Tangalooma Family Trip

[matt fraser]

After the sodden December and January we've had, February has finally given us SEQLDers a chance to get out on the water. Planets aligned for me to get the family out for a day on the bay. Specifically to get to Tangalooma to take the kids for a snorkel.

So on Sunday (20 Feb) we headed out from Wello at around 8am. Boat ramp parking spots just filled as I arrived, great to see so many people out making the most of the weather.

I dropped a couple of pots at Green, and then headed to the Sandhills where I dropped three pots and we had a whiting fish for an hour or so. It was very slow though, with only five whiting and a couple of toadies. Then a shag joined us and grabbed every fish as we bought them to the boat. We managed to wrestle the fish back - it let go when threatened with the gaff!

After checking the pots for two legals, we headed up to Tangalooma, it was getting a bit rough, so much for the predicted 5knots. At Tangalooma it was really nice, heaps of boats, but everyone was having a great time.

I took my boy out for a snorkel first, visability was down a bit on previous trips, but still ok. Then I took my 4 year old girl out, she only had goggles, and wasn't as confident, but still enjoyed it.

Mum organised lunch, and then we all went for a snorkel together, and fed the fish which really good. There are some massive bream there, plus lots of parrot, and other species. After a big long snorkel it was time for home.

We came across a pod of dolphins on the way home, and a few turtles. Pulling pots at the sandhills there was just undersized crabs and one pot missing..? The trip back across the bay was hard yakka, about 12knots of Northerly against a big tide. Not much fun in a 4.75m tiller, but it wasn't wet or dangerous, just painfull. It didn't worry the kids, as they slept all the way home.

Pulled the pots at Green, one pot has 7 crabs for one keeper, the other had 9 crabs for 2 keepers. So ended up with 5 keepers for the day. They weren't really full, but still tasty.

By the time we pulled out, and drove home it was 6pm, so big day on the water. But still lots of fun, and lots of new experiences for the kids. It was a great family day, that everyone enjoyed, plus we got a tasty feed, gotta be happy with that!

Cheers,

Matt

[bennykenny]

nice work matt, sounds like a fun trip, i cant wait til my daughter is old enough to take on trips like that. cheers BK

[Micadogs]

Hi Matt, we got out Saturday. Pulled up at the sandhills on high tide. Several thousand stingrays crusing the shore line. Very large hammerhead sharks tearing through the rays and beaching themselves. 2 YO cant stop talking about it. Obviously didn't swim there.

Went to the Tangalooma wrecks, perfect day, water crystal clear. Had a great time also.

[liltuffy]

Hey Matt, how did you get the schools of fish up??, my crew also snorkel and would just love that arrangement.
Was it just a case of some burley/pillies/bread over the side where you were anchored or someting else.

Good day out

Craig

[craigie]

Was a top day guys.

I was anchored at Tangalooma Point for a couple of hrs. Had a swim and landed a couple of Flathead.

Water was awesome !!

Yes saw all the Stingrays as we cruised along the shoreline in the boat.

And as Matt says, the NE wind against tide made the bay just that little bit choppy for the run home to Manly.

Cheers
Craigie.

[Marlin_Mike]

Hopefully the weather holds for next Saturday. That's what we plan to do. Me, wife son and his G/F. A nice day trip to the sand hills and Tangalooma if it stays as it is on seabreeze at the moment.

Mike

[eyeskeenas]

Hey Matt, how did you get the schools of fish up??, my crew also snorkel and would just love that arrangement.
Was it just a case of some burley/pillies/bread over the side where you were anchored or someting else.

Good day out

Craig

if you feed them they will come. i have had them come up with prawn shells and the crusts off my sanga. it doesnt take long for them to arrive.

[Reel'em in]

We also headed over on Sunday, couldn't have had a better day for it.

How far down the island from the wrecks were all the rays and sharks? That would have been a great sight for the kids.

The ride home threatened to shake a filling or two loose though!

[craigie]

Reel em in,

We spotted the rays about 3 - 4 k's south of Tangalooma but didn't see the sharks. Sounds like Micadogs found them a couple K's more to the South at the "Sand Hills".

We cruised along the edge of the beach in the boat, the rays were there in big numbers. Also saw plenty right on the point at Tangalooma Point, I km to the South of the resort.

Cheers
Craigie.

[Angryant]

We were at the sandhills on Sunday morning (early). Had a swim and saw one stingray (thankfully no sharks). Moved on to Peel Is, caught a couple of undersize flathead, and then back to Wello Point. Great day.

[Eug]

Sounds like an awesome day out. How much fuel did you use by chance (motor HP)?

[Blackened]

G'day

Nice report,

Also did the Tangas trip from Manly in the thundercat, weather was fantastic.

Ended up finding even better water at Honeymoon Bay and the Boulders and came across a pod of 30 dolphins on the eastern side of Moreton as we circumnavigated the Island, pulled up at Amity to get the seafood from the Trawlers, and then back in. 142km traveled.

Looks like this weekend is just as good!

Dave

[Greg P]

We did the same on Sunday. Picnic and swim at Shark Point. Rays and shovelies everywhere. Water was beautiful. Motored up to Tangas but that is not for us. Too many people in one spot.

[matt fraser]

Thanks for all the replys, sounds like a heap of Ausfishers made the most of the day, and sounds like most weren't just out for the fishing. I certainly earned more brownie points than I expected for the day.

If this weekend holds up to the reports, I'll try and get out for a crack at the Rous whiting. Just need to get up earlier to get a park at the ramp.

Benny, its great now the kids are a few years older, boating trips are getting easier and more fun for everyone. Thats about to change again though with no.3 due in a couple of months......doh!

Micadogs, that would have been an awesome sight for sure! Amazing what is out there sometimes.

Craig, we just threw some bread in and the fish were onto it pretty quick. The current was pretty strong where we were anchored (20m from wrecks) but around the wrecks there was heaps less current, so by taking some bread in a bag and feeding them bits at a time, it was great to have hundreds of mainly bream and butter bream feeding from your hands. When we ran out of bread, the fish still followed us for ages.

Eug, just guessing, but I reckon I would have used about 30 litres, 60Hp Yamaha 4 Stroke. Cheap day out for the family really.

Dave, that's a big trip, sounds great! I need a bigger boat.

I'll have to check my map to see where some of these other spots are you guys mention. Sounds like I need to do more exploring.

Cheers,

Matt

[Rhinoc]

Sounds fantastic up that way on a good day. I'd love to do a run up there from Coomera one day. Is that a possibility from Coomera? What would be the best route from the north arm. I'd like to plot a course for future reference. Even this weekend mat be a goer if sea breeze is accurate.

Rhino...