Stanley to the Hunter Group.

The crew were up at 7.30 on the dot.We had worked out the SW change was forecast to come through during the morning and did not want to get caught if it came through really hard.The idea was to escape from Stanley before the mass invasion which usually happens two nights out of Beauty Point.

Nothing about not wanting to be there but you usually end up three deep and a few hassles getting away,good fun the first time but been there ,done that,we wanted a few fish.

Got a doing making some ground to windward to clear the Nut ,the left over sea was about 2 meters and short.Biggs got wounded when my new electric reel crashed down from the roof and landed on his hand which was on the back of the settee.

Nurse Cheroz put a few band aids on.He might have a bruise tomorrow but he is tough.

Cleared the Nut and tacked about to clear North Point,a couple of miles away and then an easy run to the islands .Saw a couple of boats working over to port ,one we talked to in Stanley only had a few kilos of crays to catch for his quota so had his gear down not six miles from the port.They have a different calendar up here.

We also saw a set of buoys down about a mile long ,probably a shark line.

Along with the cattle barge unloading from King Island the port was working well by the looks of it.

A little while later I could see heavy rain on the Radar over the Islands and as it was black over Smithton the change was on the way,a short while later the wind swung to the SE for a while and the SW.Visibility now only about a mile.We still had 22 to go so plenty of time for the front to go through.

Heard nattering on the radio from a few boats already over there,SW is not he best wind to be at the Hummocks especially with a left over North quadrant swell.

You can find a reasonably lay out of the waves but when the tide changes the whole scene often does too.A lot of rolling up here.

We heard Molly on Crispian was in Coulomb Bay and considered Spies Nook a bit rolly so we steamed past to find him and Bill on Maatsuyker rolling quite hard when anchored.

We elected to return to the Nook for breakfast,a little while later they left for Shepherds Bay where there was a mob already.Later on in the day we heard Bill comment on the radio it was a bit rolly there.

That is Three Hummock Island ! Lots of options but sometimes you just have to tough it out.

We had a fish while anchored and as it was not really successful decided to move on to the top of the Island ,it would be more sheltered but the swell unknown until you get there,Saw one boat coming back from there but thought he may have only been lonely after hearing a heap in Shepherds. 

Arrived and had a few drifts,the flathead few and far between,I put them on a bit of hard bottom and Biggs pulled up two parrot fish on one line straight away,Good we had enough bait for the pots now.

Decided to have a troll as not much happening on the drifting front.

Got the tuna gear out as it is not unheard of catching one up here,more likely to be Aus salmon though.And so it was a double strike as soon as we put the lines in ,two salmon,that's better,we trolled for an hour and no more.

We did catch a young Albatross ,not to happy about that,Got it up to the boat and through the gate onto the deck,I did not get much help as I think my brave crew  seemed frightened of it.Got a tarp over it which did no good as it's wings were half out, fortunately it only had the hook through its beak,came out easily and with little damage.

Held it around the neck for Cheroz to get a short video,obliged with a squark.I pushed him out the gate and he then flew away.

We baited the pots and joined a fishing boat which had been setting his for an hour or so.We tried to keep inshore of him ,out of the way.The current although here does not seem to pull the buoys down like Flinders but no doubt we will find out later.Not much use worrying about it ,got to get the timing right.

The fishing boat moved up to Three Gullies Bay and anchored with his flopper stoppers out.

We followed but was not really happy there Mick advised him we had put a pot nearly on top of one of his and apologized you can pull it if is in the way we said,don't worry she will be right he said.I was so engrossed looking for a bit of bottom I missed his buoy in the sun.Always a strong current also up here.have to keep a better look out.

We stayed there for Fish entree when I suggested we move before dark around to Rape Bay.We arrived just as the sun was setting for mains.

Then Biggs said look out there ,the fishing boat was coming round the point.First time we had seen a fishing boat following a scrubber into an anchorage.

Turned in a bit after 9.30 after a good day.

A photo of the colouring at Rape Bay.