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09/10/2006: "ABOARD RIVERSONG"
29 August The wind kept blowing all night and at dawn we arrived on the reef of N W Island. We decided to get stuck into fishing as soon as we had a bite to eat. Loading all our gear in the boat we set off and spent most of the morning fishing around the S E side of the island known as The Fish Tail.
The fish we were after are coral trout and they weren’t very plentiful. It wasn’t long before Ron had a 120 pound Queensland groper in a cave. He called me over in the boat and I gave him another gun and he put a second spear into him.
Back on board we found that the spring on the rewind (recoil spring) starter had broken and we couldn’t get the motor started so Ron and I attempted to row back to the Riversong. Then my oar snapped so we had to call out for help from the Riversong.
Snowie and I thought the motor could never be fixed – but Ron had other ideas. He sat down with the motor and pulled the top to bits and finally when he got to the broken spring took took it out and with the aid of a Porta-Gas stove, shaped a new piece in the busted spring.
Ninety minutes later we set off again to do some more fishing. Ron took some still photo’s of his big cod and also a couple of me holding a couple of painted crays (lobsters) underwater. He also took a couple of shots with my Calypso.
We fished hard during the afternoon to get some more fish to help pay for the trip – but those coral trout were scarce. I got a nice brown spotted cod in a cave but need Ron’s spear also to subdue him (50 -60 pounds).
Saw five sharks today, three reefies (white tipped reef sharks) and two whalers (bull sharks) largest only six feet.
30 August As I sit here and write this by the light of a lantern I can hear the waves breaking not 20 yards away. We found the hut on the island is occupied by two shell collectors (Mr and Mrs Metcalf from Bundaberg) so we set up a rough camp just off the beach.
Since the tent was lost overboard we decided to use a piece of canvas which is usually used to wrap our spear guns up in. The people on the island seem quite friendly as they loaned us a table and informed us that there is plenty of fresh water available.
The forecast isn’t too good. There is a depression moving up from the south and should reach us during the night. Winds up to 50 miles per hour can be expected. I only hope the rain and clouds stay away.
Wally Muller is paying us sixpence per pound for all the fish we shoot – not just sixpence per pound for the fillets as we thought yesterday.
Our fishing day commenced at 7:30am this morning. We were fishing on virgin reefs in the lee of a strong westerly wind. The name of the reef is Broomfield Reef which is about halfway between Wilson Island and North Reef lighthouse.
On our first trip out from the boat we did well. Five big brown spotted cod (up to 80 pounds) Snowie getting the largest. I got three nice blue spotted coral trout averaging over 20 pounds each and also a floury cod.
Ron asked Valerie to take some movie film of the fish coming aboard Riversong.
On our second trip out we got three more cod and some coral trout. In all we got 200 pounds of fillets which equals 600 pounds of (whole) fish. I shot a sea snake and we took pictures of it. It was the first snake seen on this part of the reef. Also (very briefly) saw an eight to ten foot tiger shark and lots of turtles.
