# Eliza



## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

An expedition entices two of us. I'm excited, and I feel Dan is too.

A bit of history:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliza_Fraser

We're going up the inland side of (western side of) the island, much as this mob has just done, but with _far_ less experience in _sailing_ and _fishing_:
http://******************.com/

But we're going anyway...two persons only, so a reduced margin for back-up safety. Hoping to report in a week or so (never caught a GT, or Marlin, etc). We dream on............  *

* Late starters may apply.


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## dru (Dec 13, 2008)

Check out "A Fringe of Leaves" by Patrick White. I normally find his novels overblown with overdone "aren't I clever" on an impossible to truly understand but presumably "erudite" sort of basis (yes I have overdone the intro)... but excellent view on this particular piece of Aussie history.

K1 - enjoy. Fantastic part of the world.

But not as good as the GBR. ;-)


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

We will enjoy it Dru. One fish is a bonus (plenty of tinned fish and tinned soups in the larder).

http://www.mamarocks.com/whether_the_weather.htm.


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## redgreg (Oct 17, 2012)

Have a good sail, and may the wind be with u


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

redgreg said:


> Have a good sail, and may the wind be with u


Try telling that to BOM or Willie. Not looking good at this stage Greg.  We'll have to be tackfull.


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## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

Have fun Trev, don't set your sights too high on your first go, little steps! But just quietly I reckon you might surprise yourself and possibly a few others with some good fish to report on your return.  good luck guys

Kev


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## grinner (May 15, 2008)

Lapse said:


> What are your dates?
> 
> Got to know so we can start giving bad safety advice to newcomers while you're gone...


 :lol: :lol:

and i want a trip report with a photo taken from google earth, just like rons.
trev, i saw a marlin pic caught in the shallows up there, good luck.
also a lot of big golden trevally moving over the flats on the rising tide.

i read quite a few books on eliza fraser. a big rescue party was sent from brisbane. 
the aboriginal tribe on bribie were apparently the most fearsome and took out a few members and i think some of elizas shipwrecked pals were roasted for feasting on the island.
just be careful who you go with. 
apparently convicts escaping from moreton bay penal colony would agree to draw straws to see who would be the next meal when the food ran out. make sure you rig the straw count buddy. you'd be a bit tough on the chew anyway i'fd reckon so you should be safe.
unless your going with jim. then i'd suggest getting a few younger members to tag along


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

BIGKEV said:


> Have fun Trev, don't set your sights too high on your first go, little steps! But just quietly I reckon you might surprise yourself and possibly a few others with some good fish to report on your return.  good luck guys
> 
> Kev


I'm a really bad fisherman Kev, but I might get lucky. Imax (Dan) is undoubtedly better, so he's responsible for colleting dinner. 



Digger said:


> kayakone said:
> 
> 
> > Try telling that to BOM or Willie. Not looking good at this stage Greg.  *We'll have to be tackfull*.
> ...


Thank goodness someone got it! 



Lapse said:


> What are your dates?
> 
> Got to know so we can start giving bad safety advice to newcomers while you're gone...


Alex
We were going to leave Monday 18th, for about a week, but the current forecast is for storms and heavy rain...... If that forecast holds, we might have to delay departure by a day.
Re the safety advice: Tell them to wait. :lol: We'll be back in a week, _if _a howling southerly doesn't start up just as we try to return.

@ grinz A marlin!  I'd poo my pants if I hooked one of those. How many meals in a marlin? Might have to pack the big frying pan. :lol:


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## richo23 (May 17, 2009)

Trev ,
Need any logistical assistance from a local ?
I am recovering from a op at present and while not able to lift or strain myself can look after your vehicle at my place if you need.
Cheers , Richo.


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

richo23 said:


> Trev ,
> Need any logistical assistance from a local ?
> I am recovering from a op at present and while not able to lift or strain myself can look after your vehicle at my place if you need.
> Cheers , Richo.


That is fantastic offer Richo. 

I was worried about security. Could I please have your address and phone numbers (landline, work and mobile), via PM?


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Thanks to Richo23 we have secure car storage at his house. Very much appreciated Richo.

So, lads and ladies, Dan and I will be off tomorrow (or Tuesday if Monday's weather is rain and storms), on our great adventure. We are as excited as kids with $20 in the candy store.

Newbies to fishing and sailing this magical sandfly, march fly and mossie infested Paradise, let's hope the fishing is OK (but please, NO marlin hook-ups..well, maybe just a _small_ one....).

Forget the kisses, and thanks for the well wishes. Until then possums, we'll see you later:


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Goodbye diddums.  We leave at 1.00 am. Will the big fish come to play?


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## Imax (Dec 24, 2010)

Loaded and ready to go (well I am at least). Hopefully the weather holds and we have a good week with some big fish.


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## bruus (Aug 27, 2010)

He doesn't even have his sail yet, he might be ready by this evening


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## richo23 (May 17, 2009)

Definitely off into the wide blue, sailed off around 9.00 am on a light southeasterly.
Although it is now NE-NW could make for an interesting sail up the Island.
I have a few mates that will keep an eye out for them on their travels.
Richo.


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## grinner (May 15, 2008)

indiedog said:


> Is Trev ready yet?


he had to go to LA to help out some homies


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## actionsurf (Jul 8, 2010)

I hope Trev has a thermos of boiled water handy  He and stingrays tend to find each other.


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

We're back, alive, and sans stingray stings.

We got sharked.

We caught mackerel (eat your heart out Salti).

What a sail back (20 - 28 knots)! 55 km in 6.5 hours. Big seas and some scaaaary shallows.


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## bruus (Aug 27, 2010)

But did you manage to get any footage?


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

bruus said:


> But did you manage to get any footage?


I hope so (on your camera Dan). Imax (Dan) will look at it today or tomorrow.



salticrak said:


> Are you in for a surprise...


Did _you_ catch one sweetcheeks, or are ya dreamin'?


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## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

http://www.akff.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=63924

There ya go....

You back in already Pauly, no good this morning?

When is the report going up Trev?


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

BIGKEV said:


> When is the report going up Trev?


After a poppy flop (or two).


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Dan and I are back from Dan's inspired adventure.

While Paulo and company have ventured here many times, this was _our_ first on the AI's (I had been a couple of times previously in a sea kayak).

Planned 1.00 am start from my place in Brissie's NW, so a challenge for the young gun. We were tied into tide times, but Dan was so excited he couldn't sleep at all. He arrived before 12.30 am, and we left with great anticipation.

We were met after packing by Richo123, a most friendly and helpful Hervey Bay forumite, who looked after my car for the whole time. While we started in what appeared to be light SE'er, on clearing the Urangan Harbour it became a NW'er, which was beam on, so good sailing. Off Moon Point, our heading changed to 30 degrees magnetic as we tracked towards Wathumba Creek.....so slightly upwind with heavy kayaks, but still sailing fine in a building NW swell.

We were faced with a 50 km challenge in the day, so a favourable wind was essential (we had the tide sorted - another major factor in these parts, with a 3 metre tidal range). Good progress for 4 - 5 hours, and buoyed by the chance of reaching our goal, we sailed on till the wind became more of a headwind, and the old fart faded. Landing at Awinya Creek for a night, twelve kms short of our goal was no big setback, that is, until the launch next morning.

Dan the surf launch expert, laughed at the residual 0.6 - 0.8 metre residual swell from the previous day. Nor was I really too phased, till during morning ablutions I sighted two stingrays in the shallows, just where we were about to launch. Bugger! RAYS! Launching, I survived another encounter with the dreaded ray, and to our pleasant surprise a SE wind had us zooming for Wathumba.

We were there!

Here's a monster from the first few days:


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## actionsurf (Jul 8, 2010)

One bream ? That's it ? C'mon Trev...there's gotta be more ;-)


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

actionsurf said:


> One bream ? That's it ? C'mon Trev...there's gotta be more ;-)


There is.

We then enjoyed two glorious days of light SE'ers, enabling us to sail some decent distances. Birds were diving everywhere, and so enticed we sailed towards the bust-ups full of expectation. On approaching we could see spotted mackeral slashing through the bait balls. From one to another we sailed, only to have the bust up disappear within 50 metres of our arrival......frustating to say the least. 

I witnessed the spectacle of a black marlin leaping 10 times in 5 minutes, obviously tearing into something, but sadly, on approach, again it disappeared. My heart raced as I criss-crossed the area with a marlin lure out. Nada.

All was not lost as Dan scored a bonito....though not the Australian or striped bonito, but this one:

http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl= ... CD8Q9QEwCA

With dismay I read today in Grant's that, "Watson's leaping bonito battles so persistently that it dies on the line, far from the boat." This certainly happened to me, particularly in a double hook-up to the second fish. Dan had a fair bit more drag deployed and got them in still alive. Grant "It is sought as a whole bait for larger game fish, including the narrow barred or Spanish mackerel." Oh well - next time.

Both of us scored big hits within minutes. Dogged fights of up to half an hour eventually resulted in bringing decent sized whaler sharks to our AI's. They took HB lures.

Another species taken were school mackerel, which provided a tasty dinner.

http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl= ... CEAQ9QEwBw

Our scores that day were identical: 3 bonito, one schoolie, and one shark each. Not one Spanish or spottie to our names. The numerous stinkers that were camped in Wathumba fared little better. They too reported seeing the spottie bust-ups, but very few were boated. One marlin only was hooked and dropped in the days we were there, and only one under-sized Spaniard that we heard of, despite most of them covering large distances. They did say, "You should have been here 3 weeks ago." We did hear a tale of a 20 - 25 kg Bluefin tuna leaping, so maybe next year will bring some monster tuna to the Sunny coast.

On the fourth day Dan went out ahead of me on a mirror sea. It was eerily quiet compared to previous days. Instead of hundreds of birds, there was nothing....no birds and no fish for an hour and a half, not even a bonnie. Dan returned to the beach as I took off for Station Hill 15 kms away to the north (past the bins, and where the big tuna had been sighted a day earlier). Scoring a small shark and a bonito fired up Dan again, but he stayed close as I targeted 'the hill'.

Spooked by a sudden drop off in wind, with a run-out tide well in progress, and a dead radio battery, I turned for home only a kilometre away. Neither winds nor fish were playing in our favour. Luckily the wind refreshed to quite strong from the NW, saving a 14 km pedal, or a beaching and a long walk back.

Did I mention there were sandflies in abundance? Zillions. :shock: Our red lumps remain as testimony.

Pics and video coming.


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Bertros said:


> How is it there are bins and stingrays everywhere you go? Or are these just metaphors Trev?


The bins were the SWR metaphor Matt, but the rays were real. Twice stung, very shy.


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