Tag Archives: blue fin tuna

Across Australia Trip, Animals, Family Happy Snaps, Photography, Travel Journal

Day 76: Winderabandi Point

1 Comment

Saturday, 17 August 2013

It was blowing a gale this morning. When the wind finally died down around lunch time, the boys went fishing. Before they had returned the wind had picked up again and started to blow in the other direction, which is very typical of WA.

Nath was the first back and yes, he did a victory lap. A Blue Fin Tuna! It was a very hungry fish and had completed inhaled the lure. Nath broke the bib off it trying to get it out of the fish’s gills. The blood in the bottom of the boat looked as though there had been a full blown massacre. The other fellows returned while Nath was filleting his fish. While we were standing near the bank still, Dolly broke anchor and started drifting away. By the time we actually noticed, she was a fair way out, so Pete and Al borrowed Showy’s boat to do the rescue mission. Once she was safely retrieved and fairly punished by Al, all of the families headed back over to the drop off for another snorkel. Nath and I decided to stay in camp and have a cuppa and some lunch.

While we were sitting enjoying the scenery, fisheries came flying in the 4wd track, 2 people got out, ran up the dunes, and hunkered down with binoculars to spy on our friends. When the boats returned to shore, the 2 fisheries officers came over and went through their boats. The search returned nothing so, all good.

Tonight was roast night to celebrate Jo’s 40th Birthday, the reason they had returned to Ningaloo. Even though Jo’s birthday isn’t until September, there is no harm in celebrating a big milestone more than once. I made a chocolate cake in Trish’s oven and put Nutella and whipped cream in the middle. It was delicious. It was a big night, well for everyone except Nath and I, who don’t normally drink, and well after 2 nights ago, I decided that I would NEVER do that to myself again! We did participate in the lip-sip-sucks which was compulsory for the celebration. And after a few shots, I was thankful that by the time I went to bed I was still sober.

 

Until next time…. Happy and Safe Travels.

Across Australia Trip, Destinations, Family Happy Snaps, Landscapes, Photography, Travel Journal

Day 54: Barn Hill

Leave a comment

Friday, 26 July 2013                                                                                                         7.3kms

Nath and I saw the sunrise from bed this morning, but it was too cold to actually get up. I felt really lethargic anyway. Today was better than yesterday as it was not windy.

We did school work this morning then had a break down at the beach swimming. I went for a bit of a walk up the beach and found some cowries. We then went back to camp.

The boys prepared for fishing. Hendrix was keen to go again, so Nath was keen to take him. I had a rest after some more school work with Elokin and crashed out. I was feeling like crap. Nath, Hendrix and Al went fishing in our boat again. While they were gone, El and I watched a movie then I had another rest and crashed out again. I felt better after that sleep. Elokin did a good job of looking after me while the boys were gone. For a snack, she grabbed the jar of nutella and 2 spoons! She takes after her mum.

We went down to the beach after that as I felt a bit better and El wanted a swim. When we got back to camp the boys had already returned. Nath told me the stories from his fishing expedition…

Launching the boat from the beach was hard core. Big shore dumpers that required a fast, well-timed launch. They survived and got out to sea. Hendrix fell asleep on Al’s lap on the front seat, which he is good at. There is something about the boat motion that puts that boy to sleep.  Anyway, Al’s line started buzzing as a fish took off with his lure. Al got excited and flung his arms in the air, knocking something into the water, but Nath couldn’t tell what it was. Al had no idea that he had done it as his adrenaline had kicked in and he was trying to wrestle with his rod and a sleeping boy. He woke Hendrix up, but the sleepy little guy was still a bit slow, looking out the wrong side of the boat for the fish Al was catching. Eventually Nath got him awake enough to watch out the correct side and see the action as Al fought with a 8kg Blue Fin Tuna. He landed it and they headed for home.

When they were coming into the shore, Nath dropped Al off carrying Hendrix just outside the shore dumpers in water about waist deep. Al took 2 steps and fell into a big hole going over in his head. Hendrix was freaking out and Al was trying to keep him above the water. Nath was watching them and not paying attention to where he was. When he looked around he realised he had moved too close to the shore and had a huge 2 metre shore dumper on him. He accelerated and the prop ran out of water, hitting some rocks. Nath and the boat launched up the face of the wave like a rubber ducky at a surf lifesaving carnival. He landed and moved himself into safer water, and was then able to bring the boat to land. Meanwhile Al and Hendrix had also made it safely to shore and they returned to camp to show off the big tuna.

Until next time…. Happy and Safe Travels.

Across Australia Trip, Family Happy Snaps, Photography, Travel Journal

Day 53: Barn Hill

Leave a comment

Thursday, 25 July 2013                                                                                                    10kms

We slept in this morning. It was a sunny day, not windy to start with but by the time we actually got out of bed, it was windy. I did 3 loads of washing costing $3 each, just to wash our sheets! Nath fixed the UHF microphone so it is all good now and we can be heard over the CB again. Yay!

Hendrix went fishing in the boat with Nath and Al. While they were out, Elokin and I did school work. It went well, which makes us happy. We also went for a swim at the beach. Then it was back to camp for more school work.

The boys came back after sunset. Even though they did not catch any fish, they had a whale, dolphins and a turtle come close to the boat. They had fun.

I had a luke-warm shower with no kids. I still haven’t mastered the timing to get a hot one! For dinner, Nath cooked up the last of the tuna.

Until next time…. Happy and Safe Travels.

Across Australia Trip, Animals, Destinations, Family Happy Snaps, Landscapes, Our Rig, Photography, Travel Journal

Day 52: Barn Hill

Leave a comment

Wednesday, 24 July 2013                                                                                             7.9kms

Nathan and I watched the sunrise from bed again this morning. We ate breakfast and then Nath and I went for a walk to the beach. Nath enjoyed a swim in the Indian Ocean while I was happy to simply put my feet in. On our way back off the beach we decided to walk towards the rocks to check them out. Part way along, I looked over and saw something on the sand. I said to Nath “Don’t tell me that is a snake!” We walked closer and yes, it was a snake. A sea snake, on land! It moved very slowly and was completely white. It stupidly was heading for the sun instead of the water. After watching it for about ½ hr I called Jo and Showy (on the phone) to tell them there was a sea snake on the beach and asked them to grab our kids from camp as well. They all arrived and the boys found a stick so Nath could assist it down to the water. He put it in a shallow pool of water, but instead of it going with the water to the ocean, it headed the wrong way along the beach. It changed colour once in the water, from white to goldy brown, so it must have simply been dried out. Nath picked it up again and took it to the ocean this time. It took a while, but eventually it did revive and swim off. We then walked back to camp feeling good about ourselves.

Then it was time for school work which was good as it was windy. Nath and Elokin did Maths while Hendrix and I made Licorice Allsorts Slice. After that Elokin and Hendrix rode around on their scooters. It was tough going as the ground is dirt and in some spots soft. I joined Nath in my first ocean swim of the trip and it was lovely. I also found my first cowry!

It was then lunch time and the wind finally died off. For the first time since we left Burnett Heads the boat was taken off the roof. Nath prepared the boat and fishing gear to go out with Hendrix this afternoon. He opened the red esky that we carry on the roof of the car, under the boat, that contains the boat trailer lights and battery to discover that they had at some point caught on fire and melted. Luckily for us, the fire must have put itself out from lack of oxygen, otherwise, there could well have been an explosion on the roof of the car. So now we have no boat trailer lights and no boat battery, so no electronics. We launched the boat from the beach, but then Hendrix piked, so Nath returned him to me and went out alone. I took the kids to the beach and Elokin had fun riding her boogie board and Hendrix jumped waves. Then I took the kids for a shower, which turned out to be cool. They weren’t impressed so I didn’t make them wash their hair. The hot water here is heated from the sun in black pipes above the ground, so if you have a shower too late in the afternoon or too early in the morning, you get a cold one. It was a lovely afternoon and a very warm day.

When Nath returned just before sunset, he had caught a blue fin tuna. The first fish for the trip and Nath’s first ever blue fin tuna.

We enjoyed nibblies at sunset on the edge of the cliff but had to evacuate shortly after it set as the mossies came out. For dinner we cooked the tuna in batter with potato cakes at our camp and it was delicious. A full fat overload! Everyone enjoyed it. It has cooled down this afternoon.

Until next time…. Happy and Safe Travels.