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



## Guest (Jan 25, 2011)

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&#8230; 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&#8230; 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.

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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.


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## stonecold (Nov 5, 2006)

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


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## Guest (Jan 25, 2011)

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!


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## billpatt (Apr 12, 2010)

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. :lol:


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## waz (Feb 17, 2010)

. . . 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


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## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

that is pure gold. too funny.  :lol:


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## carnster (May 27, 2008)

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.


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## Couta101 (May 22, 2009)

Jon....mate....don't feel so bad about the way the surf got hold of you :lol: :lol: 
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. :twisted:


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## Safa (Aug 4, 2006)

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&^$#@@t out of me paddling like a liitle indian tomahawk with half/no paddle ,thought you were a pirate after my sexy evo :lol: 
There was another chap out there and whoever you are i was impressed ............................a green floro yak of about well to me it looked like max 1.8m unless you are like 8foot, that yak was tinny ,when we arrived at palmy we seen you waiting on the beach and i thought naaaahhh he wont get out anyway we unloaded ,setup and got ready to go,you were still standing there contemplating suicide............hey my f*&^%$# 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 :shock: 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


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## carnster (May 27, 2008)

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?


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## paulsod (Dec 28, 2008)

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


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## Safa (Aug 4, 2006)

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 ???


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

Jon a great yarn and as others have said you deserved better results, and certainly is worthy of T.O.W consideration mate


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## Slide (Oct 25, 2007)

Oh man, that was funny :lol: I suspect you need to lose the r off your revo. Good on you for trying.


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## Guest (Jan 25, 2011)

Safa i figured that was you and your son. I didn't want my luck to get too close in case i knocked a hole in your stealth!

Yeah i didn't think the swell was so bad going out early but they definately cleaned me up. Coming back in it was a little frightening watching the waves dump on the outer bank and knowing that i had no choice but to cop it sweet! I just kept trying not to think about whether there was a bigger noah swimming around. In hindsight watching the surf in full daylight after i got back in i shouldn't have launched from seventh ave. The sand bar was a little shallower there than further north and it was causing the waves to stand up a bit. I was just lucky there wasn't a large sweep on the beach so i could get in without too much trouble.

It certainly hasn't put me off surf launches... but it was a good learning experience. I did everything i thought was right but apparently Nemo thought i was wrong. I now have to earn enough brownie points to justify the purchases to fix the yak and get a new paddle.


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## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

At least you could still share the experience. I haven't done a surf launch for about a year and, what I call surf isn't really surf but, I've never been able to pick sets and I think it's just a myth. As for the paddle on the way out....I don't! I leave the paddle in the keeper (ssometimes the surf dislodges it) and paddle for my coit.


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## Safa (Aug 4, 2006)

Jon,
You know how the saying goes when you fall off a horse..........................?
Its all about experience in the surf the more the better,mate us so called 'seasoned offshore' boys still see our arse plenty so ,just shake it off and give it another go always willing to give some tips if we meet before the launch but today i could have given you nothing but a railway sleeper (dont think you could break that ) although im sure you would give it ago!


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## mattayogi (Feb 11, 2007)

Quality tale!

As for the bronzies - they might not win you as many brownie points as a spanish mackerel, but they're still a fantastic feed with no bones to worry about. Wish I scored some this morning, but I was dangling my legs in that murky water on a surfboard.

Matt


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## andybear (Jan 15, 2006)

cjbfisher said:


> 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. :lol: I can just picture it in my head.
> Better luck next time.
> Chris





kraley said:


> Definite TOW award material.
> 
> Thanks for posting. A refreshing alternative to those that just show up to brag about their latest trophy catch. Well written, too.





Dodge said:


> Jon a great yarn and as others have said you deserved better results, and certainly is worthy of T.O.W consideration mate


Jon! Maaaaate! :shock: :shock:

Sorry to hear about your losses. Trying to paddle with a didgeridoo.......nearly wet myself laughing. You should have tried my hand pedal technique on the launch!!! might have saved you some grief!

Upside is, with all these other nominations for the "Tale of Woe" I loudly agree, that you are qualified, and deserve, to wear the millstone......I mean accolade of the title! which I gleefully renounce

 

Cheers andybear


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## spottymac (Aug 29, 2005)

That was so funny I haven't stop laughing,
The same thing happened to me a few weeks ago when I gave a mate my good paddle on his first trip out and I used the useless Hobie paddle, 
I shit my self on the first paddle stroke it folded in half and I got smashed, :shock: :shock: 
YOU ARE A LEGEND FOR HANGING IN THERE,


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## Zed (Sep 18, 2006)

nezevic said:


> 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.





> I now have to earn enough brownie points to justify the purchases to fix the yak and get a new paddle.


Have you seen the price of women's shoes? I mean, you know what I mean.

Thanks for the write up. Hope you get squared away and back under power soon.


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## Bdahm (Dec 5, 2009)

nezevic said:


> 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)


You're welcome...and i thought you were having a bad day when i first saw you!

Me and my hobie paddle are heading out again in the morning...i hope it holds up better then yours.

Tony


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## solatree (May 30, 2008)

Jon - why I am laughing at such misfortune ? :lol: :lol: :lol: Its just not on ! Such amazing perseverence in the face of adversity - you truly deserve an award !


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

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.

----

QlpoOTFBWSZTWTWYtCQAABfXgAAQQAcgkJSAP+/foCAAlIip+0psqabamp6T1NDQe0oQ0Kn5TQT01GRgE9RjB6eq7ZICSqUtz6YBy7UvN2sNAJ7pK8+l2lTxQh4A3zzN9iQI8MZ+oUX/SoLRopv2xd7rru7T46DKqxXlwRmZiT9XqyzbCUupKQe2VpFqk8BJwCou2jF9rNBeQHuU8XzEPDtIwiHYCgnRL4wawKDVzn/F3JFOFCQNZi0JAA==


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## Guest (Jan 27, 2011)

I'm not sure whether i should be proud or humiliated to recieve such an award. :shock:  At least i am in good company with Andybear, i don't think i could have taken it away from him after such a short period of time in his possession.


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## andybear (Jan 15, 2006)

You are most welcome my friend.

The pain will fade....in time Jon. Hope your gear is all fixable.

cheers Andybear


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## TheFishinMusician (Feb 5, 2007)

Jon, that was just brilliant mate & the diggideroo comment nearly slayed me!!
Very well written & worthy of the TOW.
here's hoping you're back in the saddle soon


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## actionsurf (Jul 8, 2010)

kraley said:


> Definite TOW award material.
> 
> Thanks for posting. A refreshing alternative to those that just show up to brag about their latest trophy catch. Well written, too.


 I'm just wondering whether now is the time to let you in on the Jewie I caught off Narrabeen........ :lol:


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## swabio (Aug 16, 2010)

Mate I can relate to your story, although mine didn't end up with as much damage......

when I first got the mighty HMAK MARISTIKA..... one of my mates (non-forum member) said lets hit up "rays rock" which I now know to be Brays.... so we made our plan.... the wind forecast was fine..... swell on the other hand, well I thought 3-5m hmmm thats not too big is it...... anyway drive up there..... have a look at the waves....... think wow.... that looks way bigger than I thought.... and it is really dumping hard (at Moffats)...... hmmm lets look elsewhere...... around to the other nearby beaches including kings etc.... hmmmm nah, they look a bit worse....so lets rig for launch anyway........

Get down on the beach, the waves look nastier there......hmmmm not really sure I should do this.....those bad ass dumping waves don't look real friendly..... hmmmm Oh well I have driven all this way..... have a PFD, am reasonably fit.... worst that can happen is.... i get really wet..... and turn the yak upside down.......everything is tethered..... so lets give it a crack.......

Well........ the ride out was 'ok' in that I pushed it into deep enough water to pedal..... jumped on and went to pedal...... hmmm nope pedals not in properly...... cant use feet, am now furiously pedalling by hand...... the PA punched through the waves like the aircraft carrier that it is..although lit was as though it was on a scale..... I.E equivalent to sea state 4 in a real carrier! waves were pouring over the front, and I was thankful of the warmness of the QLD ocean..... and that I was not in the Arctic! and I was soon over the back of the waves......sorted the pedals out.... and it was sweet.... thought, bloody hell not looking forward to coming back in through that.....

So out goes the trolling rod... we start heading towards the reef.... fishing around.... get nothing, I am still trying to work out how to use a sounder.... (truth be told that journey is still incomplete!) get over near Brays.... massive waves are breaking over it.... hmmm stuff that, don't get too close.....hey whats that, Tuna bust up..... I am off, chasing them towards kings beach..... end up pedalling miles... wow it is easier than i thought.... oh well better turn around..... damn that is why it is easier..... that is the direction of the current! dammit!

A slow trip back towards brays.... catch up with my mate, and he is all wet.... what happened? Oh i got a bit close to the reef, and a massive wave smashed me...... lost a few things.... anyways we keep fishing a little bit.... then call it a day.... a massive wet Donut......

so the slow......slow journey back towards Moffats against the current..... get there.... stow all items..... watch the sets.... think damn, this is definitely going to go pearshaped! hang on, there is a really calm bit....... as i pedal in, it is a crazy Rip...... and I am literally going at a very very slow walking pace........but, no waves, it is sweet, it took about 20 minutes to get in ..... and about 30m from the beach I heard a noise, turned around to see a massive breaking wave about 4m from the yak.... Oh shit....... yup, PA sideways, me out of it, it careening towards the beach.... upside down... me tumbling and surfacing..... swim the rest of the way in......grab the yak, turn it up the right way.... drag it onto the beach and just lay down absolutely shattered!

a few minutes pass, realise that the only thing lost was my spyderco knife, that was on my PFD un tethered.....

cart in, drag yak back the the car..... pop the bungs..... wow that forward hatch does let in some water...... a few litres pour out......

moral of the story..... tether everything, and well have bloody fun regardless  But if it is too big, then unless you are keen to get very wet, lose some stuff, and damage things, head to the shelter of the estuary..... but I will not go out in such crap conditions again that is for sure! I still enjoyed it, and learnt a lot.....


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## Guest (Feb 9, 2012)

Dam there are you guys have some nasty stories. Cant help but have a chuckle though. :lol: 
Its never nice to hear of people braking gear but at least you didn't brake yourself and will be back to padel or pedel another day ;-)


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## Guest (Feb 9, 2012)

Swabio, I can just imagine the feeling of "Oh Crap" as that wave loomed up larger than life behind you. I know it all too well. Looking back on it now, having spent a bit more time in the saddle, I'm pretty sure I know where I went wrong. I held the nose rather than centre of the yak as I was wading out. This led to precious seconds wasted when it was time to take off. So when they hit, the yak was being torn from my grasp. This is what did all the damage. I should have been closer to the seat and ready for the breakers. That and my paddle was crap. I haven't dared to try a true surf launch again since and would probably go a bit out of my way to avoid it again. But in the right conditions I think anything is possible. It was humorous at the time and I find myself going back to this thread to have a chuckle at my own stupidity every now and then. It was a good lesson learnt.


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