26 November 2008

The cloudy rainy weather appears to have settled in for the time being but the EAC is sitting in very close on most days. In spite of the sea being a little rougher than normal, it has been clean and extremely diveable. The results are starting to speak for themselves.

On Sunday past, went out with Kris, to the E side of Split. Ocean was pretty rough and the W wind was causing the waves to break backwards! Behind Split we had some respite and I started burleying some pilchards. The viz was poor but the sea was a comfortable 22. I was quickly surrounded by a ball of interested fish. Started diving to the bottom about 19m and continued the burleying. Apart from the ravenous bait ball, there were very few additional enquiries. I was starting to feel like a much maligned, door-to-door salesman, when an Amberjack showed up amongst the bait. It was quickly dispatched. Some damage to one of the pontoons on the rubber-duck cut our diving short.

The sea was really settled on Monday and I decided to take a swim, after work, off Korora Beach. Bumped into 2 mates in the water on their way back. The comments had something to do with a crazy South African going out at this time of night. Although no fish were found, the viz and temperature are improving quite dramatically.

During consulting on Wednesday, phone rings, John Featherstone, what was I doing in the afternoon. I took a moment before saying: DIVING. Good call. The conditions were fantastic. Headed out to the Big Island (North Solitary). Current was running S-N (Uphill according to the locals). Checked out the pinnacles N of NW Rocks, then the gutters N of NW Rocks. All the time Angelo Spada's words were ringing in my ears: 'GO UPCURRENT'.

John suggested looking at the S end of the Big Island. Bait everywhere when I got in. Wishbone snapped. Second gun and a Spanish swims up. Very skittish and just out of range of the back-up gun. I dived and a big Yellowtail comes right up to me. BANG, into the boat. John has loaded a small Spanish. Head off to where the wash is creating a foamy area above a 20m drop. Bait and pelagics all over the place. Yellowtail, Amberjacks, Mack Tuna and Bronze Whalers. I dive again to find a nice sized Rainbow Runner. Follow it for a while as it turns left then right trying to figure out my intentions. Mistake. It ends up on my stringer. I was pulling a flasher at this time and everything seemed interested in it. Dived again, another big Yellowtail, great headshot. Stopped in its tracks, no fight at all. Swim the spoils back to the boat 200m away. Murray loading another Yellowtail. I bumped into a massive wall of good Big-Eye Trevally but they were way too clever to offer a shot. Turned and lined up on a massive Cobia. About to pull the trigger when it dawned on me I was about to plug a Whaler. Pop my head out and both John and Murray are already on the boat getting their gear stowed. Time to head back. Another Spanish comes in but stays just out of range of the gun I am carrying. I try all the tricks I know. Dive down, lie still, feign disinterest, fin toward an interception point, nothing works. The fish is not going to relent and give me a shot. Oh well, my primary gun will soon be sporting a new wishbone and those stand-offish Spanish will get the surprize of their lives at the increased range. John was very excited, he had seen a monster Amberjack, which had stayed out of range, but he had been surrounded by hundreds of Spanish Mackerel. He had noticed Snapper down deep but was afraid to start burleying with all the Whalers about. Murray was feeling a little worse-for-wear but he had lost a good Mackerel and a Blue-Bar Parrotfish. His ego had taken a pounding.

With so many good fish around, everything is on line for a bumper season.