From: sunshiner
Date: 13/07/2010 3:50 PM
Weather
Cloud cover: varied throughout the morning
Wind direction & speed: light SW, becoming SE later
Sea state: 1.6m swell, no chop
If applicable (often at NSR): no discernible current
Participants: Jaro, Sam, Kev
After yesterday's grim effort, you'd have thought Sam and I would have had enough, but no, the weather forecast was great so we fronted again today. I think the attraction of new, wider fields (Sunshine Reef) helped to beckon Sam who was here for only two days, visiting from Brisbane. And of course, Jaro was back in the saddle having returned yesterday from a visit to Melbourne to watch his favourite footy team get beaten again.
0613hrs, with a planned launch time of 0615. Jaro, ultrakeen as usual, hits the water first.
I know the swell looks benign in the pic, but getting a wet bum at dawn in the middle of winter is not our idea of fun here in Noosa. Without care, a wet bum would certainly have been the result today, although the swell was less than yesterday. Anyway, all three of us chose the same time gap to go through the surf, with three dry bums the result -- a good start.
Although we were all off to Sunshine Reef, Jaro opted to head for one of his favourite spots at the northern end while I accompanied Sam to the familiar close-in mark which has been so good to us in the past. Jaro gradually disappeared behind the swells as we all headed off, I giving Sam a tourist commentary about the terrain features of the headland as it was his first trip out there. The usual dolphin pod in Granite Bay area was encountered, to Sam's delight and shortly afterward we were cruising through the choppy maelstrom which characterises the shallow water next to Hells Gates. Once we were clear of that, we embarked on the open ocean and the sea, being deeper here, also became smoother.
It's only 1.5km from Hells Gates to the mark and Sam and I covered that easily in 15 minutes. Worryingly, we could find few if any fish signs on our respective fish finders, but we were here now so we deployed our SPs and prepared to do battle. Thirty minutes later, there had been no battle for either of us, and we'd heard nothing at all by radio from Jaro, other than that he'd arrived at his spot.
After an hour or so without even a definite hit, and still no word from Jaro, I at last scored a large-toothed flounder which took a liking to the R2S OctoSniper. This flounder was as big as any I've seen around Noosa, but still only around 30cm long so back he went without even a photo. Eventually Jaro called, sounding pretty pissed off. He'd been fishing with big prawns and pilchards and hadn't even had a bite. He'd decided to come and try our spot; at least he'd have human company with us.
Sam called it quits at 10am and Jaro and I about 20 minutes later, all fishless -- the worst result Jaro and I can recall for a long time. Never mind, the sun was now out, the sea glistening, the wind light and, like the swell, at our backs so we enjoyed the exercise of the paddle back.
The usual spice was added to the trip by the need to negotiate the surf zone at Main Beach. Because the swell was still mainly from the east rather than the south the surf zone at MG was every bit as hairy as it was yesterday, but entirely do-able as long as patience was applied until the inevitable break in the swells occurred.
As Jaro is always anxious to become a movie star and he's my mate I decided to run first so that, assuming I survived the surf zone, I could record Jaro doing his thing. There was only one board-rider on the corner and we chatted amiably while he awaited the next big wave and I awaited the lull behind it. The wave came, off went the surfer and I followed him in, having checked behind to ensure as far as possible that there were no biggies following TOO close behind. My timing was good and within seconds I'd covered the 20 metres or so which is the really gnarly part and was into the deeper water right next to the rock wall, paddling like hell. In this area you still can't fully relax as the surge comes through powerfully and waves pile up due to an outgoing current. Still, before long I was on the beach the right way up. Sam, I noticed, was on the rock wall, as a spectator, hoping for blood after his event yesterday. Knowing that Jaro was close behind me I grabbed the camera and waded out into the surge, just in case he decided to provide some spectacular and impromptu subject material.
That's Jaro out the back, waiting patiently, and this is the sort of wave he was hoping to avoid. (frame from video)
But Jaro's an old dog and he waited and waited and then went for it. He picked the gap beautifully, as the following frames from the video demonstrate.
On the way in, checking behind to make sure that he's not about to be caned.
Check out the wave that the surfer is on, safely behind Jaro. Nice timing!
And Jaro finishes off nicely.
Sam, although cheated, was enthralled by this dual performance and instantly signed up as a Noosa Yakker. He'd come in before us and chosen the eastern side of the wall, and had learned from yesterday (ie, get to the beach before me). He'd surfed a wave in then broached the yak successfully when the bow swung, ending up on the beach the right way up, to the admiring applause of dozens of beachgoers, no doubt. Well done Sam.
So there you have it, a trip report without fish pics. Hopefully there won't be any more of those in the next few months. Come on snapper, get biting.
What's not to like about kayak fishing?
Kev
Red & Yellow Espri, black paddle
VHF channel 09 or 22 (if alone), Call Sign: sunshiner
http://www.noosayakkers.blogspot.com/
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