Sharp Learning Curve on the Bay Thurs/Fri

[bidkev]

With a forecast of 10/15 NE we set off for Moreton from Shorncliffe at 7am as the tide was beginning to ebb..............First big mistake. Well, you know what it's like when you want to fish, you tend to hope for the best and think well the wind may well be 40% less, as opposed to stronger....it's worth a go.

10 minutes out it was wind against tide and 15/20 easy and by the time we'd got there it was blowing 25/30 so a run for the wrecks at Tangalooma was the optoion that I'd planned for should it get too bad. Well that was it for Thursday, no let up in the wind all day and night and gusting 30/35 at times.........Jeez it's noisy when you're trying to get some kip :-)

Anyway, apart from the pickers pulled about a dozen squire behind the wrecks ranging between 35 and 45, all returned.

The forecast for Fri was 10/15 SE going NE later so we waited for the tide to ebb with wind and made our way over to the beacons to get some livies..........Zilch not a one to be seen although we saw quite a lot of surface activity and what looked like tuna boiling on several occasions. I'm not too clued up on Tuna but I would say that these were going about 4 to 6 kilos a piece and they had stripes :-) Chucked some slugs at 'em but was having trouble staying upright as that 10/15 was going 15/20.

Who said Dolphins were intelligent??????? I caught the same one 5 times and it kept coming back for more. Floated pillies and dead yakkas were out of the question as the bugger took every one we put in without once getting hooked. When we moved....it followed This happened last time I hit the beacons and I'm sure it's the same dolphin with a small tear in it's dorsal.

The plan was to wait for the wind to turn for the trip home but by 1 pm it was getting stronger so discretion was the better part of valour and we came home with a side sea.

The rig handled great. I'm confident now that she's up to it, although I don't really want to put her through that again, and what's that about familiarity breeding contempt? After all the years I've been boating I still made tha mistake of leaving the hatch open after pulling the pick. All me nice new upholstery got a wetting and so did we :-) Thank God......or Whittley for auto bilge pumps :-)

An experience but not a disaster...........I've learned to respect that Bay even more now.

cheers

kev

[peterreb]

When it blows, it sure does make it vary uncomfortable. I suffer from a back and neck problems.The next day feels like I've played a game of football.
All the more wiser Kev.
cheers
Peter

[reeldreamer]

Lots of fun! I have learnt the hard way to respect the bay or it will happily accomadate you on the sandy bottom! Good report

Mitch

[DaMaGe]

The side sea is a killer, I have had plenty of trips like that when leaving from Curtain or Bulwer back to Bribie, the trip home makes for some interesting experience.

My last trip Sunday, I had bruises on my heels from standing up and holding on tight, she wasn't a big swell, but really choppy, headed in from Bulwer at about 2pm, I am still having problems walking, it’s as if I had been jumping on bitchamun all day, next time I will wear shoes in the boat, I guess the boat carpet doesn’t help all that much either.

The deckie was bed ridden the next day, but aye, what can you expect at 55, no offence.

[skippa]

Yeah Kev,

Mate and I decided that Friday, if we did an early start, was worth a shot/punt. Dragged ourselves down to Tweed to fish the 9mile reef. Tweed Bar was a breeze, but we hadn't long got out to sea and conditions were ordinary to say the least. Reports from Kingscliff VMR were 'wet & windy' in their view and then read out the official weather report. When we did arrive at our spot conditions were more like winds s/e 15-20, closer to1.5mt swell with just as much chop on top too. Every now and then a nice greenie would stand up to ad a bit of excitment for us.

Fish were'nt co operative either down that way but still better than mowing the lawn. We head into the Tweed river by 8.30 but always a lttle hard to get flatties or whiting on 'outside' gear.

We were in my mates 1750LE Signature, never felt unsafe for a minute, but the conditions onshore didn't reflect what we encounted outside. I must say the condition of the Tweed bar on Friday was excellent. Don't know whether its been the dredging or the sand pumping, but its certainly a much safer bar than it used to be.

Disclaimer (always remember to treat all bars with respect and caution and seek local advise)

As I sit here and write this now, with a quick look out my back window, it looks like the bay is glassed out .....
the difference a day makes.


Cheers,
Tony

[bidkev]

The side sea is a killer, I have had plenty of trips like that when leaving from Curtain or Bulwer back to Bribie, the trip home makes for some interesting experience.

My last trip Sunday, I had bruises on my heels from standing up and holding on tight, she wasn't a big swell, but really choppy, headed in from Bulwer at about 2pm, I am still having problems walking, it’s as if I had been jumping on bitchamun all day, next time I will wear shoes in the boat, I guess the boat carpet doesn’t help all that much either.

The deckie was bed ridden the next day, but aye, what can you expect at 55, no offence.

No offence taken mate......We have to recognise our limitations Couldn't stay on my feet Thursday and had to sit.......made the visibility real crap despite a windscreen wiper. Yep, I'm still a bit sore. Hope your deckie hasn't been put off future trips.

cheers

kev

[bidkev]

Yeah Kev,

<snip>

As I sit here and write this now, with a quick look out my back window, it looks like the bay is glassed out .....
the difference a day makes.


Cheers,
Tony

Yeah Tony, I know what you mean but sometimes that glassed out look can be deceiving. I looked out from behind the wrecks at one stage and the sea looked pretty flat. so decided to try for the beacons and some livies. A few minutes out and motoring ok I looked back and the waves behind me were huge..........I'd been looking at the backs of 'em when it looked calmer. Turned round and nice little plod back to cover. That wind against tide is a real killer on the bay.

cheers

kev

[sunny]

Uh huh! Tell me about it

Fishin_Dan and I did an overnighter at Moreton on Friday night, and I swear the trip report will mirror yours. Right down to the freaky seas and pesky dolphin that followed us as we chased the mack tuna.

The bay can be so temperamental. Yesterday morning, we started chasing the tuna is heavy seas and it was all a bit worrying. Two hours later and we're in absolutely glassed out water. [smiley=huh.gif]

Just a good reminder for someone who hasn't had to handle a boat in rough weather for a while that you always plan for the WORST the weatherman says.