We used Chris's Quintrx to ferry the multiple loads of gear. Then it was set sail North in search of calmer conditionz.
The wind is that bad that the Quintrex will be towed up to the top of the Island on Saturday morning
Until then we are fishing inside the bay for shelter with plenty of quality fish coming between the ever present sharx. Coral Trout, Mangrove Jax, Cod and Mackerel have all come aboard.
While Precious managed 2B bitch Slapped by a 5ft whaler shark..
The odd GT and a few bruising encounters with big Macks or Cobia have kept everyone constantly engaged..We are preparing for another big night hopefully 2nite our elusive Black Jew will show up.
The main story of the trip has been anchor related.
The rough weather of the past week damaged the anchor winch so it required a rebuild on the run .
The newly refurbished winch then placed our anchor on the centre of a massive coral bommie and even with dive equipment that anchor is now a new mooring in the bay.
We ended up cutting the anchor chain at 10 meters and fitting a bouy to keep the chain afloat..Marble point now has a mooring on a gr8 fishing spot
The courage shown by the crew was "interesting" when it was revealed that I needed a buddy diver down there with me!
Crocodiles, Crocodiles!
Super crocodilez that drop from planes with halo gear and land without warning to eat you are everywhere up here apparently
In actual fact the guyz did eventually see a croc on the final morning! a 3m baby kept an eye on us for a hour or so.
As Xpected the weather didn't play nice so we spent our entire trip in the secluded areaz of Marble Point and the many offshore Islands in that area.This didn't stop the flow of "Quality" phish coming aboard,,a select few were filleted ready for 1st class transfer to Sydney.
We found the obligatory oysters on a quiet morning between tusselling with trevally, sharx and any number of big angry fish.
Hanni tried a new version of the "LUGE" sliding headfirst down a slimy and oyster covered rock.
As usual only 1 person on board to clean and cook these "average" sized delicacies.
This didn't mean any went to waste as these are the same oysters these guyz pay $24 per dozen only ourz are 3 or 4 thymes the size,and guaranteed fresh
We ended up using "FACON" Hallal beef bacon rasherz. This allowed for a feed of oysters Kilpatrick 2B enjoyed by all those eager or willing to try them.
A second course of Coral Trout and Crayfish Morney waz also a well received treat.
Still you can't beat a fresh oyster straight off the rocx with a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice.The cuisine haz definatly gone middle eastern with flat bread, olives, garlic and yoghurt complimenting our usual plain fodder of fresh fish.
The 2 hour road trip North for the other boat turned out 2B a 7 hour nightmare. 2 flat tyrez and several other maladies created a trip best left in the memory books and not in fotoz.
The rest of the crew did eventually arrive to swell our numbers.
A stinking hot arvo gave way to a bonfire night with sushimi then fresh fish and chipz 4 dinner.
As with any really gr8 nitez, this one began rather tame but ended up becoming a night of future tales.
Enter "Blackout"one of Chris and Andrewz mates who arrived to join the festivities.With his 30/30 shotgun the tranquility waz never the same again!
Everyone was a little worse 4 wear the following morning but those dedicated few went for an early morning fish on the Quintrex returning with coral trout, gold band snapper plus a couple of black jew (mulloway)!Our resident sea eagle and his mate were happy to receive any spare fish framez.
The yot was not going to float until around midday, so there was more fishing and thyme 4 some sight seeing.The aboriginal rock art is worth a visit.
When it came thyme for Galleycat to refloat we packed up the shore camp and the 4 wheel drives left 4 town once again.
The Yot was moved a few islands further North as the weather has finally begun to improve.
We set off 4 an afternoon troll with soft plastics and hard body lures.
An early morning bottom bouncing trip was planned in an effort to get the boys onto a few arm stretching fish.I stayed behind 2 attempt some sleep, but Honey wanted a toilet break so Big Rob and I took Honey ashore then began to troll a few soft plastics around.
Just a couple of small queenies.
However the other boat returned (Blackouts 28 ft ali plate Bar Crusher) the iceboxes aboard all bulging with quality fishes.
Finally the boys have had enuf fishing!, it only took 4 dayz for them 2B thoroughly fished out!Lotz of Big fish and even Bigger smiles!
Apparently they only fished for 1 hour and 20 mins to fill the icebox. 3 big jew, half a dozen gold snapper and more nanygai small and large mouthed than one could count.
More tales of some of the shark battles also.
A nice Spaniard also took a bottom bait so they are here despite our lack of trolling suxcess.
Then once again the problem arises, you have to photograph then clean all those lovely fresh phish.
So we loaded the dinghy aboard and set sail back for town. While Hanni and I set about filleting the catch.
The boys already had around 10kg of fillets back at Andrews house cryo-vacced and frozen for their return So all this fish was donated to Blackoutz place.
No fish came to play on the trolling lines as we returned to Alyangula. A slow roasted butterflied lamb leg was wrapped by some turkish bread with lashings of sour cream and garlic yoghurt.
We really missed having the Gardenbeds for fresh parsley
Then the yot experienced itz first
"calm" of the trip, as there were sleeping bodies everywhere you looked.
Heaps of stories will no doubt come to light over the next month or so but all the guyz would be hard pressed to forget there visit to Groote and Galleycat for a very long thmye.
Now my task of preparing the Yot for sea and her trip to Cape York.
The damaged anchoring system needs some work and a few spare parts are on order for the Anchor winch.
I must refill the 300 litres of water the Guyz used in 36 hours (new record)and general get everything back into itz correct place.
There have been several people answer the Gumtree ad to join me with the first Jake, a guy from Melbourne arriving this afternoon.
Several others are in Darwin just waiting to sort final dates and flights.
I don't need an extra but it definately makes the trip more enjoyable.
The boyz have been on the fone 2 thank me for a gr8 trip and an unforgettable experience.
Princess waz a little upset he didn't make the fishy fotoz so the following black jew foto should massage hiz wounded ego and pride.
I have also included the foto of his leg after he was "bitch slapped" by a shark..
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| Precious Jew |
Admittedly we saw our fair share of sharx this trip, at thymez they made fishing a war of attrition with stronger and stronger rigs being manufactured then smashed to pizza's just minutes later.
3 reels failed during the onslaught as well as a couple of rods.
This was hardly so very surprising as 90% of the phishes seem a little on the large size.
The crew have now returned 2 their "normal life" back in Sydney.
I personally couldn't do it!
To spend a week in paradise then return to suburbia with itz traffic and officialdom.
Most of the guys have families so that is some consolation (wkoa) but I would prefer the ocean life to city life any day.
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| BITCH SLAPPED |
