19 December 2008

The last few days have seen little diving on my part. I have been busy helping my family move into our new home and arrange everything to their liking. Always good to be accumulating brownie points for later use when the weather improves.

Wednesday was my day off and I went diving with John and Michael Featherstone and Kris Banks. There has not been a substantial S blow yet and we still have a thermocline at around 15m (cold, dirty and really spooky).

Started at the FAD. Water was quite clear and warm. Massive school of Yellowtail mixed with Rainbow Runners and small Dorado. There was no indication of any bigger fish. We even tried pinning one of the smaller Dorado to encourage bigger fish to come and have a look. No luck. We then moved to the reef N of the Big Island (Hitler's). This was comfortable diving all above the thermocline. There was very little current which allowed a thorough look at the area. I stuffed up on a big Green Jobfish. Instead of lying still and patiently waiting for it to come closer, I tried to chase it. Total waste of time, fish disappeared pretty smartly. Due reward was collected shortly afterwards. A school of small Yellowtail swam up to me, I tucked over to look behind me and saw a Spanish following the 'Tail. Turned and tracked it. The fish initially raced off then seemed to stop and glide to the left, right into my target area. That is my first Spanish this season, not big but my dance card has been opened.

We moved around to the S side of the Big Island. The viz opened up beautifully. Viz down to 20m+. Lots of bait around and several schools of small 'Tail and Amberjack. I was looking for Wahoo or Cobia. Found several massive Black Rays at around 20m and diligently looked under them for Cobia. Encountered an Eagle Ray with an Amberjack but the ray spooked and took the Amberjack with it. Shoaling Hammerheads came through in a school of about 30 sharks. True to form, they were very skittish. When I thought I was not going to see a Cobia, dropped down to check out a ray and found 2 Cobia. What a blast taking a Cobia in such a classic situation. By this stage we had rustled up 2 Spanish, a Blue-Bar Parrotfish and the small Dorado.

We did our best to find some Mangrove Jacks but the conditions were deteriorating. We elected to move to The Wash. Again the thermocline was found at about 15m. I could find no fish in the dirty cold water but around the pinnacles there were plenty. Took a reasonable Yellowtail and as I tried to put my hand into its gills it broke free. Then I found a school of large Big-Eye Trevally. The school seemed very flighty almost harassed. Every dive at them, had them scuttling off into the deep, only to return several minutes later. With their next pass I exhaled and slowly sank down to them. This gave me a closer look and I managed to pin one. It fought very strongly and scraped along the reef, dislodging the spear.

We decided to call it a day and head back to Arrawarra. The Cobia is in the fridge being prepared as Gravlax and the 'Couta in a brining solution for smoking today.

The weather this weekend does not look good for diving but a quick jaunt out to look for Dorado may be a good bet. If that fails, I will take my bow out and go looking for some deer on the surrounding hills. I am really in need of some good old fashioned BILTONG!