QLD - Tale of Woe - Palmy 25-01-11

[nezevic]

Well what a morning. After an easy drive from Brisbane to Palmy, I arrived just before the sky started to lighten. A quick look at the swell and then started getting all my gear ready. I trundled onto the beach as dawn was just beginning to break. I sat and watched the surf for a few minutes and decided that there was no getting over the virginity nerves. I just had to have a crack at it.

To the casual onlooker I must have looked a right sight. I lost the kayak to a wave in the first little set before I’d even left the beach. Back up to retrieve it and try again. Next little set I broke my paddle leash. Ok now here’s a smallish one… I’ll jump on and go for it. *$#! there goes a paddle blade. Damn plastic Hobie paddle!!! As soon as I put some weight on it to start paddling the bloody thing snapped at the wrist. Back up the beach to assess the damage. I now have an oar rather than a kayak paddle and I’m still sitting on the beach.
Ok re-assess. I can still do this, I’ll use the paddle as a rudder, get into deeper water before I hop on and just use the peddles until I get out of the breakers and then I’ll drop down the rudder and I’ll be off. No problem me thinks.

Rightio here we go. With a couple of ass puckering moments I’m out the back and away. I go to put my rudder down and it seems to be broken, ^#*^!! Oh well I’ll use my paddle as a rudder. I headed over to another bloke on a kayak (I didn’t get your name but thank you for your assistance if you read this) and he determined that I’d snapped the shear pin and it was stuffed for the time being. He kindly lifted it up out of the water and stowed it under a bungee at the back for me. I tried to turn the sounder on, nope it was dead too. The battery had torn it’s mounting off the bottom of the yak and had come unplugged in the process. I’d also snapped the tip runner off the new rod I’d bought two days ago. Crap.

Oh well there was nothing for it but to head up to the reef and see if I could turn the heartache into something to crow about. A deployed two pillies and started limping along. Within a couple of peddles, I was on. You bloody beauty I thought. At least something good is going to come of this. Oh wait hang on… nope little bronze whaler. Nothing good here. The rest of the morning was a tale of misery. 6 whalers later I gave up and started to limp home.

I pulled up at the back of the breakers and stowed everything I had with me. Tightened up my pfd, locked up me peddles and went to use my “oar” to paddle back in. Hoping the gods would be kind to me and give me a nice easy ride in. Who was I kidding? My plastic fantastic oar, snapped at the wrist of the other blade on the first stroke. I now had a didgeridoo to try and paddle home with. I must say that sitting there with no steering, no paddle and a slight offshore breeze was a little disconcerting. I could see walkers on the beach but no-one really within earshot or with the capability to assist me in my return to the beach.

I peddled as close to the breakers as I dared using my didgeridoo to try and create some drag to allow for steerage. Locked up my peddles again and slid back onto the back of the kayak facing forward. I figured the only way I was going to save myself was by pretending to be on Bondi Rescue and try and ride the yak in like a lifesaver’s board. I started to paddle in only to be thrown off by the first breaker. The kayak shot forward and I stayed behind, I’m not going to make the director’s cut for the show I believe.

I swam in grabbed hold of the yak and side stroked to the beach. Stuffed. Only to discover I’d now torn a lug out of the back of the yak that holds the rear bungee.

All in all a learning experience. I’m never getting a Hobie paddle ever ever again. I’m going to buy two shear pins so I have a spare. I need to find a more secure way of mounting the battery. And the a surf entry/re-entry is not for the faint hearted!

My wife tells me i'm expensive and that i'd better not be thinking about going fishing again for a while. That is my tale of woe.

[stonecold]

Blo*dy hell Jon, much easier on the end of Sth wall Ballina mate. Ive been lucky with the surf................ so far. Hopefully your next trip goes much closer to plan.

Cheers Mark

[cjbfisher]

Jon,
I hate to say it, but I think that you've just outdone Andybear. I had to have a laugh when you snapped the paddle for a second time. I can just picture it in my head.
Better luck next time.
Chris

[nezevic]

I couldn't believe it. it was like everything was out to get me this morning. I just couldn't pull a trick. The wall is looking mighty inviting after this morning. At least the only thing i lose there is lures!

[billpatt]

Being in a Hobie you should just peddle out from Currumbin next time and avoid the surf altogether. It only adds about 2km to the journey and is much safer.

Have to say but you made my day with this story, laughed my arse off.

[waz]

. . . mate . . . I'm new to this as well so no hard feelings . . . but sheez I couldn't stop laughing . . . that's hilarious, had to use will power not to burst out laughing in the middle of the office

waz

[Davey G]

that is pure gold. too funny.

[carnster]

Hey at least you caught some. Bad luck with the swell but. I would also recommend paddling out the bar - note it does break still.

[Couta101]

Jon....mate....don't feel so bad about the way the surf got hold of you
I have it good authority from the likes of Safa( he was there today) that the swell was up and he would have been very hesitant to let a newbie to the surf tag along with him! So actually well done for sticking it out and making it back alive......you've now paid your dues, the next trip out should be a piece of piss

Don't give the surf stuff away just jet...it gets addictive.

[Safa]

Jon,
Hats off to you mate, i was surprised at some of the swell coming through ,when it comes from the east at Palmy there is nowhere to hide if you get smashed ,they just keep coming ,yip lots of little buggers stealing baits etc out there ,i would have come over and said hi but you scared the sh&^$#@@t out of me paddling like a liitle indian tomahawk with half/no paddle ,thought you were a pirate after my sexy evo
There was another chap out there and whoever you are i was impressed ............................a green floro yak of about well to me it looked like max 1.8m unless you are like 8foot, that yak was tinny ,when we arrived at palmy we seen you waiting on the beach and i thought naaaahhh he wont get out anyway we unloaded ,setup and got ready to go,you were still standing there contemplating suicide............hey my f*&^%$# about an hour later seen you on the reef tussling with a Bronzie i pressume ,mate here's a big CLAP CLAP from me .
It was my son's third time out and still new to surf launch's ,he is a really good swimmer so i was not toooo concerned but in saying that i called the lull and we went ,i left him behind as we launched (EVO Speed) he was on my Pope's and just managed to sneak over some of the bigger waves but made it out without coming off
Jon well done and dont give up mate its worth t wen the fish are on
Clive

[carnster]

Green 1.8m yak sounds like Adam a tweed local. Does it have a polly back rest? If so def him. So safa any macks?

[paulsod]

Jon, after so much determination you deserved better then some bronzies.
Thanks for the laugh.
Paul

[Safa]

Chris ,
One good run on a Halco lure (old blunt rusty hooks) decided to give it agoon the way in but really shouldnt have ,its abit tired but with nothing in the hatch worth ago on the return paddle ,a glimmer of hope maybe ???

[StevenM]

That is funny

you win

[patwah]

Thats some funny shit, pure gold