NO TRACTOR! Old-style launching at Shelley Beach

NO TRACTOR! Old-style launching at Shelley Beach

NO TRACTOR! Old-style launching at Shelley Beach: Welcome to another instalment on the Surf Launching Southern Africa YouTube channel.

We are back at Shelley Beach, KZN, South Africa. All set for a big day out catching up on things. We had been away for a month or so, and it was time to re-establish in the area.

Loading up the good ship Game On, we got to the Shelley Beach Ski-Boat Club, or Sonny Evans Small Craft Harbour…

Surprise!

No tractor! Straight back to the 80s. Where we worked the art of the wet launch, to get our oversized ski boats through the shore break. But Digby, Captain of Game On, has a new Hilux 4wd. And there is no way that thing is allowed near any saltwater!

Luckily, there are a team of guys at the base, who will help you get your boat in, using the time-tested dry launch method. Which is when you just plop the boat on the beach.

And PUSH!

This saves the vehicle from the salt. And upon return, the whinch on the front of the Hilux takes quick care of loading up again.

Conditions

For this launch, were unfavourable from the start. And after pushing through the shore break, it was a long time in the holding area. Since Digby had to wait for two breaks. One swell was coming in from the north. And the other, much stronger, came in from the south.

So a break was often, not, a break. We had to wait for both swells to synchronise. But they did. And we never even come near a wave all the way out.

Fishing

The fishing was excellent, although very slow in the beginning, as we patrolled the backline for snoek and couta. By the time we got near Protea, after patrolling out deep a while, the tuna came alive.

Switching from a billfish spread to tuna produced a double-up strike within 30 seconds. And as the guys were reeling their fish in, a cheeky young marlin came in and smashed BOTH the tuna clean off the lures. And ate them. Right in front of our disbelieving eyes. We had been trolling for marlin for three hours before that!

But. This is why I go to sea so much. To me the place is like the Kruger Park. It is wild out there. And an encounter like the one above is forever and indelibly printed into your mind. To think about over and over again.

We (https://umzimkuluadrenalin.co.za) are set for a jam-packed Easter. We have a kayak fishing course on. And! The Western Province spearo team checks in today at the Umzimkulu Marina – for a month!

The ocean is behaving and the current seems to be back inshore where it’s needed to sweep the green water away.

Check out https://mydofishinglures.co.za for more about what to do once you get out through the waves.

Stay with us in Port Shepstone at https://umzimkulu.co.za.

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