wiseguy67
16-11-2005, 01:37 PM
So last night we went fishing :), what a night.... :o
The spot we went to was 3/4 down the breakwall, its about 700 meters from the car park, the last 300m are treacherous; big slippery when wet sandstone boulders haphazardly piled up to creat the breakwall.
Well, we have a few favorite spots to fish along this wall. The night befor we fished the ocean side and did quite well; small tailor, nice rock cod, couple unkown bite offs you know the usual for a full moon on the wall. With many hook ups and a few fish to take home we were ready to return the next night for full moon madness.
Weather prevailing one can fish from both sides of the wall, but if the wind is blowing you chose the leewards side. Last night it was the river side, the night prior was the ocean side.
When we got there the full moon was getting high in the night sky and the air was warm. As I set up my livebait rod katrina remarked on the weather system to the south asking me how far away it was. I replied that it looked to be about 20kms away and moving our way. Bolts of lightning showing the clouds size and progress. I commented casualy we will have to pack up and go befor it gets too close. Saying we should be fine for a hour or two depending.
Not much happening on the fishing side(likely due to the nature of the approaching weather, some know when to stay home ;)) so we chatted away while the storm got bigger and bigger.
I had a good hit and lost the livebait so i went about trying to catch another. I was about to give up and head back to the carpark or at least to a location closer to the car park making the hike out shorter to escape the ever growing bolts of lightning and for certain wind that accompanied the storm when i got another livebait. :) So back out it goes.
At this point the storm was getting a bit too close for comfort. I said five minutes and we have to go so better to start packing up. 30 seconds later i said hmmm :-?lets go!
By the time I had my two rods, the gaff, backpack, etc shouldered the wind hit us.
Now its one thing to negotiate the wall with no wind on a clear moonlit night and entirely another to do it with no moon and gusting winds into the Force 7 to 10 (40 to 55 knots) Bloody hell poor katrina is only 5ft nothing and she was getting blown about like a rag doll, her only advantage was being short meaning she is low to the ground so the wind does not hit her as hard, but on the other hand she only weighs about 112lbs.
We both got completely and brutaly knocked to the ground a few times. No fun, the rods and gaff over my shoulder were making it very hard to keep my balance and i was about to say lets hide behind a big rock until it blows over when i could see we only had 100m to go to get to the even surface of the breakwall where the it's leveled it off with small rocks and in some places sand making the walking surface easy going.
That is on a fine day! From there we had 400m to the car. Onwards we made our way....
It is truely amaizing how much force the wind has. Twice again knocked down befor making it to the troopy.
By running/skipping with the wind at our backs we could actual float along, good fun if your not loaded with fishing gear!
When we got to the carpark the sand coming off the beach was stinging fiercly. Fortuneatly I had parked behind a hill and the paint and glass was ok this morning when i checked. The short drive home was a case of dodging falling branches and debris. When we go home Katrina had trouble walking, she said her legs would not stop shaking and her ankle was giving her grief; one of the falls had left her with a level one sprain in her ankle, ice pack kept the swelling to a minimum but she feels it this morning. Limping around the house...
Next time i will read the weather and take no chances. ::)
As for hiding behind a rock for it to blow over it would of been a long night as its blowing the bloomin 40's this arvo ;)
Be good to get out there as soon as the wind dies off though ;D
The spot we went to was 3/4 down the breakwall, its about 700 meters from the car park, the last 300m are treacherous; big slippery when wet sandstone boulders haphazardly piled up to creat the breakwall.
Well, we have a few favorite spots to fish along this wall. The night befor we fished the ocean side and did quite well; small tailor, nice rock cod, couple unkown bite offs you know the usual for a full moon on the wall. With many hook ups and a few fish to take home we were ready to return the next night for full moon madness.
Weather prevailing one can fish from both sides of the wall, but if the wind is blowing you chose the leewards side. Last night it was the river side, the night prior was the ocean side.
When we got there the full moon was getting high in the night sky and the air was warm. As I set up my livebait rod katrina remarked on the weather system to the south asking me how far away it was. I replied that it looked to be about 20kms away and moving our way. Bolts of lightning showing the clouds size and progress. I commented casualy we will have to pack up and go befor it gets too close. Saying we should be fine for a hour or two depending.
Not much happening on the fishing side(likely due to the nature of the approaching weather, some know when to stay home ;)) so we chatted away while the storm got bigger and bigger.
I had a good hit and lost the livebait so i went about trying to catch another. I was about to give up and head back to the carpark or at least to a location closer to the car park making the hike out shorter to escape the ever growing bolts of lightning and for certain wind that accompanied the storm when i got another livebait. :) So back out it goes.
At this point the storm was getting a bit too close for comfort. I said five minutes and we have to go so better to start packing up. 30 seconds later i said hmmm :-?lets go!
By the time I had my two rods, the gaff, backpack, etc shouldered the wind hit us.
Now its one thing to negotiate the wall with no wind on a clear moonlit night and entirely another to do it with no moon and gusting winds into the Force 7 to 10 (40 to 55 knots) Bloody hell poor katrina is only 5ft nothing and she was getting blown about like a rag doll, her only advantage was being short meaning she is low to the ground so the wind does not hit her as hard, but on the other hand she only weighs about 112lbs.
We both got completely and brutaly knocked to the ground a few times. No fun, the rods and gaff over my shoulder were making it very hard to keep my balance and i was about to say lets hide behind a big rock until it blows over when i could see we only had 100m to go to get to the even surface of the breakwall where the it's leveled it off with small rocks and in some places sand making the walking surface easy going.
That is on a fine day! From there we had 400m to the car. Onwards we made our way....
It is truely amaizing how much force the wind has. Twice again knocked down befor making it to the troopy.
By running/skipping with the wind at our backs we could actual float along, good fun if your not loaded with fishing gear!
When we got to the carpark the sand coming off the beach was stinging fiercly. Fortuneatly I had parked behind a hill and the paint and glass was ok this morning when i checked. The short drive home was a case of dodging falling branches and debris. When we go home Katrina had trouble walking, she said her legs would not stop shaking and her ankle was giving her grief; one of the falls had left her with a level one sprain in her ankle, ice pack kept the swelling to a minimum but she feels it this morning. Limping around the house...
Next time i will read the weather and take no chances. ::)
As for hiding behind a rock for it to blow over it would of been a long night as its blowing the bloomin 40's this arvo ;)
Be good to get out there as soon as the wind dies off though ;D