Charter Chatter

- Sarina Bratton, Founder and Managing Director of Orion Expedition Cruises, recently returned from a scouting expedition to Borneo in preparation for the inaugural visit in 2011 by Orion II. One such expedition was venturing in local boats up the Kinabatangan River, one of the oldest jungle eco-systems remaining on earth and one of two places on the planet where you can see ten species of primate.

- EastSail in Rushcutters Bay, Sydney, will hold a Sails and Ales event on Monday 6 December at 5.45pm, starting with sailing in their regular Monday night twilight series with an instructor aboard followed by a barbecue and drinks. The cost is $75 and new sailors receive a $15 rebate for booking a course. Future dates are 17 January and 21 February.

- Better known for cruises in the Kimberley, the adventure-cruise ship True North also visits Sydney each year during the Christmas/New Year period, offering two four-night cruises. The first cruise departs on Christmas night ensuring that everybody onboard has a ringside seat for the start of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Cruise two embarks on New Year's Eve and features uncompromised views of the Harbour Bridge fireworks.

- Whitsunday Rent A Yacht has opened an on-line holiday auction site where you can bid for a skipper-yourself cruise. On offer are four, five and seven-night holidays aboard the Perry 43 and Lagoon 400 catamarans and the Jeanneau 35 and Beneteau 43.4 yachts.

- Local environmental crusaders Eco Barge Services run a Marine Debris Removal Program to remove unwanted waste from Whitsundays beaches and islands. Local volunteers join travelers, backpackers and other volunteers on trips out to the islands on the small barge to remove marine debris cluttering the beaches and threatening local marine life. Since July 2009, 52,551kg has been collected. From December, they will also be selling marine debris collection bags made from bamboo that are large, lightweight, durable and 100 per cent biodegradable.

- British naturalist Sir David Attenborough stayed on Heron Island on the Great Barrier Reef last year when filming marine crustaceans at Wistari Reef for his documentary ‘The First Animals’, which airs on the BBC in the United Kingdom this month. Currently the island is undergoing a substantial upgrade, however refurbishments will be managed to minimise any disruptions. Guests visiting Heron from now until 17 December 2010 enjoy free meals during their stay, and past guests receive a 10 per cent discount on all room rates.

- The annual turtle nesting and hatching season at Mon Repos, near Bundaberg, begins 6 November, offering two completely different experiences. November through to early January is the nesting season, when the giant turtles painstakingly drag themselves up the beach and spend hours laying hundreds of eggs before returning to the ocean. Cocooned in their sandy nest, these fragile eggs incubate for almost six weeks until the January to March hatching season, when masses of tiny turtles emerge from the sand and scurry across the beach to the safety of the onrushing waves. Sadly, only one in every thousand survives to return to breed.

- When cruising, it is easy to lose track of the days, but guests sailing onboard Holland America Line’s ms Volendam are reminded of the day of the week as it is elegantly written on rugs lining the floors of the elevators. www.cruiseweekly.com.au

Dec 26 -- Rolex Sydney Hobart starts on Sydney Harbour at 1.00pm on Boxing Day. Charter boats of all shapes and sizes and a variety of costs are available to watch the start of this iconic event. http://rolexsydneyhobart.com

Dec 31 -- New Year’s Eve. Spectacular pyrotechnics are fired off the Sydney Harbour Bridge, barges, and city skyscrapers at 9.00pm and midnight. Charter vessels participate in a themed parade following the 9.00pm fireworks. A special area is set aside for charter vessels in the Harbour. www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/nye/

Photograph: Alfa Romeo and Wild Oats XI