Despite the conditions being less than ideal Saturday decided to head over to Moreton because my diving instructer said we had to meet on the Captain Nillson at 11:00am.

Just east of Mud seas were over 2 metres with a nasty chop. Punched through with a bit of wet slow ride. My girlfriend Leanne was less than impressed. I think she's a Jonah because it's always rough when I take her in the boat.

Anyway my normal 25 min trip to the 4 beacons took 40. Decided to sound around - the baitfish and big blobs made me try for some live bait depite the conditions. Put down the jig and hooked up then smash by something big (3rd time this has happend in 2 trips) breaking the line just the swivel. Leanne wanted to go but I wanted perserve despite the conditions. Tied on another jig and promptly cast it into the legs of the beacon for another snap off. Leanne won out and we headed for the safety of Tangalooma.

It was absolutely glorious here with sun and conditions more condusive to water skiing. Walk around the resort for a while then decided to fish from the jetty. Jigged up a pike and threw him out on the livebait rig under a balloon. 10 minutes later reel started slowly peeling out line. Waited for a while then set the hooks. Had slow powerful runs which made me think it was a shovelnose (the balloon had come of so my bait must have got to the bottom before it hit.)

Anyway a large crowd gathered around me as I fought this thing and nearly got pulled off the jetty. I went from hero to villian in 1.2 seconds as it surfaced to reveal a huge loggerhead turtle over 5 foot long. I thought the crowd was going to throw me in. I was using braid so couldn't cut the line because it doesn't rot and would be left streaming out of this guys mouth for 50 metres. Had to get him in and cut it below the trace. Crowd was horrified as this poor turtle surfaced everynow and again flapping its poor heart out. Handed the rod to another bloke as I got it near the jetty and I climbed down a ladder with a knive. Managed to finally cut the trace about 20cm above the hook which should hopefully rust out with time.

Now for the Karma - after I cut the trace the guy holding my rod must have whipped it up in the air hitting an overhead beam snapping off the tip and last 6cm. Buggered 1 $180 rod. Second time the tip has been broken and now it's kaput.

Anyway headed out to the Nillson at 10:45 but no-one showed up. Unbeknown to me the instructor's boat had broke down out of Bribie and he was a no show. Headed back to Tanga thinking he may come on the flyer because he may have felt it was too rough. Didn't show here either. Gave up and went up to the wrecks for a snorkel and laze about for 3 hours until wind and seas settle a little bit. Scared the crap out of my self by snorkelling to the bottom under one wreck only to come face to face with a 6 foot wobbygong.

Seas about 1.2 on the way home and not that bad. Used an extra 25 litres of fuel for the day because of the conditions.

I'm meant to be out there right now after rescheduling with the instructor for Monday. He called at 9:00pm last night to say it was too rough and that we'd have to wait for next weekend.

Not a very good weekend but there's always another time.

Bugman