Guest MasterChef visits the boat for a feed of Cobia speared by Big Jim
Big thanks to MasterChef for running us around town to resupply and finally get Merv's motor fixed.
V-Man departs and The Rat Pack arrive. MiniMe takes over V-Man's favourite spot.
Lollies get raided.
2nd July 2024
Exmouth to Serrurier Island.
A big first day for the new crew. It was either leave today or be stuck this side of the gulf for a week.
Motor sailed for 7 hours to get here. A bit uncomfortable to start but as predicted conditions improved as we got a cross the gulf.
After bacon burgers for lunch the wind died off so the lures went out as we motored the last hour.
MiniMe won the makeral competition catching four to my one. Only cost him a single lure.
Anchored by 2pm. Well done the Rat Pack on their first passage.
In time for a quick fish. B2 catches the first Trevally and refused to release it. She had it cooked and scoffed within the hour.
MiniMe made some really nice pickled fish with some of these.
He even picked up a couple of squid just after sunset showing me up again.
3rd July.
B1 has a trevally session. 11 on the same piece of bait. Plus another half dozen.
Complete with lollypop smile.
MiniMe shows the patience of a saint rigging and getting fish off hooks.
Lollies get sorted into six bags. A bag each to last five days. Tagged and the sugar fix is in. Apart from Miss Heena who has started her second book...
...and plotting tasks for B1 and B2 when they inevitably run out of lollies. Sweet toothed slaves at her mercy. (Mwhahaha.)
Minime got some MiniMeTime with all the other parents and kids here. Went for a spear. Got a nice Blue Line Emperor and then was chased off the reef by the sharks who thought they deserved his catch more.
We even got a bottom bouncing session in Merv for a pair of Baldies.
A video of our highlights getting to meet up with the other boats with kids aboard heading North this year.
But we are on a schedule...
First to arrive and first to leave...
8th July 2024
Surrurier Island to North Mangrove Island via Onslow.
Plenty of fish leaving Surrurier. The Mackerel take a pounding.
There is NO bakery(!!!) in Onslow! So we decided not to stay and make some more ground north.
Managed to hit the bottom trying to anchor here three times. Not to mention being parked on the reef for a while so I wont mention it. A pretty lousy anchorage with current against wind. We decided to not even bother putting Merve down and find somewhere better tomorrow for a rest.
9th July 2024
North Mangrove Island to Great Sandy Island.
We ended up trolling just the one lure as we were travelling a bit fast for the usual lures.
MinMe hooked a large Spanish Mackerel that went straight under the boat and hooked up under the rudder. Chaos ensured which ended when the fish swam off with the lure and his rod and reel still attached. Not to mention me still in the water so we wont mention it. Surprisingly there were no retributions. Just a quiet lull on board. A bit of a change from the normal Rat Pack mayhem so it most have been serious.
Fish 1 ... Us nil
The fish gods took pity on us shortly after with the biggest fish of the trip so far...
A 1.25m Spanish Mackerel.
I will call this one Manuel.
Notice that MiniMe is wearing the Joe Biden loan sunglasses. He may have lost his own and will qualify for a sticker or they could be hidden somewhere under the "Floordrobes" in each of the kid's cabins.
The kids were sick of travelling and had cabin fever so we challenged them to a run up to the lighthouse... As I'm still recovering I was starter. After taking the dinghy to the furthermost point possible... Not to make them run as much as possible but because it was the "best" place to park Merv.
Two nights here for a rest up. Snorkeling, jumping off the front of the boat,
...and a last night beach fire...
... with BBQ wings...
..bliss.
11th July 2024
Great Sandy Island to Cape Preston.
A day of motor sailing and running the water maker for the first time.
The girls appreciated the luxury of a nice warm fresh water shower at the end of the day.... After another jumping off the front of the boat session.
12th July 2024
Cape Preston to Dampier
We were hidden in here from the overnight wind behind the loading causeway in uncharted waters. We found a patch of sand among the bombies and put out the anchor last night.
Sunrise saw MiniMe flicking a lure over the nearby Reef picking up a Spanish flag.
As the sun lit up the reef he could see plenty of big fish swimming around just under the boat so put on the gear and went for a dive. The smile says it all.
Coral trout
And
And
That's breakfast sorted.
So clear that he even took B1 and B2 for a snorkel as well.
If you are think that we are stalling then you would be right. To get to Mermaid Straight and avoid the current we have to wait until the winds pick up. To be up to 30 knots on the nose so it is not going to be a nice ride. We had a round table discussion and decided to see how far we could get today as the weather is just as bad tomorrow...and there is a plane to catch...
B2 starter to feel a bit sick as we made our way across the bay...
When it got really bad we were punching into two metre waves. The older kids had a different approach...
This went on for over two hours. Miss Henna agreed that it was "better than Adventure World."
Even B2 got over her sea sickness when she had found a spot that was suitable for her...
Made it into Dampier and anchored up in time for the sun to set.
The Rat Pack earned they're Salty Sea Dog badges today.
The adults were having crispy skin coral trout for dinner
so the kids got to choose what ever they wanted...
A tin of cold spaghetti surrounded by bacon. The meal of Champions.
I wont even mention the "sandwich" That Miss Henna had.
A day early so a bus trip with Ayrton Senna driving into K-town for a waffle treat.
A pretty well full on two weeks. Not to mention how quiet it is here now...
...so I wont mention it.
