Hervey Bay - glass - out today

[hairymick]

G'day guys,

Went for a paddle with a work mate today. He has just bought a new sit on top and never been offshore before.

The forecast was ideal, Variable to non-existant winds with a possible afternoon sea breeze, small seas and a clear sky. Max temp forcast was a nice warm 75.

The plan was to put in at the Hervey Bay Marina and just have a leasurely paddle across the bay in the general direction of Fraser Island dragging some lures over the coral as we went.

My mate has never caught a fish before, and only paddled his kayak a couple of times but was real keen to give it a try.

Here he is, Dave, on his lovely new pride & joy. We were just leaving the Marina here.

Round Island in the foreground and Big Woody Island in the background

Eastern beach of Big Woody

Coffee stop, Big Woody Island

Dave's first ever fish, a small reef cod.

Another shot of Big Woody with Fraser Island in the background

Heading back towards Hervey Bay.

No fish worth mentioning were caught, but it was a beautiful day on the water. we rarely see it this calm.

 

[bearridge]

75 degrees.......Mister Farenhite's? Dang.....a antartic blast! Really nice pichurs.

Where do ya keep yer tide chart? :wink:

regards
bearridge

Most of the harm in the world is done by good people, and not by accident, lapse, or omission. It is the result of their deliberate actions, long persevered in, which they hold to be motivated by high ideals toward virtuous ends.  Isabel Patterson

 

[tx river rat]

Mick
Those are some awesome areas Pretty water .Did you have to back paddle to let him keep up with the Southwind.
Ron

 

[Zeb]

What a beautiful place mate,thanks for the photies 8)

 

[BEARS BUDDY]

Nice. Is that cod good eating?

 

[catfish]

Nice pics Mick nice looking water , how far did you guys go out. Iguess your mate is hooked now .

 

[hairymick]

G'day guys,

Thanks for the nice comments. It was a special day. We rarely see it that calm.


G'day Ron,

Did you have to back paddle to let him keep up with the Southwind.

Nah mate, Dave is not a geezer yet and as much as I hate to admit it, those plastic Viking Predators are surprisingly quick :shock: . They are more like a sea kayak hull with the sit on top deck.

Bear mate, I think it was about 75f. It was 25c and I tried to do a rough conversion. It seems our winter here, or at least the very cold snap we had is finished. Spring and Autumn here magical months. Mild temps, fine clear days mostly and light winds. A lot of humpback whales spend the winter months in the waters of Hervey Bay. I have been told that this is where they give birth to their calves.

Generally, the whales tend to congregate in the extreme north of the bay (about 40 miles away) and there is a flourishing whale watching operation here. Lots of big boats with lots of bloody tourists.

I have been trying to get organised to paddle up the inside of Fraser island for a couple of years now to paddle with the whales but every time, my groups of days off have coincided with strong winds and bad weather. it is an 11 mile paddle across the bay from Hervey Bay town to the closest part of Fraser Island (Moon Point) over water that can get pretty nasty at times. and from Moon, it is another 30 to 40 miles along the sheltered western beach of Fraser Island to where the whales are.

G'day Zeb,

Thanks mate. There is no heavy industry here so the water is still pretty pristine. 8)

G'day BB

The reef cod (or estuary cod as we call them) are very good to eat. flaky, sweet white meat. 8) They grow to about 40 pounds or bigger but one over 10 is considered a good fish. the one Dave caught was only a baby and was released but he was thrilled to have caught his first fish. 8)

 

[cctyer]

Mick, That is some serious good looking glass. Looks like you guys made the best of the already great conditions. Sometimes it's not the fishing but the journey. Good on ya. Thank You for the great pics.

Chad

 

[oldyaker]

Beautiful Mick! Just beautiful! Thanks for my mid week mental vacation....I needed those images something bad. :wink:

 

[hairymick]

Sorry Cat, I missed your post. Big Woody Island is about 5 miles from the marina.

Chad, I feel much the same as you. The journey is the best part. A fish or two are only a bonus.

O'yakker,

glad you liked them mate. Hope you are feeling a bit better.

 

[oldsparkey]

Beautiful Mick! Just beautiful! Thanks for my mid week mental vacation....I needed those images something bad. :wink:

Mick...

Ya done good for oldyaker , he did not have to paddle against the tide in his noon day escape or get a way from what ever he does during the day. I forget what that word is , sort of sounds like jerk but starts with a W. :lol:

Chuck.

 

[keith]

old yak has been in the tolit lately, hope things are looking up his way soon. good luck, keith

 

[oldyaker]

Mick...
Ya done good for oldyaker , he did not have to paddle against the tide
Chuck.

Yeah Mick....Ya dun as you would say..."Bloody Good"!

However, If Chuckles would have posted pictures of paddling in the sea,
everyone here would have been exhausted from paddling against the tide just looking at Chuckles pictures! :roll:

If anyone here wants to confuse Chuck....give him a tide chart, he'll be busy for hours! :lol:

Your right Keith! I have been in the toilet alot.....I've been wiping with Chucks tide charts too! :wink:

 

[bearridge]

Friend oldyaker,

Yer jumpin' the gun. Ya dont need ta do all that flushin' stuff til the nite before. Dont tell me ya like it? Gerry, our worst fear mite have come true!!!!!!

How often do ya set these up? :mrgreen:

regards
bearridge

Heckler: Mr. Churchill, you're drunk!
Churchill: Yes, I am; and you are ugly. But tomorrow, I shall be sober.

 

[FlaMike]

Mick,

Now that your friend it thoroughly "hooked," give him a few months, then start telling him how much better it is when you are doing this in a boat you built yourself.

Might be you can make a convert out of him.

Mike S.
Spring Hill, FL

 

[Kayak Jack]

Most of the harm in the world is done by good people, and not by accident, lapse, or omission. It is the result of their deliberate actions, long persevered in, which they hold to be motivated by high ideals toward virtuous ends. Isabel Patterson

Mark Twain observed, "God, save us from the do-gooders!"

 

[hairymick]

G'day guys,

bit of an update,

I was talking to another work mate yesterday who told me he took his family out there in their powered runabout on the same day. They were only about 6 miles north from us and were looking for whales.

They saw Nine ! :shock: They just saw one breech about 100 yards from the boat, cut the motor and the beast came right on over to them and spent over half an hour just swimming round their boat within just a few metres of it, and looking at them - looking at her - very intense while this was going on, another eight turned up and joined the party :shock: .

We bloody love OUR humpback whales and they are very welcome visitors here every year. It is very sad to hear the Japanese have announced that they plan to hunt them in international waters again.

 

[bearridge]

Friend Mick,

That iz indeed sad....but typical. They are some of the worst of the drift net fishermen. I like my truck, but I'll take the humpbacks over Japs any time. In fact, I'll take the humpbacks over most folks. :wink:

regards
bearridge

Sometimes the things that may or may not be true are the things a man needs to believe in the most.  That people are basically good; that honor, courage, and virtue mean everything; that power and money, money and power mean nothing; that good always triumphs over evil; and I want you to remember this, that love... true love never dies.  You remember that, boy.  You remember that.  Doesn't matter if it's true or not.  You see, a man should believe in those things, because those are the things worth believing in.  Robert Duval (Secondhand Lions)