| Malongane Diary .. April '09 | ||||
|
|
Malongane Diary… April’09
18 April 2009 The day actually started at 18:00 the previous day when first Wouter arrived with his fishing ski, bag, rods neatly wrapped, and box of tackle. After a quick introduction, and swapping a few vague slurs about each other’s skis (each of different make) we off loaded his ski and deposited his bags next to the soon to be filled trailer. Wouter then departed to finish some work and try and get some shut eye. Anton arrived a few minutes after Wouter’s departure and helped with the tasks of loading the ski’s, (including the new demo Kingy ski from Gary at Erics), packing the food into the trailer, and preparing the goodie bags for the 8 of us that were to make up the trip to Malongane. By about 20:00 all that could be done was completed, and Anton departed to catch some dinner, sleep, and at midnight, an unexpected phone call from an excited Shaun to say that he was just leaving Joberg, and that he was bending the laws of physics on the way, in terms of speed and low flight. After loading up the all important mackerel, I grabbed a quick bowl of cereal, and a wicked coffee, and met Anton and Wouter at 01:50. We quickly parked Anton’s trusty Landie(!) in my carport, loaded Wouter’s bait box and then bumped and scratched and struggled to hitch the trailer. However, by 01:58 we were on the road, and were thrilled by the feeling of FINALLY starting the trip, but also, the feeling of adventure that harks of early morning family holiday departures. While normally a tedious trip of some four and a half hours to get to the Total Service station in Kosi (Manguzi or KwaNgwanazi as it is variously known), a lively conversation that developed between the three travellers in the Patrol helped the kilometres fly by, and by the time we arrived to meet the other 4x4 on the petrol station forecourt, had found many common interests and pursuits. Rynhardt’s Prado, with Dave, Charles and Mick on board as well, had left Pennington around midnight, and had arrived a few minutes earlier. They delivered the sad news that the Steers which was to serve us breakfast, was not open for this specific day. Particularly annoying, especially when this is the last stop before the Mozambique wilderness. Desperation led to a plan being hatched such that a loaf of bread, some cold ham and slices of cheese was turned into a swift breakfast, before we were started chewing on each other. During this time, Anton’s daylight saving alarm clock arrived in the form of Shaun, and the low flying Volvo, with his ski acting as a wing. We then moved off to cover the last 20 or so kms to the border crossing but the lack of breakfast meant that we arrived at the Kosi Bay/Ponta border post earlier than the 08:00 opening time, and had time to stand in the sun, talk nonsense, and let the tires down. After transferring Shaun’s ski to the Prado, and stashing his gear in the trailer, we edged through the queue of around 10 4x4’x, stamped passports, bought Mozambique import permits, bought the obligatory 3rd party insurance, and cursed not packing cold beers for the 30 minutes to Parque de Malongane. A small dig-in travelling across the sands and grass was the only delay, and we arrived at the Blue Bulls pub for the traditional 2M beer at just after 09:00. We then passed through the reception at Parque de Malongane, lodging the R100 key deposit for our two back to back chalets: E1 and E2. Hunger pangs encouraged us to buy some freshly baked pao from the resort shop, and along with some fried eggs and ham, made for a quick second breakfast, but not before a quick scan of the sea gave us a taste of the days to come…a strong wind from the North, a moderate swell, and an as yet unknown strong current from the North. After unpacking and sorting out the chalets, three of us took the plunge and kitted up to have an afternoon paddle. Suffice to say that Shaun’s experience may be seen in a photo on the website – sleeping after his exhaustion. Wouter and myself paddling gamely into the wind and swell for 2.5 hours, making headway of around 1.5 km, with the usual heart breaking periods of rebaiting where all your paddling flashes past while the evil wind howls in your ears…We turned at around 16:00, and found ourselves back on the beach where we started by 16:30…with no feeesh – enough to make a grown man weep! A bit of mash and wors cooked by chef Anton with a couple of by now deliciously cold Grolsch’s ended the day well, with everyone in bed by around 9ish. 19 April 2009 Up at 05:00 to the same rude noise, but this time much more welcome because it promised a day of fishing. The sea proved to be the same as the day before and the experience of the previous day’s brave souls made the option of paddling into the wind and current an unpleasant reality. We loaded up the trailers and the 8 of us drove North to Mamoli, with 2 volunteers generously agreeing to not fish to allow the other 6 to have a go of it. A fairly long paddle out to the back break, with the wind getting in my face most of the time. Only 5 of us launched in the end with the other 3 going back to Malongane. Mikc and Dave went out in front, with Wouter and myself somewhere in the middle. Shaun was further back and deeper out. On my drift down South, I saw Dave get into a fish about 2km out from Mamoli, which turned out to be a very tasty couta after Charles got his hands on it and cooked us a delicious lunch. I tried towards Fredericos and was bothered by a remora and a long nosed emperor, both making a mess of my delicious mackerels. On turning East towards Mavericks I joined Shaun (the bastard) who informed me happily that he had 2 couta in the hatch, and as I was trying to pump him for the secret he went on again. This time it was the biggest blaasopie I have ever seen – check out the photos…!!!!!!!! Shaun said it hit his wala wala so hard he had no idea what it was. After a few photos and drifting together for a while, during which Shaun took a few remora on drop shot, and I nothing…he decided to go West and inshore, while I tried for further East and deeper waters. On beaching I found to my chagrin that Shaun had landed a third couta…not bad for his first ever fish!! 4 couta for the guys for morning session, but with conditions not getting any better, 6 of the guys went off to explore D’Ouro, Shaun stayed to try some drop shot, and I slept off the lunch beers that came with the delicious couta that Charles cooked up. Traces that worked for the day were pink and green (2 each), and 1 on mackerel, 3 on bonnies. Dinner consisted of fantastic rump steak, couta sosaties, and a dwindling supply of Grolsch. We made some inroads into the Dreher and Marzen Gold, but the Ponta visit had introduced the gang to the local potion: R&R’s. Rhum and Raspberry. Enough said. Another early night… 20 April 2009 Windguru had predicted that the wind would shift by the Monday, so we had high hopes for the morning. An early rise at 05:00 again showed that the wind had died off from the 12 knot north easterly, and conditions were looking good. We all launched at around 06:00, with all of us heading north. Wouter and myself headed North and stayed shallow for a while but then headed East and deep. Trolling the Malongane Ledges from around the middle section southwards, Wouter eventually got a strong pull on a deep trolled mackerel, with a 5 ounce sinker. Unfortunately it reefed the leader and was lost. Thereafter heading South West closer in and then turning north we picked up remora and small reef fish but nothing else. On closing in on the launching point I hooked and landed a small Green Jobfish of around 2 kgs, which I then released. On the beach there were eventually 2 couta that came in, one from Anton, and another from Mick. Anton unfortunately lost three, and Dave and Mick had been lucky enough to come close to hooking one of two sailfish, and then be accompanied by the pair for some time, leaping over each other and swimming ahead of the ski’s. Brunch consisted of sweetcorn fritters, steak strips, couta sashimi and naturally a few medicinal beers, for the digestion….A bit of snorkelling, drop shot at the point and having a siesta in the sun rounded out the day. The change in the wind was the herald to the change in the weather and by the evening the rain had started, and suggested that we take it easy and eat at the Loggerhead restaurant. A few peri peri chickens and 2M’s provided a superb dinner and after the flames had been put out, a brief visit to the beach to check on the wind and the swell had us scrabbling like kids after the numerous mad ghost crabs on the beach…who needs TV? 21 April 2009 Up at 06:00 - had a lie in. Mild shouting and expletives from all concerned regards the rain and the misery of finishing the packing in the wet. We were finished with the Patrol’s trailer by 07:00 and so went to look at the water again. It was surprisingly good given that the prediction had been for 4.5m swells, with accompanying wind and rain. The very bumpy looking horizon promised though that the sea was wild further offshore, and the occasional swell breaking on the closer reefs that we normally fish on indicated that things were worse than they seemed. Perhaps better for surfing than paddling? After some skilful arguments presented by Anton, who knows me too well, I agreed that unpacking the trailer and launching for a quick session was probably a bit crazier than usual, even for me…. Departing more or less on schedule at 7:25 we returned our keys to reception, and after a quick stop at the curio stalls, started on our way back to the border crossing. Although the border officials seemed more interested than usual in the contents of our cooler boxes, the border crossing passed without incident, and we were soon at the Wimpy in Hluhluwe, for a well deserved burger. Another 330kms saw us in Durban, and the end of another great trip to Malongane for FishingSki.Com. Well done to Shaun, Dave, Mick and Anton for actually catching fish, and thanks to Mick, Dave, Charles, Shaun, Wouter, Rynardt and Anton for the great conversations and the lively company. Bogart Butler |
| Last Updated ( Tuesday, 28 April 2009 20:20 ) |
