when our voyage around the world has been completed. I will use the media of watercolor and gilding with 24 carat gold and silver, in the same method used by monks who created Bibles and books of hours during the medieval years in Europe. Then, I hope to publish a book of these works of art so others can see God’s glory throughout the world.
At this landfall of New South Wales and Victoria, Australia , the Holy Spirit impressed upon me a Bible verse which reflects an important observation about many Australians; it is this verse which I will incorporate into a design I am creating for my book.
Matthew 20: 26-28 “…If one of you wants to be great, he must be the servant of the rest; and if one of you wants to be first, he must be your slave – like the Son of Man, who did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life to redeem many people.”
One of the significant ways in which certain people epitomize the essence of this verse, is through being a member of the armed forces of a nation. Here in Australia, in the heart of the central business district, stands the ANZAC Memorial in Hyde park, in Sydney. The memorial is a “physical expression of the spirit and legend of ANZAC – dedicated to remembering all Australians who have served their country in the armed forces in wartime or on peacekeeping”. In order to help keep their country free, and to assist other people in their countries to remain free, many Australians are patriotic citizens and do not shy away from military service. Through this sacrifice, the military members become “servant of the rest”, as shown in Matthew 20:26-28. Please take a few minutes to look at the photos I took which relate to the ANZAC Memorial. Americans and so many others around the world can thank these brave Australians partially for the freedom we enjoy in our countries to this day.
What’s next in my blog? A very exciting and awesome month in Bali, Indonesia, that’s what!
If you want to take a journey through a wild, unforgettable part of Asia, come with us by reading my blog entry on Bali! You will experience doing missionary work as we taught beautiful orphan children about Jesus through art and music, take part in our humanitarian effort as we delivered food to a starving family of 16, participate in an educational endeavor with a school, do community and educational work by picking up plastic pollution on a Javanese Sea beach with Flat Mr. Davis, you will get up close and personal with wild macaque monkeys, thrill to the traditional dances of beautiful Balinese dancers, and even go on a frog hunt in our hotel room with us! Of course there is more, so come along to Bali with us by reading my next blog entry!
1. Flat Mr. Davis, while enjoying the southern hemisphere sunrise from Joyful’s decks, is silhouetted in Morning Bay, Pittwater, Australia. Flat Mr. Davis is a cardboard replica of the real Mr. Davis, the principal of the Round Hill Elementary School of Round Hill, Virginia, USA. The entire school is our land based crew as we circumnavigate the world, and we set up Skype sessions between that school and others in almost every country to which we sail. The students also follow our scientific data collection activities, as well as the community works we carry out throughout the world. The real Mr. Davis constructed Flat Mr. Davis so he can accompany Joyful everywhere we go, and therefore, the students are enthused and highly motivated about learning. By the way, Flat Mr. Davis has a large group of fans from all over the world now! People see Flat Mr. Davis and love him!
2. Flat Mr. Davis liked the peaceful, quiet area of Pittwater. It was quiet, except for the wonderful, fantastic calls of all the interesting tropical birds like Kookaburras, Yellow Crested Cockatoos, and Mina birds!
3. Flat Mr. Davis, the morning after Joyful sailed into Morning Bay, Pittwater, inspected Joyful’s mooring to which she attached herself a few hours earlier at midnight. It was a very dark night!
4. Flat Mr. Davis & Anne put diesel fuel into Joyful’s two 58 gallon fuel tanks. Using a siphon, sometimes on the ocean Flat Mr. Davis & Anne have to put diesel from the yellow diesel jerry cans on Joyful’s decks into her main tanks.
5. Joyful on her mooring ball at the Holme Port Marina in Pittwater, Church Point, Australia copy.
6. Joyful from the port quarter at Pittwater, Australia. Joyful has a swim platform which while at sea, we keep closed. But at anchor, on a mooring ball, or in a marina berth, sometimes we open the swim platform. It is like another room on Joyful! If there are crocodiles nearby, we do not stand or sit on the swim platform!
7. Joyful, before a rainstorm in Pittwater, Australia. She is attached to a mooring, which is a heavy structure on the seabed with a heavy chain and rope attached, which is led up to Joyful’s bow cleat. Like at anchor, boats on moorings can swing in any direction.
8. A sudden hailstorm pelted Joyful at her mooring in Pittwater, Australia.
9. I held a hailstone. I thought about putting it into some lemonade, but the hailstorm didn’t last long enough!
10. A Pittwater sunrise from Joyful at her mooring. Each sunrise, as well as each sunset, the sky above Joyful had many extraordinary white cockatoo birds flying overhead, each calling loudly to one another. They spent the night in the forest on the North side of the bay, and flew back to the forest on the South side for their daytime activities!
11. A Pittwater sunset from Joyful.
12. Pittwater sunset reflected in Joyful’s boom.
13. Pittwater sunset with Joyful’s Australian courtesy flag flying from her starboard flag halyard.
14. One of the nice sailing missionary families we met in Bora Bora stayed a week on Joyful with us while visiting us in Pittwater.
15. Powerful concentration was required by Beatrice, Kenny, Gabriella and Josh as they tried to solve a challenging card game at dinnertime on Joyful.
16. Joyful’s young guest Gabriella happily slept under the saloon table with a murmeltier friend as all Joyful’s other berths were taken by other guests!
17. We eat healthy food on Joyful. The Australian fruits and vegetables are top quality all the time!
18. Joyful keeps her fruits and vegetables in bins under her saloon table and also in nets in her cockpit.
19. For dessert one evening on Joyful, Gabriella, Josh, Beatrice, Kenny, Jeff and I had fun making and eating Australia’s most famous dessert, a Pavlova. We put passion fruit on top of this Pavlova.
20. Beatrice, Kenny, Gabrielle and Josh stayed a week with us on Joyful before they headed south to New South Wales to look after a farm for one month.
21. Australian friends Trent, Vic, and their kids Millie and Jarah, moored their yacht Expatriot next to Joyful in Church Point.
22. One fine day Jeff and I walked to a nearby waterfall with Trent and Jarrah. Look closely, and you will see little Jarrah and his father climbing the waterfall!
23. Mark and Seigne became good friends while their boat and Joyful were moored at Holme Port Marina in Church Point in Pittwater.
24. Anne at train station near Sydney, Australia. The Australian train system is clean, efficient, and on time! We liked the way the trains were modern, and that most of the stations still had their original structures with modern updates to make them efficient for this century.
25. Birds – A close up view of a wild seabird who landed on Joyful’s pullpit in Church Point, Pittwater, Australia in November 2015.
26. A wild Cockatoo perched in a eucalyptus gum tree in Mona Vale, Pittwater, Australia, November 2015. These magnificent birds were everywhere! We could see their pure white feathers far away in the trees, and we could hear their unique calls throughout the day! We loved them! It sounded like they were practicing to be divas at the Sydney Opera House. Note the word, “practice.”
27. Birds – Two cockatoos drinking rain water in a gutter in Mona Vale, Australia, November 2015.
28. Birds – Wild cockatoos in Church Point, Pittwater, Australia, December 5, 2015.
29. Bird – A bird with a yellow beak, and yellow around his eyes in Mona Vale, Australia, in November, 2015.
30. Bird – This bird we saw in Mona Vale, Australia, in November 2015, enjoyed the grapes we gave him.
31. Bird – One bird watches the other as he flies in Mona Vale, Australia, in November, 2015.
32. Bird – This large bird with black feathers waited for us to give him another grape in Mona Vale, Australia, in November 2015.
33. Bird – We saw these birds in a park by the water in Pittwater, Australia in January, 2016. Perhaps an Australian Wood Duck?
34. This extraordinarily beautiful flowering tree was common all over the Sydney/ Pittwater area.
35. A great sign in front of a cafe in Mona Vale, Australia caught my eye.
36. Jeff and Anne on a ferry boat to Sydney.
37. Flat Mr. Davis approaches Sydney from a ferry boat.
38. Many times we went to Sydney, traveling there by a water taxi from Joyful to the mainland of Church Point, then we walked to a bus, then got on a ferry boat, then we were there! I am enjoying eating an Australian steak pie on the ferry boat to Sydney. Usually they eat “mushy peas” on top of these pies. Mushy peas are like mashed potatoes, except they are peas! Pretty tasty!
39. Jeff and I were blessed to have spent months in Sydney’s inner city doing missionary work including art and music ministry. We lived on Joyful in Pittwater, and took the train, water taxies, and ferries into the inner city several times a week. We did this during the months of January through April, 2016.
40. Here is an interesting sight! An Australian submarine with a pilot boat in Sydney Harbour, November 2015.
41. Jeff and I at the Sydney Opera House, November 2015.
42. Flat Mr. Davis and Anne also enjoyed the beautiful day by the Sydney Opera House together.
43. Flat Mr. Davis made a sea gull friend at the Sydney Opera House.
44. Sea gulls flew near the Sydney Opera House. Look at what happened to us in the next photos!
45. There are two seagulls flying toward the camera in this photo. The gull at the far left side of this photo is going to steal Jeff’s lunch! Look at the photos after this one!
46. Now that gull on the left edge of the photo noticed Jeff’s lunch of smoked salmon. He has turned 90 degrees, and is now on final approach to the smoked salmon! Look what he does in the next photo!
47. The gull (left side of photo) is starting his descent and has lower his flaps! The gull is ready to swoop down toward Jeff’s bowl of smoked salmon!
48. Now look at the gull flying just a few inches to the left of my face. One second after this photo was taken, the gull made a perfect “touch and go” maneuver, and successfully snatched up the salmon, but the waiter could not take the photo fast enough! We all laughed, and the waiter immediately brought Jeff more salmon at no charge!
49. Flat Mr. Davis and Jeff eat crocodile jerky in Sydney.
51. Anne playing Scrabble with a wombat friend in Sydney.
52. A giant Christmas tree the City of Sydney displayed near the Queen Victoria building in the central business district of Sydney. Australians believe it is important to keep their right to publicly celebrate Christmas. They do not allow a minority to effectively change their culture.
53. One of the many Christmas trees the City of Sydney displayed to bring joy to locals and visitors. Christmas trees and decorations were displayed all over Sydney’s central business district, as well as in suburbs throughout Australia.
54. Australia is one of the countries in the world who chooses to stand by the right to display Christmas decorations throughout its city streets to acknowledge and celebrate the birth of Christ.
55. The City of Sydney was proud to display Happy Christmas banners and Christmas trees celebrating the birth of Christ. I believe the United States can learn something from Australia.
56. Christmas banners flew along the central business district in downtown Sydney.
57. Older buildings such as the Queen Victoria Building amongst modern structures helps to make Sydney one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
58. Sydney’s Queen Victoria Building was built in 1886 to honor the regent upon her visit to Australia. Every year, a huge Christmas tree is displayed in this building’s atrium.
59. This is a photo of the top of the multi story Christmas tree, decorated with Swarovski crystals, in the Queen Victoria Building in the central business district of Sydney.
60. A close up view of the Swarovski crystals and their brass support structure.
61. “Twelve White Boomers” is a children’s story about how white kangaroos pulled Santa’s sleigh around the world on Christmas Eve. The kangaroos’ feet and tails create “boom” sounds on roofs. You can hear the song, “Twelve White Boomers” on the internet. Its really great! Australian children believe a little baby kangaroo (a joey), fell out of its mother’s pouch, and Santa Claus helps it find its mother as he delivers Christmas presents on Christmas Eve. Children all over Australia believe that Santa’s sleigh is actually pulled by 12 white kangaroos instead of reindeer.
62. If you look very closely, you can see the little lost joey baby kangaroo sitting next to Santa. Santa is a koala. Santa will find its mother as he delivers Christmas presents to Australian children on Christmas Eve.
62. A koala Santa Clause in his sleigh is pulled by 12 white boomers, which are white kangaroos.
63. Now Joyful has a koala St. Nick from Sydney!
64. Flat Mr. Davis and Anne feed a granola bar to some wild ibis birds in Sydney, Australia.
65. A wild yellow crested cockatoo warns another bird to stay away in Sydney, Australia, November 2015. We saw this magnificent bird on the lawn near the Sydney Botanical Gardens.
66. Anne is dwarfed by a magnificent Mortan Bay Fig Tree in the Sydney Botanical Gardens.
67. This is a close up photo of the Moreton Bay Fig tree of Australia.
68. These extraordinary tropical flowers in the Sydney Botanical Gardens were breathtaking!
69. One fine day, Flat Mr. Davis, Jeff and I took a ferry boat to the Taronga Zoo in Sydney. Here, Flat Mr. Davis, overlooked Sydney Harbor towards the city, Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbor Bridge.
70. Flat Mr. Davis and Anne feed bread to a wild turkey in the Sydney Taronga Zoo in November 2015.
71. The wild turkey is thankful Flat Mr. Davis likes to share his lunch.
72. A wild bird with a colorful beak in Sydney, Australia, November 2015.
73. Flat Mr. Davis saw a wild ibis in a cafe in the Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia, November 2015.
74. Flat Mr. Davis saw a wild seagull in a cafe in the Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia, November 2015.
75. Flat Mr. Davis read how kangaroos and wallabies hop on a sign in Sydney’s Taronga Zoo.
76. Flat Mr. Davis read about the difference between a wallaby and a kangaroo.
77. A huge kangaroo woke up from his nap!
78. A mother kangaroo feeds her joey in Sydney at the Taronga Zoo.
79. Flat Mr. Davis saw a kangaroo at the Taronga Zoo in Sydney in November 2015.
80. Flat Mr. Davis and Anne make friends with a wallaby in Sydney. The zoo keeper gave us kangaroo food pellets so we could feed the roos. Roos eat vegetation.
81. Jeff and a wallaby friend in Sydney.
82. Jeff makes a wallaby friend in Sydney’s Toranga Zoo. The roos were free to jump around their compound.
83. Kangaroos sleep lying down.
84. Flat Mr. Davis saw a koala wake up to eat Eucalyptus leaves.
85. A koala waking up to eat some Eucalyptus leaves. Koalas sleep about 22 hours a day!
86. This koala is dreaming about eucalyptus gum tree leaves for afternoon tea.
87. A shy potoroo, an Australian marsupial ponders the day.
88. Flat Mr. Davis saw some trumpet flowers in Sydney.
89. We saw this wild ibis in Sydney, Australia tending its young still in their nest.
90. Flat Mr. Davis looks at a wild ibis tending her two baby ibis who are in their nest below the adult ibis in Sydney, Australia, November 2015.
91. Flat Mr. Davis saw a huge emu in the Taronga Zoo.
92. Flat Mr. Davis saw some awesome flowers growing in Sydney, Australia, November 2015.
93. Flat Mr. Davis saw a snoozing wombat at the Taronga Zoo in Sydney. We know several Australians who have wombats as pets.
94. Flat Mr. Davis examined a Tasmanian Devil’s skull while in the Toranga Zoo in Sydney. According to many scientists, wild Tasmanian Devils will be extinct in about 20 years due to a facial cancer spread from one Tasmanian Devil to another. The Taronga Zoo, as well as other zoos and nature reserves in Australia, are trying to keep the species alive.
95. Flat Mr. Davis saw a sleeping Tasmanian Devil in the Taronga Zoo in Sydney.
96. Flat Mr. Davis learned lots about Tasmanian Devils.
97. Flat Mr. Davis learned the Tasmanian Devil may become extinct due to their facial cancer, the Tasmanian facial tumor disease.
98. Flat Mr. Davis was sorry to read about the troubles Tasmanian Devils have.
99. Flat Mr. Davis donated $20 Australian dollars to help Tasmanian Devils live.
100. Flat Mr. Davis knows that natural habitat for animals is important.
101. Flat Mr. Davis met this beautiful bird in Sydney.
102. After we visited the Taronga Zoo, we took the ferry across Sydney Harbor to enjoy the city.
103. Flat Mr. Davis rides a ferry boat like this one to Sydney Harbour.
104. Flat Mr. Davis saw a wild lizard in a pond at the Chinese Garden in Sydney, Australia.
105. On anther day Flat Mr. Davis, Jeff and I visited the Sydney Opera House where they had an annual festival celebrating the cultures of indigenous peoples.
106. Sonja, next to Flat Mr. Davis and me in this photo, was the Aboriginal leader of the workshop, who asked me to help teach a workshop at the Opera House about the tragedy of plastics polluting our oceans. Plastic from the ocean was one of the media used to teach through art. Traditional Aboriginal weaving techniques were incorporated in the lessons.
107. I made this sea turtle of plastic and metal debris and shells of sea animals, all found floating in the sea, and bound them together with new plastic. If plastic and certain metal objects get into the sea, they will kill sea creatures.
108. New plastic with ocean flotsam plastics, metals, and shells of sea animals.
109. Metal can flip tops, fish hooks, and floats mixed with shells were tangled together in the mess of plastic rope found in the sea; I made this sea turtle from the recovered mess and bound it together with new plastic.
110. Flat Mr. Davis and Anne with the sea turtle she made using plastic and metal debris found in the ocean. Anne gave the plastic turtle to the Round Hill Elementary School Bears to teach them about how plastic harms the oceans.
121. One evening, as Jeff, Flat Mr. Davis, and I were on a ferry boat sailing back to Pittwater, I took this photo of the Sydney Opera House silhouetted against the setting sun.
122. Another view of the Sydney Opera House.
123. Flat Mr. Davis saw the Sydney bridge from a ferry boat another fine day when we visited the ANZAC War Memorial in Sydney.
124. Every tile on the roof of the Sydney Opera House has a unique dimension. They have numbers on them so the builders could identify where they should be on the roof.
125. I thought the Sydney Opera House would be a perfect home! Here I am relaxing on my front verandah!
126. Six of the Sailors for Christ members, as we named ourselves and other sailing missionary families we met in Bora Bora, pose for a photo in front of the Sydney Bay Bridge.
127. The Sailors for Christ members meet in Sydney after sailing across half of the world from the USA. We all first met in Bora Bora, and as we are all sailing missionaries, we named ourselves “Sailors for Christ.”
128. The ANZAC War Memorial for Australian military men and women honored those who paid the ultimate sacrifice to their country.
129. The plaque explaining the ANZAC Memorial in the heart of Sydney.
130. Around the outside of the memorial are larger than life sculptures of members of the armed services of Australia. This is a quote from the Military Cross Citation for Lieutenant Arthur Cooper, 53rd Battalion, Australian Imperial Force of Sydney, Age 32, 1918.
131. The sculpture depicts a fallen ANZAC warrior returning to his land in glory, in the manner of an ancient Grecian soldier, laid on his shield, his arms supported by his sword, and is carried by wives, mothers, and sisters.
132. Another view of the Spirit of ANZAC.
133. Another day we attended a performance of Handel’s Messiah at the Sydney Opera House. We also took a tour through the Sydney Opera House. It is a totally unique structure, inspired by the Danish architect by an egg shell!
134. Jeff at the Sydney Opera House.
135. The roofs of the Sydney Opera House were made of tiles. Each one has a number and unique shape!
136. Flat Mr. Davis and Anne at the Sydney Opera House.
137. Flat Mr. Davis could have his photo taken in the concert hall only because it was between events. After the tour, we had our photo taken professionally, and they superimposed digital backgrounds of various theaters in the opera house.
138. Flat Mr. Davis was intrigued with the architectural elements on the ceiling, walls, floors, and seating, all which enabled superior acoustics in the concert hall.
139. Flat Mr. Davis, Jeff & I posed for a professional photo at the Sydney Opera House as they will not allow photos during events. They digitally placed various scenes of the interior and exterior behind us! We heard Handel’s Messiah in this concert hall.
140. To celebrate American Thanksgiving with friends in Berry, Victoria, Australia, Flat Mr. Davis, Jeff and Anne enjoyed riding the train in Garringong.
141. Flying seagulls at Garringong, Australia.
142. Flat Mr. Davis and a wild echidna by our hotel in Berry, New South Wales, Australia. Echidnas are one of Australia’s marsupials, and only live wild in Australia. They look similar to European hedge hogs, but echidnas are marsupials.
143. Peaceful farmland in Berry, New South Wales, Australia. Kangaroos live in here, but are not well liked by most farmers because they compete with sheep and cattle for the delicious grass to eat. This is where we celebrated American Thanksgiving.
144. We visited a lovely Australian family for a traditional Thanksgiving feast. This is a photo of their swimming pool overlooking their gorgeous farmland in Berry, New South Wales, Australia.
145. American Thanksgiving with friends in Berry, New South Wales, Australia. The family on the right side of the photo are our fellow Sailors for Christ, a sailing missionary family we met in Bora Bora. The young man at the left side of this photo lives on this farm with his lovely parents who, along with our sailing friends, kindly invited us for an American Thanksgiving celebration.
146. For Thanksgiving, we enjoyed a traditional Australian dessert called a Pavlova. It is a marangue covered with double cream and fruit with whipped cream on top! It was extraordinarily delicious and addicting!
147. Of course, Flat Mr. Davis was invited to the Thanksgiving feast as well, and he also found a new favorite dessert…Australian Pavlova!
148. Jeff, Anne, and sailing missionary friend, Gabriella, presented an art ministry event at the Banfields Aged Care, Cowes, Phillip Island, Australia on 10 December 2015. We could not take photos inside the building.
149. My greeting card examples for art ministry in Phillip Island and Bali. They were to teach Jesus’ commandment to “Love your neighbor as yourself.” People can show love by making artwork for them.
150. At the house our sailing friends rented in Phillip Island, Anne prepares to teach an art ministry event as fellow sailing missionary, Beatrice helps. Beatrice and her daughter, Gabriella also kindly helped us with art ministry events in Tonga and Mackay, Australia.
151. Beatrice, Gabriella, and Jeff helped assemble Christmas presents for the residents of an elder care home on Phillip Island, Australia. We gave the residents the gifts during the art ministry event we gave them.
152. Jeff, Ken, Gabrielle, Josh, Beatrice and I prepared Christmas presents to give during the art ministry event we gave to residents at an elder care center in Phillip Island, Australia.
153. Beatrice and Gabriella posed with the Christmas presents they kindly helped assemble that we gave to the residents of the Banfield Aged Care Center on Phillip Island.
154. The next day, Jeff looked on the internet where all the elder care centers were located on Phillip Island, Australia, so we all could give them gingerbread houses for Christmas.
155. Anne, Beatrice, Josh and Gabriella making gingerbread houses to give to aged care centers and a police station on Phillip Island, Australia.
156. Beatrice and the cheerful gingerbread house she made. Beatrice will kindly give the gingerbread house to an elder care center on Phillip Island.
157. Seventeen year old Josh making the gingerbread house he graciously gave to residents of an elder care facility on Phillip Island, Australia.
158. Fourteen year old Gabriella thoughtfully constructing her gingerbread house she will kindly give to the Phillip Island Police Station.
159. Flat Mr. Davis and Anne with the gingerbread house they made to give to residents of the Banfields Elder Care Center on Phillip Island, Australia.
160. Beatrice giving her gingerbread house to the Melaleuca Aged Care Center on Phillip Island, Australia.
161. Presentation of Beatrice’s gingerbread house to residents of the Melaleuca Aged Care Center. They thanked us and prayed for our safe journeys on the oceans.
162. Gabriella, Beatrice, Josh and I stand in front of the police department on Phillip Island. Gabrielle chose to give the gingerbread house she made to the policemen for Christmas.
163. Gabriella kindly giving her gingerbread house to the Police Station on Phillip Island, Australia. It was her idea to do so. The officer was extremely thankful and awestruck that a young teenager would wish to do this for the policemen.
164. Josh, Ken, Beatrice, Gabrielle, Jeff, and I are at an elder care center for Josh to give the residents a gingerbread house he generously made for them for Christmas.
165. Josh and the gingerbread house he kindly made to give to residents of an elder care center on Phillip Island, Australia.
166. Flat Mr. Davis and Anne with the gingerbread house they made for residents of the Banfields Elder Care Center on Phillip Island, Australia.
167. Anne, with Beatrice, Josh, and Gabriella, giving her gingerbread house to residents of the Banfields Aged Care Center, Phillip Island, Australia. This elder care center did not allow photos taken inside the grounds. The residents were very thankful for the gingerbread house.
168. Flat Mr. Davis saw this very sleepy koala in a eucalyptus tree on Phillip Island, Australia, by the Bass Strait.
169. A koala woke up to find some eucalyptus leaves to eat.
170. Flat Mr. Davis saw two koalas in this eucalyptus tree. Each koala has a favorite type of eucalyptus tree, of which it eats the leaves, and won’t eat any other leaf from a different kind of eucalyptus trees!
171. A wallaby with her joey in her pouch jumps among the eucalyptus trees on Phillip Island, Australia.
172. A wallaby with a joey in her pouch enjoyed living at the koala nature reserve on Phillip Island. Many Australians shoot to kill kangaroos and wallabys because they graze on their land. Many roos also are hit by automobiles every day. Because there are no predators, roos in many places in Australia have become over populated.
173. On the way to Wilson’s Promontory in Victoria, Australia, we saw a roadside sign warning drivers to watch out for wombats crossing the road. Or does it mean Tasmanian Devils?
174. A word about the climbing fish of Victoria at Wilson’s Promontory.
175. A natural pool where the climbing fish live in a special forest at Wilson’s Promontory. The promontory is located near the beach at the southernmost part of Australia, near Phillip Island.
176. Jeff enjoyed learning about this unique forest in Wilson’s Promontory, Victoria, Australia.
177. Flat Mr. Davis walked through a forest of Eucalyptus trees and giant ferns in Wilson’s Promontory, Victoria, Australia.
178. A few extraordinary wild Gullah birds look for something to eat on a lawn in Wonthaggi, Victoria, Australia, December 2015.
179. Wild Gullah birds were on a lawn in Wonthaggi, Victoria, Australia, December 2015.
180. We saw a sign near Wilson’s Promontory explaining how rainbow lorikeets eat seeds from the grass tree.
181. Flat Mr. Davis stands next to an Australian Grass Tree, the seeds of which, rainbow lorikeets like to eat. Victoria, Australia, December 2015. We saw Australian Grass Trees also on Keswick Island in the Great Barrier Reef.
182. We saw this amazing small albatross standing on a lawn next to a beach on the Bass Strait, Victoria, Australia, December 2015. He hoped we would give him some food we were eating. We did not feed him.
183. Some wild birds eat near the beach on the Bass Strait, Victoria, Australia, December 2015.
184. We saw this black raven type wild bird with black feathers in Wonthaggi, Victoria, Australia in December 2015.
185. These magnificent wild birds, perhaps magpies, were in Wonthaggi, Victoria, Australia in December 2015.
186. Flat Mr. Davis and some extra special gum (Eucalyptus) blossoms and pods in Wonthaggi, Victoria, Australia.
187. Flat Mr. Davis found a tree in the forest which had been burned by the government in hopes of preventing forest fires and creating healthier trees.
188. Flat Mr. Davis and I say “Hi” to the Round Hill Bears from the Bass Strait, Victoria, Australia in December 2015. We wrote in the sand, “Hi Bears – Australia.”
189. Jeff and Anne on a beautiful beach on the Victorian seaside facing the Bass Strait.
190. Flat Mr. Davis, Jeff and Anne on the Bass Strait, Victoria, Australia, December 2015.
191. Flat Mr. Davis noticed some plastic pollution on the Bass Strait, Victoria, Australia, December 2015.
192. On the drive back to Phillip Island we saw a kangaroo on the side of the road looking at us. We slowed down because many times roos jump right in front of cars!
193. The kangaroo started to think about jumping in front of our car!
194. The kangaroo jumped extremely fast!
195. Sometimes a car cannot avoid hitting a kangaroo jumping across the road. Thank goodness the timing was right for this kangaroo and for us! In Australia, when a vehicle is going in forward gear, it is supposed to be in the left side lane.
196. The kangaroo continued to jump across the highway.
197. This is some info on Little penguins. We went to an area on the Bass Strait to view these fantastic creatures!
198. Flat Mr. Davis stands next to a stuffed adult Little Penguin in the museum near the bay on the Bass Strait, Australia, where we saw them come out of the sea at sunset in large groups to feed their young. Dec. 2015.
199. On the way to the beach, Flat Mr. Davis saw two baby Little Penguins under a boardwalk awaiting their parents to feed them on the Southwest coast of Phillip Island, December 2015.
200. Another look at two baby Little Penguins as they watch from under a boardwalk, for their parents. The parents will feed them. Southwest coast, Phillip Island, Australia in December, 2015.
201. Flat Mr. Davis, as he awaited sunset, to see hundreds of Little Penguins march out of the surf, form small groups, and run together across the sand to the dunes, where their babies await food. December, 2015. It was fantastic!
202. These are some of the natural as well as man made nests where the little penguin babies live as they wait for their parents to bring them fish every night until they are old enough to feed themselves.
203. For a fun scientific experiment, Flat Mr. Davis, Beatrice, Ken, Josh, Gabrielle, Jeff and I, while on Phillip Island in Australia, studied pressure fluctuation dynamics by exploding a watermelon using only rubber bands. We wore safety goggles!
