I got up at 5:30 and decided to take advantage of the internet and catch up on some blogs as I’m way behind. I only got one completed before the sky began to lighten. Looking outside I noticed Nyeki had gone and so had Eva Louise.
I started the motors, turned on the instruments and went and woke the captain. Time to head north.
We motored towards the rising sun through the red and green channel markers to get to deeper water. There was very little wind and a sloppy sea. After hauling up the gennaker we were off on a heading of 309 ° doing 6 knts.
Breakfast on the run of weetbix for the skipper, none for Morgan.
The lure was deployed and we settled in for a long slow day.
Debra texted me telling me they were on the board and sent a photo of their Mackeral Tuna they had caught. (good for bait, not much good for eating).
Fortunately it didn’t take long until we had a fish on but by the time we furled the sail and John got back to the rod he had gone.
The second one we almost got to the boat but once he sighted the boat, he took off along with lots of profanities from John. We did get a look at him and a short video for proof – Johns favourite Spanish Mackerel.
Fish number 3 didn’t get near the boat, by the time we had slowed the boat furled the sail he had gone. This was starting to get frustrating.
Number 4 wasn’t as lucky, everything went right and after a good fight and heightened blood pressure in John, he landed a 4kg Long Tailed Tuna (Northern Bluefin).
He (the fish) was given the life expiring vodka , then John filleted him so we could have Sashimi later.
After all that excitement we pulled in the lure and upped the revs on the motors to get to Pancake Creek before dark.
Dolphins came along and played on the bows which entertained us for at least 20 minutes.
There was even time to sleep during the days activities.
On arrival at the entrance to Pancake Creek we followed the buoys in. They have changed position since we were last here in 2015.
Bustard Head was named by Captain James Cook in 1770, in honour of a bustard which was shot and eaten by the landing party. The lighthouse was built in 1857. We walked up to the lighthouse in 2009 when we stopped at Pancake.
Pancake Creek has no bar to cross and the channel is well marked . Once inside its a very protected anchorage and a magnificent place to stay for a few days. The only way into Pancake is from the ocean, it has no road access, hence the reason they had to take John out by boat in 2015 when he had chest pains.
We cut the Tuna into fine slices and drizzled with lime juice and olive oil, added some advacado and soy sauce to the platter and called up the others for a happy hour sashimi feast. It was absolutely delicious. The photo doesn’t do it justice. Sorry its blurred.
