Last week the family and I made our semi-regular trip to Paynesville, to pick up our cruiser for a four day stint on the water.
This time I took a small selection of gear, with lures, SPs and even some (spit!) stinky bait. I even strapped the OC Venus 11 kayak onto the roof of the family-truckster for the first time – this is the best ~3m yak available IMO, but that’s a tale for another time.
The weather was average for the first day, deteriorating to one of those typical Gippsland September days with howling winds on day two. Despite being in charge of an 11m vessel, the trip across the ‘entrance’ of Lake Victoria was pretty hair-raising with the boat rolling and pitching like crazy, sending anything that wasn’t nailed down, flying round the cabin.
This wasn't us, but you get the idea...
We eventually made it to the relative shelter of the jetty at Sperm Whale Head and tied-up for the rest of the day. The wind gradually increased to gale-force 5 and the entire lake was whipped into scary-looking whitecaps. Upon arrival we were greeted by the largest number of cormorants and shags I’ve ever seen in one spot. The air was filled with them and the jetty covered in more crap than you’d get in an entire term of parliament.
The welcoming committee...
Standing-room only on the sandbar...
Sitting down on the jetty was all but impossible, as well as not advisable ...
We spent a while wandering around the bush tracks and had a barby at the 'picnic area', which was nice. The wind was still howling in the late afternoon, so we were stuck at the jetty for the night.
Nice sunset, despite the howling gale...
The following morning, the wind had dropped, so just after sunrise I upped anchor and made a dash for the shelter of Duck Bay.
This is more like it...
Despite it being the middle of the school hols, the place was relatively deserted and we only saw a handful of other boats for the entire 5 days we were on the water, which suited us just fine.
Sunrise in the Picnic Arm...
The following day we moved a few hundred metres from our swing-mooring and parked the boat on the beach. This is a great little spot and gives access to a few small jetties, beaches and sand-bars.
This is almost as busy as it got...
Like most previous years, the water was teaming with jellyfish. In some places, when the breeze had concentrated them, you could almost walk across 'em...
So many jellies and so little time...
This area of the Lakes is a great spot for bird-spotters. As we pulled into Picnic Bay I spotted an Osprey cruising overhead, but was too slow to get to the camera. Lots of other birds around though.
Not quite as prolific as the other species, there were still quite a few of these Little Pied Cormorants hanging around...
A group of swallows practising their chorus...
A couple more having a chin-wag...
And another sheltering from the wind...
A whistling kite keeping an eye on proceedings...
The weather was kind for the next few days, with light breezes and nice sunsets.
Sunset over Duck Bay...
The next morning we witnessed a very bizarre and rather disturbing incident. We were sitting in the boat eating brekkie when Stef noticed something splashing around in the water outside. Got up, peered out of the window to see two grey kangaroos splashing and struggling about 20m from shore.
At first through they were just swimming across the lake. But quickly realised it was two big males having a fight. They were really giving each other a hiding and after a short time, it was obvious that one of them was running out of steam (or had been kicked/injured in some way). It was soon struggling to keep its head out of the water, while the other one continued to take a pop at it. The 'victor' soon headed to shore, while the other poor roo gradually spent more time underwater.
There was nothing I could do (and probably would've been scratched to shreds if I'd even been able to) and soon the final struggle to stay afloat used up the last of its energy and the poor thing went down one last time, leaving a trail of bubble on the surface. Not a nice thing to witness. Really put a dampener on my day. About an hour later it floated back to the surface.
Later in the day another boat turned up and, along with help from the skipper, we managed to drag (with a huge effort) the dead roo out of the water and up onto the beach. It was massive, easily taller and heavier than me. The claws on it were also massive and vicious - a good thing I hadn't dived in for a rescue attempt! Couldn't see any obvious signs of injury, so it was probably exhaustion that did for it.
Managed a shaky photo of 'the victor' - this roo was completely knackered and sat on the shore, licking its wounds for 20 minutes before limping off...
The victor, limping from the water...
The rest of the day was great, with light breezes, mostly cloudless skies and clear water conditions.
Another nice sunrise, looking east towards Raymond Island...
Some of the small mussel shells washed-up on the beach...
Only saw a few dolphins out on the lakes this time...
The "travel-yak" was handy for getting around the bays and inlets. I also tried trolling a lure around while paddling and quickly realised why my other yak is a Hobie!
The best little ~3m paddle-yak available...
One of the local swans that were always hanging around in the hope of a free feed...
This is the gear I took - a couple of light rods and a handful of lures and SPs...
This is the only fish that was caught - a 30cm tailor...
After 4 nights on the lakes it was time to head back to Paynesville.
Nice to see our taxes go to buy some nice toys for the coppers...
There was even a cormorant send-off party back at the boat yard...
Paynesville Trip Sep-2017 (Fish-light, but pic-heavy!)
Re: Paynesville Trip Sep-2017 (Fish-light, but pic-heavy!)
Thanks for a beautiful report and some stunning photography!
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- Bluefin
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Re: Paynesville Trip Sep-2017 (Fish-light, but pic-heavy!)
Awesome report mate.
Sounds like some quality time spent with he family!
Amazing pics! Thanks for sharing :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Sounds like some quality time spent with he family!
Amazing pics! Thanks for sharing :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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- Rank: Kingfish
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Re: Paynesville Trip Sep-2017 (Fish-light, but pic-heavy!)
Great read and even better photos, I love the lakes I remember 25 years ago seeing a mob of kangaroos swimming out to one of the islands a great sight that's when I found out kangaroos are good swimmers but not when they have been fighting obviously.
- Blue
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Re: Paynesville Trip Sep-2017 (Fish-light, but pic-heavy!)
Second that Nudeup. Many years ago while fishing near Warrandyte I was startled by a loud crash and splash from a roo about the same size as it went straight past me into the river and swam to the other side.
I watched in amazement as it came out of the water and bounded away,great to see things like that in the wild but it certainly gave me the scares first up.
Blue
I watched in amazement as it came out of the water and bounded away,great to see things like that in the wild but it certainly gave me the scares first up.
Blue
To find a fish
You do the miles.
Catch the fish
and earn the smiles.
Lord,allow me to catch a fish, so large that even I,when speaking of it afterwards.........May have no need to lie !!!
You do the miles.
Catch the fish
and earn the smiles.
Lord,allow me to catch a fish, so large that even I,when speaking of it afterwards.........May have no need to lie !!!
- Kimtown
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Re: Paynesville Trip Sep-2017 (Fish-light, but pic-heavy!)
I've always thought it's strange how we find the slow, suffocating deaths of mammals sad, but almost no one bats an eye lid when throwing a fish in an esky. Is it because Fish have seemingly less conscience? I don't know...
Great write up though. Loved the pics.
Great write up though. Loved the pics.