The amazing thing about seeing the big box come down the channel was that although it was only doing about ten knots, if that, it filled the channel and intimidated everything else by its sheer bulk. The sailing vessel was an Italian training boat but I can't remember its name.
I wonder whether you saw the old sailing vessel preserved on land by a group of enthusiasts at Albany,Mogsy? Did you get up to the old Naval station above King George's Sound, used by the Americans and Aussies during WW2 because of fears of a Jap invasion from the South? It must be among the most beautiful natural sights in the world. The old whalers were based in the sound and one is preserved down there too.
Whilst on the subject of Aus. There is an old Empire tug the 'FORCEFUL' dating from 1925 at the Brisbane Naval museum (run by volunteers) at the side of the Goodwill Bridge on the South Bank along with several other older boats, including a Lightship which stood at the entrance to Moreton Bay.
The Forceful used to make trips up and down the river until early last year but had to retire owing to the preservation group's habit of dousing the boilers with sea-water!! Now she needs about A$750,000 to replace them. We were looking forward to a trip at $50 each down to Moreton Bay with a barbie thrown in. She retired the month before we visited last year!
More info can be found at
www.maritimemuseum.com.au.............happy days.........