Thurs, 18th Feb, 2016 Margaret & Gary’s, Marion Bay, SA (fishing around Wedge Island)

Up early to head out fishing with Gary. Took the boat around to the boat ramp near the jetty in Marion Bay. Not the nicest looking day but hopefully it will clear up.

Nice and comfortable in Gary’s 28 foot Kevlar Kat with 2 x 225hp Yamaha outboards zooming us across the waves.

Tried getting some photos of the cliffs as we zoomed along.

Around Rhino Head, we are in Investigator Strait.

More great cliffs as we headed around Cape Spencer with its lighthouse.

Gary took us in close to a favourite spot he goes diving for crayfish in and there was a nice little beach for lunch when the weather is right.

We headed out towards Wedge Island to try to get some tuna. Steve thought he saw one but it was a dolphin. Then we saw a big group who swam along the side of the boat. Tried to get a photo – you can just see the brown colour in between the waves.

Gary spotted a big lot of fish on the echo sounder so we stopped and dropped a line. Got two Snapper straight up then some rubbish fish. Steve got a Nannygai – different to our NQ ones though.

Back looking for tuna and we saw another pod of dolphins. Got a photo of a couple leaping in the distance.

Wedge Island was covered in rain. Easy to see how it got its name. It is about halfway to Port Lincoln, which is on the Eyre Peninsula.

Pull out the tuna lines and trolled around. Listened to the other boats that had filled up with their 6 tuna quota so we are hopeful. The line went off on my side so I wound in the line and got a nice 12kg tuna – small by Gary’s standard but we kept it. Big enough for me as it put up a good fight coming in.

Kept trolling but no other takers. Headed across to Wedge Island for lunch – the sun is out now but the wind is still cool. The two little islands nearby are called ‘The Titties’.

Great views as we motored around the island.

Another great spot.

Went in close for a better look.

Around the other side where there are houses. They even have an airstrip. Anchored and had lunch and dropped in a line to try for squid and King George whiting but no takers.

The old sheds and jetty from when they ran sheep on the island.

Around North Island to a favourite whiting spot. 

Some seals think it is good too. Happy to pose for a photo!!

Another one was swimming around the rocks.

Gary hooked a nice King George whiting.

Then he got another and I started catching them. They put up a good fight. Steve wasn’t having any fun on his side so we swapped sides and he got a few. The whiting left but a few nice flathead got on our lines. Got 13 whiting and 3 flathead in the end – they were happy swimming in the tank – the snapper weren’t as happy!! Two Pacific gulls and two mutton birds swam out the back of the boat waiting for a feed. Only one stayed so he got all the leftover squid and he was very happy.

Motored around the other side of North Island.

I called this cave ‘The Mouth’.

More caves as we head around the other side of Wedge Island.

Continued around the some very high cliffs.

Zoomed in the lighthouse high on top of the island.

Lovely colours in the limestone cliffs.

Another cave.

Around the point and it looks like the cave might join up to the one on the other side.

Headed back home. Back to Cape Spencer. A lot nicer now the sun is out.

Across from the lighthouse is another one and lighthouse keeper houses on Althorpe Island.

A yacht was heading towards us but going in circles as if looking for something. We headed over to see if they were ok when they hooked out a hat from the sea – amazing how he manoeuvred the yacht in such choppy water.

Looking back at Wedge Island.

Back passed Rhino Head again.

Got the fish into the esky and got ready to head back to the boat ramp.

Dropped Steve onto the jetty to walk back for the tractor and trailer. Gary drove the boat up onto the trailer and I just sat in the chair. Nice photo of the clear water and the jetty.

Back home and now for the clean up and fish filleting. Certainly a lovely boat to travel in and fish out of.

Our catch.

Steve and I did the scaling of the whiting. I used the back of the old butter knife – great.

Yummy whiting for dinner then they taught us a new game, Bananagrams – a bit like my Take Two we do with Scrabble tiles.

Wind picked up again as we headed back to the van.