Gimme Shelter III - Shelter Cove - The Lost Coast (Swim Vid on Pg. 4)

Saturday...  what a day!  Friday's fog didn't show, and many got on the water first thing.  I got on the water around 7:30 with Shannon and Kim (her first time on Big Blue), my buddy Jeff, Greg and Jimmy, and Andy's clan including Kris and Brenda who both impressed me greatly with their comfort on the water in conditions that were less than optimum.  Friday's slow morning bite was also a no-show as the hookups and radio reports were constant.  There was talk of a 40" fish early, but it turned out that the report was this:  "The DFG fish counter's custom trough only went to 40 and they had to hang a Hawg Trough off the end of that sucker to get a measure on Jedmo's Wolf Eel!"  After a little excitement where Kim took a dunk, got back on like a trooper with her rod still in hand and fish still on (!), and then proceeded to out-fish us for 45 minutes, we picked up a steady stream of the usual suspects and kept trying to locate a rock or a pinnacle to take advantage of.  At one point I paddled for the blue line and saw a mess of fish on the screen (love my new first ever fish finder!   ).  I saw the fish were on a hump, so I called to the crew following me that the action should be right where I'd just passed over.  People dropped down and started hooking up left and right.  I brought up my only blue of the weekend and it had ling-candy written all over it.  I hooked his lips and sent him for a ride to the bottom.  It wasn't a minute before I was hooked up with a nice ling.  I got the video rolling and brought him home to my lap for photos and videos before I let him go - I was so stoked to be using my Hawg Trough Extension!!  32" and good enough to bag me a prize.     (I LAGGED ON HANDING OUT ALL THE HAWG TROUGH EXTENSIONS THAT I MADE UP, SO GET IN TOUCH IF YOU WANT ONE)  We fished as a group a bit longer, but the drift was speeding up and the conditions seemed to deteriorate a bit.  I parted with the group and headed outside to find my Boys at the Whistle Buoy.  On the way out I pass Al, who I'd heard on the radio had gotten wet - he had Stoggie escorting and seemed OK, so I headed out further.  I saw a huge bull sea lion thrashing a massive carcass that I thought was a salmon, so I started paddling toward it.  It would put it's massive head and shoulders up and swing this carcass around and didn't seem to see me coming at all, so, as Phil has pointed out, I started yelling at it in my deepest, I'm-as-bad-ass-as-you voice.  I thought I was far enough away from others and pointing in the opposite direction to where no one would hear me, but I guess I was wrong.  Sorry again, Northern Rescuer, for giving you a scare.  So I finally got the big bastard's attention about 40' from him and he took off.  I didn't even get to see any carcass pieces...  Yes, I was going to grab that beat up spine and enter it in the tournee!     I made it outside to hang with Dom, Ariel, Pete and "Padre" (I like that, but it's really Padraic   ).  The water was so clear out there, and there weren't as many hookups as inside, but it was worth it when I brought up a fat 23.5" cab for a little video and AOTY pic love session of its own.  I wrapped it up so I could go play with the family for lunch before the "measure in" at 2PM.  Brought in no fish that day, but the camera had the proof and my smile was the prize.   

I'll have to followup later with more of the Saturday report - gotta get back to work!   

Here's a pic of a little escape Etienne and I went on down to Abalone Point for a little quiet time between stages of the Madness.   

Wow, What a weekend! A whole weekend of friendship,fishing and drama. Most diffenitately better than watching it on T.V. You guys rock.......

Swells were getting pretty large, some of them breaking next to me.  I've still been in worse conditions, but not on this boat before. Heading with the waves seemed fine, but they weren't pointing twards the launch. 

I'm at the point where I decide I need to get to some calmer water as fast as possible, and wait for a swell to pass and aim left to point the yak at the cove.  A wave flushes right over the side of the yak and I roll right out of it and am now in the water.   

I'm still looking to figure out what went wrong with that scenario ( and the second one...) but I am not sure, but will be doing some testing to find out what I can.  I'm not going to point fingers at problems before having some answers.  Will be posting more on this later...

Al -

This is my 4th season yak fishing big blue and still consider myself an ocean newbie. Every time on the ocean I learn something new and have been swimming way more time than most so don't feel bad. I consider going for an occaisional swim part of the sport.  I left the red buoy area about 15 minutes before you did when the swell started to pick up. Here are some things that might have helped...

1. Course and Direction -  in big swells paddling down wind, I try to lay a course which is puts my kayak about 45 degrees (range 30-70) to the swell. On Saturday, I aimed for an area about 1/4 mile south of the launch. If I headed directly at the launch, the swells were almost broadside which I don't like.

2. Situational Awareness - it is really hard to brace on a big swell if you don't see it coming first. I always look at the swells every few seconds so the big ones can't sneak up you. I also turn off my FF on my way in so I can concentrate on my paddling and the swells. There were some big rollers that day so don't feel bad.

Scott

Well, bit busy at work to keep posting all day, so here is a collection of food pics from the weekend, enjoy!

Boy do NCKA folks know how to cook or what?!?!?!  

More Pics! 

Btw, I feel like I am being a bit of a threadjacker with the swim stories, so if you all think I should move this to another post just say the word!

Al, Not at all...its all part of the 'report'

Btw, I feel like I am being a bit of a threadjacker with the swim stories, so if you all think I should move this to another post just say the word!

you are a survivor of another type now bro......too hairy and glad your ok!

Btw, I feel like I am being a bit of a threadjacker with the swim stories, so if you all think I should move this to another post just say the word!

No way man, we want the video!

It's true tho'; this is part of the report, all the pics of the Good Times should be alongside the pics of the swimming to keep peoples minds focused. I know when I first joined this site all I looked at were the fishing reports, I didn't think twice about the safety aspect.

Btw, I feel like I am being a bit of a threadjacker with the swim stories, so if you all think I should move this to another post just say the word!

Al

how can you jack your own thread? You started this report, it's yours to jack.

Been meaning to give you a call and see what's up.

I found out when I got back I also lost more than the bathroom key this weekend. When I was washing my yak off at the corner camp spot sunday, I took my lures off the boat to wash it good for the ride home. When I got home I realized the lure box was missing. I think I left it on the ground near the water hose.

Now I get to buy about 200 dollars of replacement stuff, I really need a good swap meet now.

Until I find some cheap stuff, I'll get some lead heads and bars and shrimp flies to get by on.

I will eventually need jigs, swim bait, hooks, swivels, everything.

Bummer, but worth the trip

Stoggie

Btw, I feel like I am being a bit of a threadjacker with the swim stories, so if you all think I should move this to another post just say the word!

This thread should rightfully encompass any aspect of the Madness that was GS3.  

Jack you cannot the thread that you create.  

Jack you cannot the thread that you create. 

word

It looks like a textbook shark attack. Now I'm really, really scared. I start paddling like a madman towards the guy shouting help.

paddling like hell to the site of what you think is a shark attack.  Not some gung ho no fear charge but scared and still doing it...

Man that is courage.  My hats off to you NB!

Al, glad you are OK.  I added a third latch on my rod pod at the top by the sonar area.  To be honest I only latch it when things are looking ugly, but it really slams the hatch down.  It keeps the rod pod from acting like a taco shell.  

I agree with GB2 about not wanting the swell hitting you broadside, especially I think in the trident as you are up kind of high compared to other yaks.  

Eugene

I found out when I got back I also lost more than the bathroom key this weekend. When I was washing my yak off at the corner camp spot sunday, I took my lures off the boat to wash it good for the ride home. When I got home I realized the lure box was missing. I think I left it on the ground near the water hose.

someone needs to fess up and send them to you......even if it was a PB lurker!
good karma will be paid back ten-fold in time.

Flashback to Friday evening - Fish Master1 gets inspiration by rubbing the ultra-soft and polished back of SRJ's monster 10 incher.  It foreshadowed Saturday's victorious dive...