BROKEN IN POINT SAMSON!!!

 G'day All, And thatz all 200 plus people (wow) that R now reading the Blog! The mix of Face ache and Blog seemz 2B working well. With many subscribers linking to the blog which isn't as thyme consuming as a "you tube" channel. many have tried and failed becoming slaves to You tube and especially Patreon.

While you tube loox gr8 it's a lot of work to keep producing content.

That fact aside the Yot is still suffering with a busted Port Motor (No cooling) despite a new impeller and a new sea strainer being fitted. It now seemz the culpret iz the Exhaust mixer elbow, with lots of  cooling water leaving the engine but not much going through the exhaust header So I may of finally found the problem!  Problem no 2 solved and we now have a working cooling system. And that means a functioning port motor. 

The full moon iz cre8ing massive 5 meter tides and unfortunately I slept Too long and the tide came in (a long way ) and my ropes cut clean through the rear Stb hand rail doing much damage on the way. long story short I kneed a new hand rail to make the Yot once again safe.

 After much work in 40 degree dayz we have managed a hybrid mix of the old railing plus lots of new welded sleevez to bring the safety railz back to a pre damage state. but with 40 degree dayz itz thyme 4 a bit of "sanity" and do the job in the cool of the evening. 

Job done but only temporary. We will need to weld the rails early in the new year once the work pressure iz off the Ali welding guy up here.

So itz thyme 2 head out into the islands for a few dayz and a trip back to Karratha to pick up a few ebay packages B4 xmas.

Itz now thyme to put a crew together to visit the Montebello's over the Xmas, New year break! I'm thinking 2 or 3 towed boats and a crew of 4 or 5 to enjoy the best of the islands with both the mothership and the smaller vessels. Many days of fishing the shallows for trophy phish!
Problem No 3 solved ! 

With a group of m8z coming aboard for a trip to the Montee's towing 2 jet ski's. leaving after Xmas and coming back after New Years. Lots of enthusiasm with a group of 6 coming, I hope we can all Gel.  

I can't pull a trick at  the moment!

Now itz the turn of the generator to go on strike. The motor runs fine but no electricity iz being made. This meanz no Air conditioning which is not pleasant with daythyme temps hitting 40 and nights not much better at 30 degrees. Of course itz impossible to get an electrician between Xmas and New Year.  Luckily the jetty haz power so I can run the still for a top up of Fellixxer!

2 many fish! GT Mania!!!

 

G'day All, Galleycat has arrived back in Dampier Harbour with the simple task of hiding from 3 dayz of 20knot Westerly winds. The journey here from Dolphin Island resulted in  2 spanish mackerel, 1 coral trout, 2 GT's and a barracouta (not so good) but still lotz of activity. If your going to drive these area's you might as well run a pattern of lures, Chris can give evidence that Barra classics work really well in shallow reefy area's.

Our base is now secure so itz thyme 2 head out in2 the Islands for a 2 week discovery cruise! I've had a response to my Facebook add and I'll be joined for this trip by a farmer (Rick) from the Northern area's of Perth.

Rick's 1st fish, 25kg of Thumpin GT. Followed closely by a stinky Barra couta. Several small mackerel then say hello to 2 more GT's B4 we nailed a nice Queenfish (perfect for sushimi and nummas).

Several dayz later and Rick and I are "fished out!".

A massive day and then night just North of  Legendry Island had us tussling  with some monster phishes with a massive longtail tuna and an even bigger Spanish mackerel. Then for added spectacle we had a whale shark circle the yot twice. "Too big to photograph". I've got a foto but itz just a mass of dots! 

The variety of fish haz proved a winner with the trolled lures giving us some real trophy fish. Lotz of foto'z but not much dialogue as I'm 2 busy fishing! When you R releasing every fish you can, the task becomes much simpler as we don't need to bleed, fillet then freeze the fillets.

Obviously when you're only catch and release the Gaff doesn't help much so itz gloves and Boga grips to lift in sum thumping big fishes.

Itz close to a week later and we are working our way back through the Islands after a brief journey in2 Port Sampson. For Ice! as the ice production on the yot proving 2B not sufficient to give us frozen bottles when itz 38 degrees outside and even warmer in. And I kneed ice for my bourbon!

As I said lotz of fish but a few Sharx as well, unfortunate, but it comes with the territory as our floating balloon lines go "off" in 2 or 3 minutes after being deployed with massive and not so massive attacks B4 the sharx move in and make it not fun any more.

The argument as to whether 2 get Starlink itz proving unnecessary as even in the islands and as far as the Montebello's you can get service if you know where 2 look itz once more a case of local knowledge.

Longtail tuna and big mackerel are about, 2 harass the lures but itz the floating linez under balloon rigs that catch the BIG ones. With both the biggest mack and the biggest Tuna falling victim to floating live baits. As such we found ourselves fishing in 20 meters of water for the smallest fish we could catch. So much so that we were making up small hook sabiki jigs to catch ever smaller fish 4 the balloon linez.  

Trophy phish fell 2 these baited lines with such regularity that could nearly set your watch to the strikes on live baits. 3 dayz later and we fish the same grounds with mixed results! A few big fish but lotz more sharx.

Rick haz left the yot and now itz thyme for some maintenance with 2 impellors 2B replaced, the port motor and the genset have both got no water flow and they are kind of essential when itz 35-38 degrees each day.

I've put an add of facebook to see if I can get a few people together for a mothershipping  trip to the Montebello's. I've got the old fashioned paper chartz now for the Monte's and also last weex destination the Dampier Archipelago. with this new information (wkoa) the Monte's should B far more productive (if thatz possible) 

Monster Coral trouts and more reef species than we could count last thyme!

Still there waz a lot less Sharx at the Monte's.

Jobs done and now the motors are both running and the air conditioning worx again. Yippee!

ERROR- I spoke too soon as the port motor still has no cooling water despite a new impeller and lots of detective work I still can't prime the seawater pump.

Culprit is the sea strainer I've ordered a new one but must now wait 4 it to arrive so it's maintenance thyme with a hull scrape and new battery for the Stb engine room. This means I only have one motor to move the Yot. 

Now there's a chance of a Cyclone next week.

NEW PB GT 4 ME !!!

Dampier Arrival! "There's no place like home" Judy Garland.

 

G'day All, When last I left you I waz leaving the totally useless town of Onslow! I thort Coral Bay would take sum beating but Onslow iz on par with Lockhart River in Qld.(and thatz really Bad)

Still I've managed to steam North East for a few dayz and now find myself in Paradise. Still lotz of phish if you know where 2 look. I think we've re-invented coral trout fishing.

Dampier iz a totally protected Harbour with plenty of room "To swing a cat".

Fuel, Water and 100 or so Islands just off the coast making up the Dampier Archipelago plus the added advantage of being just 70 nm from the fabulous Montebello's. in a due West direction So not backwards at all!

 Once again the gardenz have come to the front with everything required 4 a salad now being produced.

Behind the yot iz a tropical Beach with a Yot Club and a fishing club to meet new peoples. Itz thyme to search for new people to continue my journey. First step! Return to The Monebello's.

No actually 1st priority iz get to the supermarket for supplies. This iz where Dampier unwindz. Itz a $140 round trip in the taxi as there is no shops in Dampier. Plus no access to the jetty without a boom gate pass (not available on the weekend.)

So with this development I've moved the Yot to Angel Island some 11 nm from the Dampier Yot Club. With this new base I can catch squidlies and then hide from every wind except due West.

"How Dumb am I" I can get the Yot to Karratha with a bit of skill and a shit tonne of local knowledge. Go in on a rising tide then take the tender to shore this getz rid of the Taxi bill! Then this givez me access to Karratha shopping with 3 supermarkets plus every other service needed except I don't see a Bunnings. 

Shopping Suxcess! A quick trip from Angel Island to Back Beach Boat Rampz Karratha. $28 Taxi to and from the shops. A 2 hour trip inwardz but if the tide iz dropping I have to go past Flying Foam Passage And Searipple Passage, An extra 2 hours as you go North past Dolphin Island. 

The Ideal anchorage I found on Malus Island unfortunately has no internet or phone service even with 5G. So back 2 the drawing board.

So itz back 2 Dampier and itz limitations lotz of shelter from all directions but zero access to shore.

The old boat ramps give me access to the shore without the boomgate issue.

MONTEBELLO MONSTERS!

 

G'day All,

                 Itz 2 & 1/2 weex later and the yot haz returned to Exmouth after a truly fantastic trip to the famous Montebello Islands. The fish were huge, the company waz gr8, The good food goes without saying and even the weather godz played nice. 

The biggest newz was the lack of sharks ! 

By changing tactics and fishing stylez we only lost 2 fish to sharks during the whole journey. By concentrating on the shallows and employing "don't stop drag it to the top" in the deeper water.

The surface activity on lures proved 2B a huge bonus with plenty of mackerel, a few nice tuna and tonnes of "Big Coral Trout" taking our offerings.

For much of the trip we were below 5 meters in depth and had to sort through which fish to keep and those that were to be released. But the shallows really provided a gr8 area in which to catch some monster sized trout with the biggest over 80 cm and the average at 70 cm, plus lotz of smaller releasable sized trout also

With the trout being so plentiful we had 4 of them on board B4 we even arrived at Montebello Islands with  just a taste of what was to come from our overnight anchorage at the top of Barrow Island  

While Big Ash and I caught plenty the same cannot be said for the guy's on "Reel Serene" as they only managed a single shark mackerel on the inward leg of the trip. Once we changed lures from Tuna-Mackerel styles to more flashy Coral trout stylez (Elton John) the catch rate went up heaps with not only the good sized trout but a few mackerel as well. Then without let up comes the flow of "other" phishes;

Coronation Trout, Long nosed emporer and the spangled variety and untold otherz. Believe me when I say I have too search through tonnez of  fotoz to bring you an up to date impression.

While on the journey North I met up with "salty jocks" Google them!

Here I realised that the blog iz not the evil demon I thort it waz. With James the author of Salty Jocks being the first to admit that his updates were 11 months behind the real life version. While the Blog iz generally up to date as long as I have internet service! But what iz most apparent is the need to upgrade from the standard $60 per month to the $160 per month for STARLINK. We were relying on Reel Serene's internet to get weather updates as the yot'z coverage was spotty at best.

Dave from RS caught this stunning green jobfish in 25 meters, biggest we've ever scene.

While the fishing waz gr8 it's all about the people and Ash and I had a ball tearer trip with some stunning meals. Lotz of fresh vegies both from Perth and the now productive garden beds upstairs were turned in2 lots of salad based meals. Plenty of fish, some gr8 steaks,  grilled chicken, fresh bread pita's plus a real apple strudel.

After a single day in Onslow itz immediately obvious that this town will not do! No supermarket and minimal supplies in the general store. 

Still itz just offshore to The mackerel Islands and itz only 100 nm to Dampier Harbour so I've put an add on the backpackers page looking for crew but if I don't get a response quick I'll just head North myself and take a few days to reach the Dampier Archipelago.

Decision maid! I've left Onslow heading 100nm north east to Dampier but I'll do it in 2 or 3 jumps.

ANTICIPATION (WKOA) RED LETTER DAY!

 

G'day All,

                 Itz finally happening! Big Ash leaves the Stormz in Perth behind on hiz weigh up 2 the Yot for a mega trip of a lifethyme to the amazing MonteBello Islands !00 nm North of here.

But, B4 that trip beginz I spent one last day round at Tantabiddi chasing bottom fish and trying to entice a fish on the trolling linez. No luck on the lurez but we did manage an impressive selection of bottom fishes. 2  tomato cod, 1 coral trout and a honeycombe cod to make up a nice collection of fillets for Reel Serene. I already have more fillets than I kneed in the freezer.

After a night of chasing Spango's in the shallowz with Dave from Reel Serene I wanted to try my luck with the lures and also try to get Dave on2 a quality fish or 2. Unfortunately the biggest fish of the morning waz destroyed by a shark! better luck next thyme Dave.

Over nite we caught a few nice spangled emporor but we were hungry for bigger fish so we trolled from Tantabiddi to South passage with zero results, thyme to change the gear and try bottom bouncing in 40 meters of water, here we had more suxcess.

Quality fillets at last!

With 4 nice table fish we returned 2 Tantabbi to have a lunch of chicken ceasar salad B4 I left Reel Serene behind and headed back to Exmouth to await Big Ash's arrival tomorrow. Itz a 15 hour drive so Ash iz leaving at 2 am the morning.

It'll take a few hours once Ash getz here to load up the gear for a 3 week trip to the Monte's.

The opening foto showz a lovely 5 kg GT that took my ever popular red and white Halco! 

Unfortunately the GT swallowed or inhaled the Halco so he couldn't B released but I found a dinghy off Exmouth marina who waz happy to receive the trevally.  The last 5 fish have been on this lure while the ever reliable blue mackerel pattern Rapala hazent had a touch.

We did manage 7 nice emporor last nite while at the Tantabbi Mooringz 

CAMERON CONNECTION!

 

G'day All, 

                 Itz a thyme of flux aboard! ,Cam and Kim both arrived bak in Perth (no problems) and Cam iz all set 2 re-visit, with a 3 week trip to the famous Montebello Islandz on the agenda in the near future. Big Ash is on hiz weigh and Cam will be joining that trip.

3 years ago I didn't know if Cam waz alive (Jan 2021) or where he resides but life haz now turned 360  and I  find myself in full contact and spending a few weex aboard on the weigh up here haz done wonders for our relationship. Itz not til you put this fact at the top of the list that the relevance becomes apparent.

Cam iz 20+ years old and I only had contact until he waz 4, after that itz a hopeless blur of officialdom. But our trip waz fantastic and Cam haz already expressed hiz interest in continuing the journey once he'z dealt with the Defence Force Guru's. And hiz possible future of service to the Oz Govt. Still itz what he want's 2 do so I'll support him 100%.

For So many years I only wanted to know Cam waz alive and normal, that hurdle iz gone, I can only hope 2 improve our relationship with bigger, longer more meaningful tripz. With my focus totally on rebuilding our bond. Spending as much thyme as I have with Cam on board for journeyz to the Monte's, Mackerel Islands and the Dampier Archipelago 

Our journey North waz upset abruptly when Cam dropped hiz mobile in 4 meterz of crystal clear water at Tantabiddi, quickly retrieved but damage done, with the fone shorting out B4 the following morning. No repairz available in Exmouth, problem solved in 1 hour once Cam and fone were back in Perth. While our trip yielded many trophy phish, The journey North of here should prove 2B far more amazing. The Islands that make up "The Montebello's" are only 100 Nm away from Exmouth so itz an obvious destination (wkoa) Not only improved fishing but the opportunity 2 catch BIG mudcrabs, crays and plenty of oysterz. While the fishing showz concentrate on fishing these pristine waterz we are looking 4 a variety of aquatic species. Crabz oysters and squid should compliment the bottom coral based species. Plus the opportunity 2 do sum deep dropping in 2 or 3 hundred meters chasing sum amazing fish.

While I'm concentrating on the future as the fotoz show we caught plenty of foto worthy fish on our trip North. Using ultra light gear to catch some pretty impressive fish. Hours of fun as we caught bigger and bigger fish on the lightest tackle we can get away with.

95%  of our catch iz returned to the water after a foto of the impressive captures. Hundreds of fotoz, itz just a case of  pick a few for the blog and to remind us of just how many fish were landed.

MUTTON BIRD ATTACKS

After 2 nightz at South Muiron Islandz both myself and REEL SERENE were visited by hundreds of Mutton birds (actually shearwaters) on a 20+ knots of night thyme wind and swell. not only resting on the Yotz but shitting their way through the night and then throwing up tonnes of smelly baby squidz. With black ink targeting Reel Serenes deck space. 2 dayz of cleaning followed. While I had 5 live mutton birds aboard after first light  Reel Serene had closer to 20 aboard. Not only that but both of us had dead birds also, with the birdz flying in2 the mast rigging and breaking their necks. There must of been at least 50 birds upstairs going on the signatures left behind on the grass flooring (not 2 hard to wash away)
Update Thyme!

Unfortunately Cameron has had to pull out of the Montebello's trip with just a week to go. This iz because he's now working as a driver for Big Ash's Soil yard and Landscape business. If Ash couldn't find a driver he waz going to have to pull out of the trip also with the yard going "ballistic" and surpassing all their expectations (wkoa).

So as it turns out Big Ash can relax and enjoy hiz thyme away thanx to Cam!

 A negative 4 me but a big positive for both of them.

Meanwhile Miss Kim who journeyed North with us haz decided to throw caution to the wind and take up the Nomadic lifestyle. And she'z not doing anything by halves Selling her house in the Marina and buying a 100k campervan from NSW to begin her new life , gr8 to see!

" Background!" Kim has a house and Jetty in Mindarie Keys marina and allowed me to park Galleycat there, no charge! 

So she decided to come with Cam and Myself on the trip to Exmouth. A true life changing Xperience!

The yot iz fuelled and ready for the Montebello's trip so I've taken the op to revisit Tantabiddi Anchorage (while I wait for Big Ash) just 1 more thyme and hook in2 the Spangeled Emporor which inhabit this spectacular place! More fish than I can count but I only kept 2 of the biggest. As I caught a nice Mackerel on the way round from Exmouth. As the foto showz there'z a few good sized blue bone here as well.

NINGALOO REVISITED...

 

G'day All, We've made it ! Almost, we are parked at Tantabbi just short of Exmouth and it took just a few short minutes after we arrived that the sharx showed up for a feed. First one then 2 then three and four all three meters long and looking menacing.

No diving 2day.

The second foto haz the 7 gilled sharx (tawneyz) destroying a mackerel frame on a rope just to simulate what happens when these docile creatures switch in2 attack mode.

The biggest surprise waz full phone and internet coverage 8 miles from the anchorage. My mate Hanni iz responsible as they have just installed the 5G tower at Learmonth airport. Not only phone service but he brought a load of supplies round from Town and as he had his whole team of 8 guys with him it took several tripz in the tenders to get everyone aboard.. galleycat swelled to 14 people on board. We are travelling in convoy with the mega yot Reel Serene, 45 ft of luxury itz good to see how the other half travel but we completed the same journey just without some of the toys. Luxuries such as an ice maker, air con and a double bed in each cabin plus a shower and toilet for each room,  Still I wouldn't like to spill blood or squid ink on the brand new cork flooring. Kim decided to do the last leg from Norwegian Bay towards Tantabbidi aboard Reel Serene which left Cameron ,Sue and Myself to bring Galleycat in2 the Anchorage. 2 hours in front of the other yot, thatz a win for the older stylists.

Once we arrived it didn't take long for Cam to land the first of many spangels. Ultra lite tackle to land a truly amazing fish. We only needed two 4 dinner so the rest were released unharmed.

Dinner aboard RS (reel serene) had fresh crumbed fillets with homemade tartare sauce and lemon wedges itz true Galleycat haz finally arrived back were we belong. the weather iz warmer the phish more prolific and the cruising iz "So" much better! I've finally left Perth behind and my new journey across the top of Oz haz begun only this thyme I intend to do it rite!

We decided to leave Tantabiddi and resupply in Exmouth so we left RS and headed across the top of the Cape past Vlf bay and in2 the Gulf. Here we tackled a good sized shark mackerel but not 2 good on the eating scale.

A quick resupply run and we were leaving Exmouth behind for a journey to "Purple Patches" refer the blog last trip to Exy!

Here'z where we finally caught more fish than we kneeded! plenty of emperor and just 1 or 2 trigger fish.

While our run North waz full of adventure I must mention our trip in2 Coral Bay! If Tantabiddi iz the crown jewel of the Ningaloo then Coral Bay iz defin8ly the other orifice! Never have I scene a town so hell bent on keeping travelling yotties away! No moorings, safe anchorage Taxi or access to the miniscule supermarket. You aren't even allowed to bring your tender ashore and the channel in iz a knightmare not unlike the Abrohlos Islandz, No anchoring while in there and no moorings available means don't bother heading in2 Coral Bay atoll!

KALBARRI VIRGINS...

 G'day All, After a flying fast trip we have arrived at Kalbarri!  just short of the infamous Zuytdorp (spell check) Cliffs. I've been past here many thymes, but only recently have they dredged the river mouth and installed marker poles, making it safe for yachts.

Cameron, Kim and Myself left Perth Saturday Pm and basically sailed / motored rite through to Geraldton as a refueling stop. We've used 190 liters from Fremantle to Geraldton (not 2 bad), then after a quick "pow wow" we decided to make a break, in front of the weather and head up to Kalbarri to sit out the NW blow. Only 20 knots but itz coming from the NW  so rite on our nose as we tackle "The Cliffs"

While entering Kalbarri waz easy leaving waz 5 minutes of sheer terror. (see foto).

The afore mentioned wind haz failed to arrive but itz still nice to stop for a day and replenish lost sleep. and get the first mudcrab of the trip.

Update thyme we have made our way into Canarvon purely to fill up the tanks both fuel and water. We managed a gr8 run past steep point .Using 260 litres this thyme.  Cam managed a couple of NW snapper for dinner. After some more sleep we've made our way North to the top end of Dirk Hartog Island where we stopped on Levillian Shoal for a night of fun targeting pink snapper. Here we had more luck with plenty of good sized pinks coming aboard. We only kept a couple so most were released to swim again.

We also scored a 4,5 kg baldchin groper on ultra-lite tackle This waz a PB for Cameron. 

ITZ THYME 2 GO!!!

 G'day all, After many many months of Bi polar funk Galleycat iz finally ready 2 go and by Go I mean itz thyme to leave Perth behind and journey North. Lotz of km's North, (I've been saying this 4 six months)The yot iz as ready as I can make it with fuel and water loaded just a crew list as a stumblin block. It appears that I'll journey Perth to Lancelin with Cam but after that I'll be lookin 4 crew, I'm just as happy to do the journey ala mode!

Unfortunately the RULES will come to bite us! as the demersal ban begins at the start of August just 1 week away. After that therez no point in fishing anywhere lower than Shark Bay or Steep point. As you can't journey back to Perth with fillets. Now days if you cant keep any fish you catch ,then itz thyme 2 target the problem! I'm talking 250lb line an steel trace and mega hoox to stop the biggest shark you can...

600mm across the jaw (like this example) is an average catch but you need to allow recovery thyme from a shark tussell as it'll fukk you up for a day or 2 after.  Just another reason I don't dive anymore.

At last the generator iz re installed and finally working itz only taken 4 years. But itz a necessity if I'm going to survive the North West over the next few years as with the WET comes the need for air conditioning. A lot of people exist without air con but existing iz not living and you eventually need sleep.

Itz amazing!  I've solved the crew problem with my son Cameron jumping onboard for the journey all the way 2 Exmouth. and maybe beyond,

Then with the good comez the bad with a power spike going through the Yot just B4 we are ready to leave.

No more angle grinder, modem, inverter and mobile phone charger, Enter Dad, New inverter new grinder and a new toilet (thatz a must) all delivered to the yot 20k's north.
ELVIS HAS LEFT THE BUILDING!  Not so, itz! Galleycat that haz left Perth behind...