[Peril]

Gents,

Here they are http://www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au/recreat ... _locations

The Botany Bay one looks tempting. In good conditions it could be reached inside 2hrs[/code]

 

[Russ]

I'm game when and what time. I have a Tandem remember so I can get there in 1 hour

fishing Russ

 

[simond11]

Hi Dave
The FADS sound great. Name a date and time and I will ask Mr. Geoff Dixon whether I can be excused from a trip and come along!!
Hmm...wonder if they have the FADS in Mumbai..??
Cheers

Simon
Prowler 15

 

[Peril]

Hmm...wonder if they have the FADS in Mumbai..??

Maybe, but wouldn't be the same being able to walk to it

 

[RedPhoenix]

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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QlpoOTFBWSZTWbLuq3IAAArXgAASQAElARqALu3cACAASGpiQyPSemoG1AoyGgAAAghtJXp6/hmqqNbK1qcYQQwjb7rRElMnxMZQWZCKd8LoeIwfF3JFOFCQsu6rcg==

 

[Russ]

Peril

Where would you suggest we launch from ? a good spot could be on the Southern side of Botany Bay, on the Eastern side of the oil wharf. Very easy launch site. You would be through the heads in 10 mins.

Or an alternative spot is Malabar Beach off Fishermans Rd in Long Bay. Good protected spot as well in a Nor-Easter.

Thats where the Emergency Surf Rescue Boat Launches from ?

:shock: Well at least we would get dropped off back at the car :wink:

fishing Russ

 

[simond11]

Hi Dave
Hmmm...this roster a bit tricky for me, as weekends are all pretty much taken up with trips. If you want to replace our Akuna Bay trip on the 17th with a trip to the FAD's that's fine by me. Let me know.
Cheers

Simon
Prowler 15

 

[Russ]

I'm back from Melbourne on the 15th, Outwiththebro and I are good to go for the 17th.

fishing Russ

 

[Peril]

No reports of Dollies yet guys. Might be there as the EAC has been early this year but I'm not prepared to try any such trip until there are at least reports of fish

 

[Russ]

Minor detail but an interesting one :roll: shall we pencil in the date as a possible and if no reports are forthcoming we can have an alternative desto in place. Definate date just a location change if required, by then we should have Kings in the Harbour we could hit Nth Head and the wedding cakes ?

fishing Russ

 

[Davey G]

do the FAD locations change every year or are they the same??

also, the botany bay FAD is 9.5km out.. that's a serious return paddle,, I think too far for a safe day trip??

the idea of the mothership trip still appeals to me though..

what dates are you guys thinking of?

 

[Russ]

Dave, Simon and Peril may opt to go ahead with there Akuna Bay trip but the 17th is a Sydney Harbour definate for me if the FADS are not an option.

fishing Russ

 

[Peril]

do the FAD locations change every year or are they the same??

also, the botany bay FAD is 9.5km out.. that's a serious return paddle,, I think too far for a safe day trip??

the idea of the mothership trip still appeals to me though..

what dates are you guys thinking of?

Yes, the FAD locations change. Many are lost and the DPI moves them anyhow. Don't know the reason.

I find that it is no effort to paddle around 4kph. On that basis, and presuming that I can use my GPS (haven't tried navigating with it yet) I think a two hour paddle should do it in fair conditions. I would only consider this if the conditions were going to be very fair. This is why I think it is feasible for a day trip. Understand the possible issue of seasickness, but I've never suffered from it or travel sickness.

The mothership is indeed a good idea. But I would be looking to it as a backup only. Maybe as a provider of bottled water. I'm sure there has to be something willing to take a lure in 20km of paddling and see no a priori reason to pass that up.

As for when, I think we have a few things to sort out first:

* this f#$%^&g spring weather (Don't go fishing on Sunday. The weather will be miserable - its my birthday );

* when can Ken provide mothership services and for how many and under what conditions;

* we need to sort ourselves out safety wise. What are the minimum requirements and what is recommended?

* we need to have a plan for how we do it. Eg a buddy system so that noone paddles alone, communications and protocols for checking between groups (I would think that we need as a minimum one waterproof marine VHF radio and one GPS for each group.

Note also that there can be many opportunities for disappointment on such a trip. No fish I can handle but there is a distinct possibility that we could paddle all the way out there to be confronted by a single boat sitting on the FAD displaying a dive flag! Or worse, to be there, have the boat rock up, the spearos jump in and the flag raised. (Not having a go at spearos here, but this stuff happens).

Lets just keep this disussion going here then settle on a date when we're ready

 

[Davey G]

agree that it's a serious undertaking and needs to be done in ideal conditions (swell, current, wind, forecast).

the paddle out is no problems (2 - 2.5 hours) but dont forget once you are out there you're only halfway That's potentially 5 hours of reasonably non-stop paddling, (before any real fishing is undertaken). Add on 2-3 hours of fishing and its an 8 hour round trip

Anyone keen to do this would need to have this sort of stamina and that's not taking into consideration the unknown (sudden squall/headwind, capsize, stitch, fatigue, hook through finger etc).

I agree with Dave - lets keep this topic going as I'd be keen to do it and consider that it would be breaking some new ground in yakfishing circles.

(Also, I'd suggest that we look at a midweek option so to avoid the weekend congestion)

 

[Russ]

:lol: Ken I agree with you whole heartedly. All said and done I think the earlier timetable we had for such a trip may be the better option. Around Jan - Feb 2007. Some very good points Ken has raised.

I think we should organise a lengthy paddle of around 10 nautical klm's just to see how we pull up afterwards. Put in at the Spit Bridge and paddle to Nth Head then around to Rose bay and back something like that. Hugging the shoreline just in case someone needs to rest up. The first paddle I ever had was on Peril in fairly basic weather if my memory serves me correctly Dave said we paddled 9.5 k's that day. I myself pulled up fine but that was not a straight out 2hr paddle trip.

fishing Russ

 

[Peril]

:lol: Ken I agree with you whole heartedly. All said and done I think the earlier timetable we had for such a trip may be the better option. Around Jan - Feb 2007. Some very good points Ken has raised.

I think we should organise a lengthy paddle of around 10 nautical klm's just to see how we pull up afterwards. Put in at the Spit Bridge and paddle to Nth Head then around to Rose bay and back something like that. Hugging the shoreline just in case someone needs to rest up

Russ, I think Ken's point, and I agree, is that a paddle around closed or limited open waters is not much of a test of fitness for a trip like this. A much better test might be from inside the harbour to Long Reef, and back. That would be 25-30km. Return trip means you get tested against any current that's running. Of course, trolling must proceed at all time to simulate trip conditions. A couple of points along the way at which you can abandon the trip if there is any problem.

BTW, I think that you'll be surprised at how much work Tugboat can be out there. I might have gone a little easy on you on that first trip out. The other thing you have to be aware of is that you're not going to be able to make the yak go faster than it can go. An extensive test in open water will give you a good idea of how long it will take to paddle the 10km out to the FAD

 

[Dodge]

that we could paddle all the way out there to be confronted by a single boat sitting on the FAD displaying a dive flag! Or worse, to be there, have the boat rock up, the spearos jump in and the flag raised. (Not having a go at spearos here, but this stuff happens).

Dave I'm aware the flag says divers are down; but can you not fish the area by law when the flag is visible?.

Haven't seen it impact up here to this date

 

[Russ]

Dave I wasn't going to mention the Minn Kota but the fact that 9 of the 9.5 k's were under electric power was a little embarrassing to mention over the site :lol: However I agree with both points and will leave the decision to you more experienced guy's. I am just happy to tag along and give it a go. I definately agree with DaveyG that we should use the availability of a companian craft that is on offer at least for the first trip anyway.

What is the thought on a akff Fad known only to members and placed 2 - 4 k's offshore this may be a better option for us long term I can supply the concrete block proudly supplied by Metromix Concrete

This could be a great option to explore as we have a number of guy's on this forum with the experience to fabricate our own FAD.

By the way I was hoping to give you a race on the way out there P1 V P2

fishing Russ

 

[Russ]

:evil: Them damn Hobies :x

What about this then, We get to within 2 k's of the fad on the big ship then troll lures for the rest of the trip, Kayak style.

fishing Russ

 

[Crikey]

Guys,

Count me in for this one, other than a rabid passion for fishing the one thing I can bring to the table for this is 20+ years experience as a merchant mariner before coming ashore to work.

Expertise that I could assist with would be risk and safety. Also bring formal training in first aid, open water survival, survival craft ops and a multitude of other experience in what to do when bad sh*t happens on the water especially a long way from home.

Gatesy brings up one good point, visibility, anyone that has fished with me will probably have noticed that I always wear a long sleeve lime flouro shirt. It is a great cheap way to but UV 50+ clothes but more importantly I am absolutely paranoid about being run down espcially in the harbour by the weekend boaties. I have just added a flouro GoSo adapta-cap to the wardrobe. Just need the weather to improve to get the chance to wear it. In open water Hi-Vis is absolutely essential, would probably suggest that flags shoulld be essential bits of kit to use as yak locators on wide water.