some fishy story from up here

I just spent the weekend floating around at at a
place called Thurburn Bay about 140 ks up the coast from Wyndham. Most
of those kilometres are done inside the Cambridge Gulf with the last 40
done along the coastline in open sea. I might add that the coastline
there has little in the way of protected bays and a rocky shoreline.
You make sure the weather is good before doing that leg of the run.

Wyndham
boat ramp is a pretty good one as they go up here, check the tidal
marks on the pole. We were at about half tide and dropping, good to get
that outgoing tide for the trip.

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Leaving Wyndham behind us, the town got 50mm that
night as there was a bit of weather around, we reckoned we’d end up with
a wet bum at least once on the trip, just a matter of when.

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About the 40 k mark up the gulf, sailing up a
channel known as the ‘gorge’ between some islands.

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Four hours and one fuel drop off point later we
arrived at this nice little beach and set up camp. No turtles on the
beach so we could light a fire. No fresh water so we stunk for a few
days of sunscreen, insect repellent, sweat and fish guts.

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Check the different layers of sandstone.

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With what was left of the first day we got
into a few bottom fish looking for a feed. Fish were on tap including
this one bluebone. The main fish by far were fingermark.

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Don’t you love a good ice box shot! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

That night we ate sea perch on the beach, applied a
bit of neck oil and had a fish off the shore.

I ended up with
this fine specimen of ‘evil out of the darkness’ that you don’t get too
close to. Close to four metres at a guess. The saw was a good metre
and a half long on its own.

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As the tide receded it left the boat high and dry to
be re-floated at about 2.30am. Anchoring fore and aft is crucial as
well as predicting where the boat will be sitting on daylight. You
don’t want it still on the sand or 30 metres out to sea and a swim to
get to it. Four to five metres of tidal movement takes up an awful lot
of beach. We checked at least three times during the night to make sure
we had it right. Next night we left it alone knowing we had it right.

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Next morning it was where it should be, a few
metres off shore, you know what they say about red sky of a morning?

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We spent the morning on the bottom of the tide
in a creek; a bit slow there, only one barra of any consequence.

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Storms brewed for most of the morning out to
sea. One decided it needed to come over and have a look see. We rode
it out on anchor in what shelter we could find using the time for lunch.

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All clear and the water glassed off, fishing was quiet
but there was this nice one.

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Next morning and home time, one small issue was the
build up in front of us. Not a good feeling heading into that for an
hour before we could turn south and run away from it.

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We got by, the storms stayed a couple of ks off the
coast and we hugged it. The big one in front we managed to miss by a
couple of ks by arriving at the gulf a few minutes before it, we just
got the edge of the rain.

One slight incident. We got skegged
crossing Myrmidon Ledge. Cut it a bit fine and the no swell thing hides
it well (no Chinese tankers to mark it). Put it down to the driver
relaxing too soon a in familiar territory and weariness, a dangerous
combination. We got off lightly. We consoled him by telling him
Achilles had reached up from the bottom and had a swing at him. I
tended to the bent prop with a shifter, an easier option that replacing
it at sea.

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Just a couple of shots inside the gulf showing
some of the scenery and tidal movement

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speechless really .. you should do a television series Dick .. love your work.

I suspect an article in the making Dick and as always great story and pictures for us all to be envious of [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Love your work and words.

Once again Dick thanks. We're all privledged to have your input.

Lez

That was bloody good. Excellent little tale, that sawfish! How often do they come out to anglers?

Can't bloody wait to get out there. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

That blue bone looked really pale, are they all coloured like that up there.

Great looking fish.

TH

That one came off a bit of sand mixed with rock hence the light colouration I'd say

Anthony Holloway wrote:That blue bone looked really pale, are they all coloured like that up there.

Great looking fish.

TH

Surely you saw heaps in the ponds in shark bay.

now you have had your say , PISS OFF.

Maverick wrote:

Anthony Holloway wrote:That blue bone looked really pale, are they all coloured like that up there.

Great looking fish.

TH

Surely you saw heaps in the ponds in shark bay.

now you have had your say , PISS OFF.

Come on Brendan.
I am just trying to fit in.

Can't we let by gones be bygones.

TH

TH.

I am just trying to fit in.

between what [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Dick wrote:

I am just trying to fit in.

between what [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Surely you mean "between who" [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

"between whom" surely [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Mugs wrote:"between whom" surely [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Spelling and grammar have never been my strong suits Malcolm.

TH

TV show for sure!!!

''A Dick Somewhere''

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Anthony Holloway wrote:

Dick wrote:

I am just trying to fit in.

between what [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Surely you mean "between who" [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

No, between what set of lips, flaps or cheeks of who's orifice

Hang on a minute.

You are the "dick somewhere"

TH

Great post as always Dick!

Excellent story & photo's Dick

Still not sure if I should hate you or not Dick [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] .....but you are a gentleman and a fine fellow, always happy to take a Southern to a special spot [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] .

Thanks for a fine report, with the usual stunning pics. Always keen to share in your adventures.

I like this story too, and the sawfish. Does the boat ramp in Wyndham float with the tide, or go under?

It floats!! And when you launch at the bottom of the tide and see how high those poles are, then come back in and its high tide and, admittedly a flood surge at that time, its lapping into the carpark, it just blows your mind.