Muriwai, Wed. 20 December

An early start, first bait in the water 6-30 with high at 10-30.  I could get to the rock from the beach but as I was planning to stay until high, I checked the still closed track for returning. They had improved one barrier but still passable.
The water was quite clean after a steady 2m surf spell, 1.2 to 1.8 predicted, and in these conditions fishing in broken water works best. I fished out off the front while swell was breaking on the sand bar 100m out, as the fish expect food washed off the bar. Caught 3 Kahawai in the first 2 hours, but no more bites and water splashing over the front.



I moved back on the rock and fished from the N side, surf not breaking but would be stirring the bottom. First cast a fat healthy Kahawai at about 3 kg, a wave helped lift it on to the rock.



Shown with a 4oz sinker. No more fish, so home with 2 for the smokehouse and 2 smaller ones for cat food.

Something I forgot to include from a month ago, trying to get off the rock late evening a big fur seal had decided to spend the night on the second platform up the stairs, with no other way out for 5 hours, it had to go, I did not dare pass it as any route was within tooth range. 5 or 6 lumps of clay from the slip sent it back down the 20 steps and in to the sea,

Great report. God you live on the edge down under.

Kirky's Dad wrote:

Great report. God you live on the edge down under.

Yes, I hate it when life gets boring, though I can procrastinate with the best. Judy is fed up with me saying "I should have gone to Muriwai this morning" At half an hour it is a bit far to go and have a look. Though "Surfline" takes most guessing away.

This next bit is not technically fishing, but it did impact my fish and bait freezer which partially defrosted after 52 hours without power, that's another job to do! Just de icing the house freezer today as it is not so hot and humid as it has been.






Sunday 17th about 10-45am there was a huge explosion, a truck had lost control on some long- standing road slumps, crossed the white line slid along, then over the safety barrier and into a concrete power pole which had a large transformer attached.
The pole wrapped itself around the cab of the truck, leaving mostly just reinforcing steel and a wrecked transformer leaking oil, and draped the truck with the power lines. 11,000 volts connected with the local line and sent a shockwave through the air.
An hour passed before the power people came to isolate the power lines and free the driver who was speaking to the fire and ambulance people. His status still not known.
Power was not restored until 4 am Monday morning, but we did not have power. Ours was one of the mains meters that had blown.
Power restored just over 2 days later, and we found our washing machine, toaster, radio internet and phone modem and the DVS air humidity system were not working. Three fuses had tripped the cutouts which probably saved other appliances. Neighbours lost a variety of things from the power spike.
I was about a day and a half with one of 3 phones in my hand trying to sort it all out. Our electricity sector has been "privatized" and split up to Generating, transmission and retailing, but things like Meter replacement is a grey area between transmission and retailing, both of which work through subcontractors who you cannot reach apart from through the above 2 who have call centers and you have to keep telling the story every time to a new person, and one or both were telling me lies!
The modem was just the power supply, but we had to travel 30km to get the modem checked, the washing machine has been repaired, the toaster is toasted! and the DVS will wait until next year. Yes, we have insurance though a $400 excess, but it is the time spent sorting the mess.
The description above is a very abbreviated summary of events. Do we sue the power network company, our power retailer, the truck owners or the government for not repairing a known road fault?

These photos taken from our house, this is why I use a camera not my phone, it has a great Zoom, 30 times.

That was a nice Christmas present Rhod. As I said before you do live on the edge down under!