A small, elegant group of people stand on Barrenjoey Headland overlooking the Pacific Ocean at her most seductive. Calm water surrounds them. At their back are the entrance to Pittwater and vast national parks. Sandy beaches stretch southward with soft surf breaks lapping at their edge and Angophera Forest encapsulating them. It is hard to imagine Australia’s major metropolis is just a stone’s throw away.
This group has made their way to this beautiful part of Australia onboard Jamie Creer’s Integrity 440 as he passionately guides them through his backyard. And so can you.
Jamie Creer is an agricultural economist by trade. For years, he exported Australian native flowers around the world. In 2000, the Australian Olympic committee asked him to produce the floral arrangements for the Sydney Olympics. Quite the honour. His work took him all around the world and he soon realised it was more than a destination’s landmarks which kept him going back. It was the interactions with people and the local knowledge he acquired which endeared locations to him.
Jamie and his wife, Alex, are Northern Beaches Sydneysiders. They spent their youth walking, cruising and discovering the beaches and waterways of greater Sydney. You only need to speak with Jamie for a few minutes to realise his intimate knowledge and passion for these places and their flora. So, it was a natural extension that he and Alex should start Local Eyes (pun intended), a personal intimate tour company dedicated to showing guests a side of greater Sydney rarely seen by tourists onboard his Integrity, Iluka.
Iluka is an Integrity 440 Sedan which is meticulous in her presentation. “We have paid particular attention to the interior design and furnishing of Iluka. Alex and I were actively involved in the build and that was the notable element of building with Integrity, the ability to customise the boat to our needs. And it has not gone unnoticed by our guests. Everyone we have hosted onboard, including some big-name celebrities, have all remarked on her beauty,” explained Jamie.
It is not only the cosy nature of Local Eyes tours which distinguishes them. It is the way they combine land-based tours with cruising the harbour. Their tours cover the undiscovered laneways of Sydney, the art scene, bushwalks and discovering Australia’s indigenous history, wine tasting in the Hunter Valley, and gastronomy. And yet, they all come back to that iconic harbour and a gentlemen’s cruiser.
“Traditionally, most of our guests are international. Since COVID 19, we are turning our attention to more ‘local’ guests. It is astonishing how many of them claim to know Sydney yet, afterward, remark they felt they hadn’t really seen Sydney until they cruised the harbour with us. We look forward to welcoming guests who have postponed a wedding anniversary celebration or milestone birthday for a truly memorable day onboard our Integrity,” offered Jamie and Alex.
“Jamie and Alex are valued clients of Integrity and, as far as we know, are the only ones to operate one of our boats as a charter vessel. I can’t think of a better way to enjoy Sydney’s winter, support a local family business and experience an Integrity firsthand than sign up to one of their tours,” said Bruce Scott, Managing Director of Integrity Motor Yachts Australia.
If you are interested in discovering Sydney in a whole new way, contact Jamie and Alex through their website.
