Well with the weather looking ok for the long weekend, we made the call to head over to the Abrolhos Islands. With all going meeting at my house Friday morning. We were on the road for 9:15 and with a good run made it to Gero for 2:00 to be greeted by a strong 20knot southerly wind .We caught up with Rob H and drew74 from the forum. Once the boats were in the water and trailers sorted, we headed out through the passage, not the best for the trip across. Steve decided he would wait till morning and meet us there. It did drop half way across and we sat on a comfortable 19-20 knots making it to the Islands before dark. Now the swell was up and the sun low in the afternoon sky made it hard to find the end of the reef. Jesse was up front when he called out breaker looking back to see a set breaking behind us we darted across to the side and around the white water .We spun around and zipped in through the narrow passage to a flat calm bay for the night .After setting the anchors and tying the boats together we got ready for the evening meal and a brew.

DAY 1

Up at first light and a good cooked breakfast of bacon, eggs and beans and a cuppa and all were ready to hit the fish Neil headed out to go fishing and meet up with Steve, from what we were told the fish were going off with double headers coming over the side. We headed off in the kayaks to do some snorkelling on the other side of the bay. After a shot paddle we pulled the Kayaks up on the shore and swam out along the reef to some deep water further out. What a great snorkel seeing dhuies ,trout,baldies and large numbers of small colourful fish .Jesse got a nice trout around 60cm and Kevin got one a little smaller .After a couple of hours of snorkelling we headed back for a break and some lunch. Neil came back with the others in tow and rafted up for lunch. The guys headed back out for some more fishing and we geared up for a scuba dive in the same area as the morning snorkel. One of the best dives I have ever done .Got to love the islands .Late arvo and we all meet up again for the night .After dinner a couple of the guys were fishing behind the boat catching herring for bait the next day. Couple of other boats pulled in for the night which made the little bay full up with little room to move.

DAY 2

After a restless night, we woke to a light wind and slight seas once again the eggs and bacon coped a hiding and we were off for some more snorkelling, this time we swam through the entrance to the bay we were staying in .we watch the boys go passed heading out for the morning fish .they went straight over 5 dhuies in casting distance from shore. No big ones but around 500-700mm.we swam around for about an hour before Kevin and I started to get a little tied ,as we must have swam some miles in the first two days .seen heaps of Skippy and small trout. Viz was 20m +.Again lunch time came and went and we headed out in the kayaks into the middle off the Islands and checked out  a few shallow bombies .not a lot of fish so headed back to the shallows for some baldies. Kevin got a nice one around 5kg and one more a little smaller. Jesse lost his mojo missing a big baldie and a nice trout .A great snorkel 50m from shore. Another day gone and one more sleep before home.

DAY3

We headed out for a scuba dive and then home .We dived on a bomie 2m-22m the  walls were shear and the viz was 30m unreal ,you don’t get it like that metro . Once again dhuies, trout like blowies when we surfaced the wind had come up and the trip back to Gero looked like it was going to be a little bumpy. We meet up with Neil and Steve and turned for home ...35KNOT NE winds meet us once away from the Islands a slow bumpy trip back. But we made it in one piece. We loaded the boat after the water police checked the boats for safety gear and skippers tickets. We arrived home at 5:30 and were all packed away and cleaned up for 7:30.

A big thanks to DREW74 and his wife Jay for the generosity Also the guys Steve,Sherbs,Jason,Jesse,Kevin,Neil and Greg thanks for a great trip and hope we can do it again.