Broome Sailfish trip

We left from Darwin on Saturday morning the 7th of August 2004 to Broome.

Craig, Matthew Possingham and Tim Ezzy went along with me.   Rob came along with Jessie, Kylie, Rochelle and a friend (the "tiler" - can't remember his name).  I think the tiler used his car to tow Rob's boat as it was a big F250 or something and could handle the heavy boat better.

We camped along the road saturday night at some truck stop near Halls Creek I think.

We got to Broome Sunday evening with no dramas and booked into the hotel.  I think we slept on the lounge room floor of the hotel Rob and Jessie booked!

We knew it was a good fishing spot when Craig got spooled by a Tuna just at the boat ramp whilst we were bobbing around waiting for Robby to launch before we headed out!

The first day (Monday) was a little bit rough so we didn't go right out wide to the Sailfish grounds but tried a few closer reefs for mackerel etc - and we didn't do too bad.

The tuesday was nice and calm so we headed straight out to the sailfish grounds.  It was awesome fishing, calm waters, abundant bait and sailfish free jumping everywhere!  

Robs boat got onto a sail first and boated a nice big one and then Craig got one soon after.  About mid morning however disaster struck!   Rob's boat had its gearbox jammed and couldn't change gear.

Because we wanted to give him the best chance to get it fixed so he could return the next day we decided to tow it back in.  It was pretty tough leaving such awesome conditions.   After getting back to Broome Rob unfortunately had to call of the trip as all the boat mechanics were busy etc.

Well fortunately the next day and the rest of the week was just as good.  Calm blue water and acres of pilchards with hungry Sailfish herding them up.   We must have raised literally dozens of sails and hooked a lot of these - albeit to lose them before getting them in the boat.

Tim ended up getting his on the Thursday and Paul didn't get one until the Friday.  We tried for Matty Possingham but he unfortunately didn't get one.  He did catch some nice other fish however and he fought some big fish on the last afternoon that we'll never know the identity of.
We drove home Saturday morning non-stop to Darwin - which in hindsight was a bit foolish as Paul was very tired getting home around 4am Sunday morning.  Tim drove for a bit but Paul should've shared the driving more!



A winter holiday

On Anzac Hill, Alice Springs

We set off on Sunday the 20th of June 2004 on a driving holiday to the red centre and then onto the snow in Victoria.  We had never seen snow before so we were pretty excited.  Rosanna was 12, Daniel 10, and David 8 years of age.

Graham also came with us with his kids Talea and Justin.   They borrowed Robby and Jessie's purple commodore station wagon for the trip.

Graham spent a bit of time in Alice meeting friends whilst we went on to Ayers Rock as we hadn't seen it before.  We stayed at a road house 100km or so from the rock for a couple of nights and did a trip to Ayers Rock and The Olgas. 

We then met back on the highway at the turnoff to the rock and travelled down to Adelaide with Graham and his kids.  We stayed at Port Elliot for a few days which was a really awesome place and a pleasant surprise - as we had really only picked it pretty randomly.

We then went onto Melbourne where Paul's Aunty Kris was kind enough to lend us her house for a few days.   The highlight was watching Collingwood beat Hawthorn at the MCG!

On Sunday the 4th of July we headed off to snow country!  The two families shared a holiday house in the little town of Dinner Plains where we were living right in the snow.

We found living in the snow difficult at times (taking gear off and on etc) but a lot of fun.  It was apparently a really good snow season and we had beautiful fresh snow most days.  Paul had to ban Gwenny from skiing as the consensus was that there would be broken bones if she continued!  The children remember with mirth the image of Mum's trainer chasing her through the snowy bush flapping his arms and yelling "do the pizza! do the pizza!".

Fishing trip to Sail City with Craig and Peter

Today Paul set off from Darwin for a day trip to Sail City off Dundee in his boat Djambalawa.  His brother Craig, and cousin Peter Thomsen went with him, as well as Emilio (the son of Peter's partner at the time).

 

They set off when it was still dark and got to Sail City pretty early in the morning after a couple of hours of cruising on calm seas.  When they got there a nasty lightning storm was all around them.  There wasn't that much rain - it was like the remnants of an early morning storm was over top of them and spitting out booming bolts all round them.   It was a bit scary as they thought about the fact they were in a metal boat and the highest point on the ground anywhere around.

 

They didn't do that good trolling but did really well just bottom fishing.   Species caught included cobia, golden trevally and red emperor.

 

 

A visit from Monica

Our niece Monica (daughter of Paul's sister ShirleyAnne) came to visit us for the week!

Was really nice to spend some time with her.

Daniel wearing the knife Dad bought him for his 10th birthday

Daniel's 10th birthday

We celebrated Daniel's 10th birthday at the water park at Lake Leanyer today.

Quite a few of the family were able to join us including a lot of cousins which was nice.

Dad bought Daniel a hunting knife and he loved it so much he wouldn't be seen without it for the next few days - he even cut his birthday cake with it.