Keado’s Weblog

Nothing- not a bloody thing – not a baby, not a sprat, not even seaweed. The only thing was a shark bit off a hook..

We had a really quiet drink Fri night in prep for Sat morning – everyone ready and on board www.mvveronacharters.co.nz and off 8am. Skipper said hour to destination where they caught heaps the day before – hearts pumping. The cruise speed was 8knots in perfect conditions – slow but ok. We cruised passed Shakespear and around Tiri and…hey..almost an hour…here’s the spot. We left Gulf Harbour and would take maybe 20min in standard 90hp 5m boat – but hey – this is a charter and the skipper knows where the fish are, right?

Motor off, anchor in – BAIT IN- wait…wait…maybe…no…wait..anything.. no.. fish finder shows fish below… Lee’s got a bit .. baby snapper … Wayne gets a bite  .. legal but small so back it goes … that was it from 9am to back into port 4pm… we tried another 2 places where skipper said the sounder showed fish but nothing, absolutely nothing. I made a joke earlier that there would be more fish in the sea after our trip because I was taking so much bait – there was. Of the 12 people fishing, one caught a 35cm snapper and father/son caught a few babies and maybe 2 legal + one kahwai [the same size I caught with K off the river wharf]

The boys drank – what else was there to do. I tried everything, diff bait, diff rigs, softbait, another rig, bait presented in a diff way – nothing. After sleepless nights dreaming of the day – nothing. Suppose in a way you pay for what you get – he charges $70 for the day and Damo is I think $120-$150. Damo is another Gulf Harbour operator.

So, after a dismal day and being thrown into the water at the end to celebrate the b/day boy – thrown in with two feeding stingrays I may add & losing my sunnies – we came back to our place for some more drinks [& coffee].

I was treated to a full b/fast this morning after a run and decided on a mellow non-fishing day. Couldn’t help notice the birds and boil-up just off where we fish on the Army Bay rocks during my run! Tomorrow the boys back on the rocks to prove there are fish in the sea! Bugger!

Friday the 13th came and went with one major event – 40 years on this planet, sometimes floating somewhere above but for the most part, legs firmly on the ground.

Woken up with the usual rich chocolate cup cake with a single candle and the family singing happy birthday – K added a few extra lines stressing the importance of the numer 40! Present opening ceremony on the bed with all helping shred the paper, including skye. Got the kids off to school and Kim and I went for a quiet b/fast at Sparks – salmon & cream cheese bagels-mmmm. Quick shop after and off to the rocks for a birthday fish.

The weather service said crappy rain & wind – the Maori calender said bad conditions for fishing – the fact that there was indeed a fair amount of wind and rain didn’t phase me – it was my birthday and I was going fishing. Low tide was 4pm and I went out 1:30. Now, imagine the scene, perched on the rocks with no protection North, East or West and little from the South. Blue sky and bait on, rods up and cast – I could see the next band of rain coming from the West and had time to “hood on” and crouch way low facing East – waiting patiently for the wind and rain to blow over, each chance glancing to see if I had a bite, then head down again. A couple of minues and all over – back to rods – damn, another on the way – “hood on” and so I went until around 4:30 – it was my birthday and I was fishing – I was the ONLY one fishing. No, never caught a thing.

That evening was a quiet one with Groblers popping in for a dinner. Sat morning was looking good and decided that K needed to go for a fish at the wharf. There was plenty time before people arrived for a b/day barbie. JD and Kim had things to do. I took the large rod as well just in case – we started on the small ones and there was little action. Cast the big one in and also quiet – the chap next to us was catching a few baby snapper. Then I hit something good – took a while to bring in and fighting / jumping all over – a kahwai, only good for smoking and bait – weighed in at 2,5kg’s and 55cm!!! I know this because of a new present. K started laughing that I didn;t know what to do with it- this time it was coming home. These fish you have to bleed and K was laughing that again, “my dad doesn’t know what to do” – chap just looks and goes “pretty sure he does…” – well, I did see it once on tv if that counts – didn’t tell him that of course. I sort of moved to the far side and turned my back in case he watched and thought he goes – fish head up and cut under the neck part through the gills – first nothing then a “river” – it pumped all over the deck- K was like whoa dad – chap said, see he knows how to bleed it..boy, did it bleed – had to take the bucket after and clean up. Bugger still took a while to die and had to iki [knife through the brain] him for the final touch. [still got your b/fast??]

Anyway, real exciting stuff. K very proud to show him off shen we got home. Evening barbie was cool but think the street and friends are passed the big get togethers. Sunday morning all up early for K Orewa surf clu competition. She was so nervous – the first event was the beach flag dash where her and Holly made it to the final – Holly gold K silver. Then the beach sprint – K was slow off the mark and only started really running half way for some reason – gave her a little shout and “then” she gets going near the end – Holly gold K silver. The surf was pretty rough and in the run-board-run she got caught under a wave and got a huge fright. There are assistants all the way and helped her along – she was last when she caught a wave in and passed about 5 others and came 4th, Holly gold. She got a massive fright & was in tears - she didn’t want to go back in and finish the other races which was fine. She has only been going for a few weeks and needs to feel comfortable in the water. She was fine after a while and wanted to swim later – so all good. Very proud of her 2 silver – awards 29th Mar.

Got back after lunch and Wayne wanted a brief business meeting – on the rocks – how could I say no – anyway, didn’t go long and didn’t catch anything either. What did Kim & JD do over the weekend – think they were busy. Seriously though, they came a little later to Orewa on Sunday and did have a ball.

It’s been a busy week- after work Tues a quick fish [again] before dinner to try a new spot and Wed I had planned a full days work again when our neighbour gave a knock at the door and wanted to know if I would go on the boat with him for a quick afternoon fish – he’s late 60’s [young] but can’t handle the boat alone – he normally goes with his son but shame, he was busy. We didn’t go far or deep but a least we still went out and hey, brought a snapper home for dinner.

Jd won his 4th or 5th basketball game this afternoon – they are unbeaten – he has made some good friends on the team and very proud of themselves. He still hasn’t found his two front teeth yet- looking very grown up and catching K very quickly.

Early night tonight – 11pm – don’t feel like working late, try get in earlier to the office tom. He, Kim started training this week – looks like she’s got something in mind, she’s walking/running and on the bicycle again – me, also having a good training week.

Two sleep to go and it’s charter fishing time!!

I thought I would write a quick blog before age creeps up and snatches away my youth – nah, postponed the growing up for another 10 years and will review at 50.

Not too many hours to go and the thirties are over and the start of adulthood begins. Time to become responsible, wear a suit, get the grey sideburns and start the daily “joint care” tablets – well, maybe for some, me – I’m going fishing.

Last week on our 10th wedding anniversay I did what any good husband would do – bought a romantic card with some chocs, placed it quietly at the kettle in the early morning, and went fishing before she woke up – have I become romantic or what. And yes, I did boil the kettle before I left just in case you thought bad things. I pre-programmed my phone the night before for a 10am txt “getting nervous” and then for 12:00pm “I do” – just in case we didn’t get back in time – which we did, 12:01pm. What a boetjie…

JD had a party and after a relaxing afternoon, Kim & I went to Thai Manly for dinner – I think our first childless night out for almost a year. All the momories of Thai Cafe came flooding through the gate. What’s nice about That Manly is that the peanut sauce is exactly how we made it, the sweet chilli sauce, the spring rolls and more. We agreed that Kim it’s Kim’s passion in life, the Thai way of living, eating etc. Her smile didn’t leave her the whole night long. Hot chicken green curry, Tom Yum soup, mixed starter, snapper with red.massaman sauce & cashewnuts, singha beer, glass red and to end the evening [for me] a cognac, warmed and mmmmm.

Picked up kids quite early from Wayne & Amanda and straight home for…… 
early sleep, back to fishing 7am in the morning. Kim took K to surf club for training which went well as per usual. K has club champs this Sunday and she expects to win a medal.

She also went back to karate on Tuesday instead of art – art is now boring and she’s not doing what she believes are her talents – my daughter. Sensai very impressed with K’s training and training, especially running. They run around the building a few times and she came second, so he sent her around again for fun. She was in her element so although art teacher wants her back, I think K will choose karate. Well, until that gets borning too…

JD now has a new xmas wish “all I want for Christmas is my two front teeth” Both gone in the same week – the first I think Tuesday which he didn’t even realise. He was playing after school with Ronin and came in for a bath – as I picked him up for a hug there was something missing – he had no idea. The second we tried last night but was a little tough still – then this morning after b/fast on his way out, pop it fell out. What’s he doing with his money from the tooth fairly, as per usual saving it.

What else – looking forward to tomorrow – choc cup cake with candle for b/fast – b/fast with Kim after kids go to school – fishing 12:30 until 5 – drinks & dinner with friends – not a bad day ahead…

Kept you waiting didn’t I..

I’ve got 15min to write as fast as I can before I jump the fence to collect the kids, hang on.. Actually have no clue what has been written already so sorry for any repeats.

JD by now has played his second game of basketball and scored a goal, champion. They won for the second time and next game tom. He’s really excited as well because he is now officially a member of the Whangaparaoa Golf Club and starts lessons in two weeks. Ask him any time, who is #2 in the world – “Tiger Woods”, who is #1 “me”. We started on the mental part of the game at least 2 years ago. Going to be so cool – he’s at the age where sport is getting more serious and competitive. His karate suit arrived today, so pics coming soon.

K having a frustrating time with maths at school – she ended off last year one of the top and started this year not remembering half the stuff from last year. I sent the teacher the web link but going to start extra stuff with her and have some fun – even bought the glitter pens – what a way to learn, through art…

On the art subject, she brought some work home and I can understand why she’s frustrated there. She didn’t really want to moan but when I saw the work, she did more intensive stuff at playschool. She said this morning during our 6:30am quiet chat that she needs to show her talent and express her love for drawing…and at the end of the day, she always has karate to fall back on. She’s biting to start karate again, so we’ll let her bite some more.

The shin – went 2 Sundays ago for a quick fish at Army Bay, I had 2 Kaos and Wayne stuck to the coke. There was some action and brought home a approx 33cm snapper for the effort. On the walk back, I stepped up a 30cm ledge which simply gave way and the block came down sliding along my left shin – nice one. Wayne was more expressive than me – I couldn’t say anything – I was more concerned about the pain. Lucky that it was the rock face that caught the shin and not the barnicles around – they are razor sharp and just slice there way through skin [have the scars to prove it]. It took another Kaos, 2 beers and a whiskey at Wayne house to ease the pain-then with some dressing, it was fine.

Next morning however, neither head nor shin felt great. By midday I though it best to phone the doc to ensure that I didn’t cause a fracture – didn’t get much sleep and walking was painful as hell. As doc’s do, “nah, just a scratch” and palmed me over to the nurse for a dressing etc. and an overkill of antibiotics just to be sure. The dressing was quite impressive and so where the drugs – floated nicely for a day or so until I got used to them – have to double dose to ge the floating back- joking!!!

2:46pm and off to fetch kids..be back…someday soon..