The forecast wasn't too good and it was blowing a gale when I arrived. After mowing the lawns I didn't bother with yaks,
rods or any distractions like that. I took the camera and went for a wander down the surf beach in the late afternoon.
The beach was almost deserted, which is just how I like it. I took a few snaps and then headed home.
Late afternoon down at the surf beach - was tempted to go for a swim....
A hooded plover digging up sand fleas for supper...
A pair of pacific gulls watching the waves crashing on the shore...
The incoming sets illuminated by the setting sun...
Almost looks like a H-bomb going off...
The forecast for Thursday was better. At least it was the last time I checked - I have no internet down at the Island
and I don't have a mobile phone, so there was no way to get an up to date wind report. The beach was empty and
it looked pretty good to get offshore, but by 9:00am the SE breeze was already getting up, so I shelved the idea of
a yak trip.
Cleeland Bight next morning - almost perfect conditions...
One of the local sandy-coloured rabbit - looks like a bit of a bruiser...
Looking towards the big dune, with the Cape Woolamai light in the background...
I decided a better plan would be to hit the surf beach and try for some mullet in the shallows. So just
before low tide I covered up and wandered down the road to the beach.
With the temperature rising, the surf beach was the only place to be...
A very nice-looking gutter - would be a good spot on a night high-tide...
I tried one of the spots where ,many years ago, I'd caught some decent mullet. In about an hour I had 19
mullet and lost many more - they can be sneaky buggers when it comes to stealing bait.
What's this - a report from Mingle that features fish?!?
My first decent haul of mullet for ages...
I returned to the house, put the fish in the fridge and put my feet up for a late lunch.
Later in the afternoon I headed back to the surf beach with the surf rod and a handful of metal slugs.
The wind was still pretty brisk and heading along the beach from left to right, which isn't the best.
Kite surfers at Woolamai - a first for me...
They put on a good show and caught some nice waves...
The water was a bit crowded, so I headed along, past the SLC, to the beaches below the cliffs at Magiclands.
There are a few sheltered coves there, so I tried my luck, casting across the wind into the deeper water. It was
tough going and I managed a solitary small salmon, about 25cm long.
The crumbling clay cliffs at Magiclands...
A sooty oystercatcher that really didn't want its photo taken...
Having a break between casting-sessions...
After a couple of hours exploring the shoreline I headed back along the beach and home...
