are, you can't be too careful when on the rocks.

Bugger that. Shark city up there, they would have some bad stains on there bathers!

I don't know if experience comes into it this time Col,there is no way on earth I would go anywhere near any of the fishing spots up there in a five metre swell,its asking for trouble with a capital "T"

They sure were lucky.
The new boat sounds good if you get it.

the new boat John, need all the help up there with so called experienced fisho's good luck mate. Can't comment any further as I don't know (would love to see everything up there) the area, but sure sounds scary especially with a 5 metre swell, would have been good to see the waves crashing on the rocks, good chance to take good photos by the sound of it, from a distance of course.

We are up for a vessel replacement in the next two years and its up to us to decide on what one will best suit the waters and duties we perform.We usually get 1-3 calls a year from up Quobba way so for it to suit it will have to have a good turn of speed plus size for the safety and comfort of the crew.A lot of the other groups have gone for the Air Rider boat and others for the Niaid with a couple of ex crays chucked in so we have a job in front of us

Would love a 45 foot ali with twin jets but we have too much weed floating in the water for it to be effective,have to stop every 5-10 minutes to clear the water pick up.

Also have to choose between outboards or diesels,we seem to be more inclined toward the latter,but thats only a monor choice

Was up there a few weeks ago during a three metre swell and had waves breaching around whistling rock so we decided not to fish at all and take a break and head into town for the day. My last visit 2 years ago had one father perish whilst his two sons went in the drink after him crossing the gauntlet to get to Garths. So please be careful fishos and don't attempt crossing when the swells up.Ray

I had the call out at Sea Rescue for that one last year and we had only got going when we got the call they were safe,sadly the father passed away.

Not a bright thing to do to go there in those conditions...not many places you can fish when it is like that, so why bother? And bother everyone else with the rescue.

Good on you and your sea rescue mob, carnarvonite, for volunteering this essential service, I'm not likely to need your help way up there any time soon, but many many thanks nonetheless!! very much appreciated! Haven't needed a rescue and sure don't plan too, but all kinds of weird things can happen out there and it is good to know people are around to help out - good luck with the upgrade!

Cheers,
Ewan

I am guessing that area does not have rock anchor points and so forth ?

To my knowledge High Rock is the only spot with anchor points.Well its a 3/4 diameter stainless wire rope just back from the cliff edge which is where they go off from as the wave usually comes from behind you there.The drop is 40 or so feet straight down to a narrow shelf thats at water level at high tide without any swell.There are some life rings at different spots along the coast

The life rings or as they are called at Quobba as Sea Angels are situated at all the ledges where fishos have gone into the sea and not returned. They are also concrete memorials at all of these locations with their names and a phrase that states " IS FISHING HERE WORTH YOUR LIFE".They are at the Blowholes, The Boundary,High Rock, Whistling Rock, Garths Rock,Camp Rock and the Caves.Ray

Fishing anywhere around Quobba on a 5m swell is a very foolish thing to do, let alone down the bottom of the cliffs at Garths.

John

another timely warning Carvonite, and good work with the vollunteer sea rescue, as Ewan says, a very valuable emergency service

Experienced rock anglers should know that a 5m swell in that area is a recipe for disaster- at the very least they could have attached safety lines. Maybe they were practicing for the world swimming champs- i would swim like Thorpe in those waters!!

Carnarvonite- Preston Craft have started making aluminium hull RIBS. A mate of mine bought their demo model- a 7.2m with 6mm plate hull with an ETEC on the back- sweet boat. I have been in plenty of fiberglass Ribs, have not ridden in a NAIAD, but this thing is pretty good.

yes these guys are very very very lucky and they know it, customers of ours they were actually and have now invested into inflatable lifejackets etc.
personally i think some people get over confident in an area when they go there alot, this might have been a factor, the rocks are a very dangerous place and you ALWAYS need to keep you eyes on the water and your mates

crazy crazy crazy, no fish is worth risking your life over, let alone making others risk their lives to save their sorry asses

i could not imagine anything worse than floating offshore around there - we got hit by a king wave at High Rock 25 odd years ago - a couple of us would not have been here if it wasn't the cables installed a couple of weeks before - and like these blokes we had all been before - one guy a dozen times but we still got caught.

Friggin stupid,

Why some people who are meant to be experienced would put themselves into a situation like that is beyond belief. Extremely lucky people.

As for the boats Carnarvonite - cant speak too much about the niads as havent actually been on them but have heard good reports, but, the air riders are fantastic vessels. Have been on 10m versions out from Dampier and they really are a nice rig so if you went that way you would not be disappointed so good luck with which ever way you go and keep up the good work

Gully

If you had four weeks to fish such a spot why do you have to take the risk to fish in such extreme conditions. Sometimes the weather/environment can dictate to weather fishing is possible or not. We do have choices making the correct one seems harder for some then others.

Common sense and safety first?? knowing there was a five mt swell on the go why venture out onto the rocks especially since they had fished the area before and know of the dangers in the area, sometimes they should be hit with a few back charges for their rescue to make them think clearly next time.
Good luck and good effort for the yourself and local rescue boys trying to get a new rig and be more efficient, attempting a resuce up at quobba must be daunting knowing that its over an hour before you will reach the site to rescue whats left of a fisherman whos been washed in and that they can last that long in the drink, knowing the area its certainly a long haul from Carnarvon

"Nah, 2 Italian guys went in at Camp Rock on Wednesday. Met them at Caltex Carnarvon on Tuesday night and told them I wouldn't go near Camp in a 4-5 m swell, but the younger guy was pretty gung ho about it. Sounds like they were lucky an old guy camping down there saw them go in and threw the life ring, then drove to the station to radio help. Guys spent 2 hours in the water, and sounds like they would have been cactus without the life ring.

We had the swell rise mid morning Friday while we were spinning Garths, a few waves started coming over Gauntlet. We were pretty worried, made contingency plans for if one of us went in, walked across seperately just in case. The mine must have noticed the swell jump cos they sent across a tug to shadow us across the Gauntlet. As it was we got across without incident."

Saw the tugs cruising past to pick them up when we were fishing around Whistling Rock on North and South Walls from memory.We had abseiling rope and harness and tied up for safety . Conditions were ok high up , packed up when it started looking uncomfortable.

Oh and there were plenty of sharks out there too.

hi guys. i heard the story got changed abit along the way. i have fished those waters for 8 years and no one is more carefull then what ive been untill now.as some say, those who go often may become over confident. water was 3m swell and i was fishing of camp rock. when i cought a mack i fought the fish from up high and went down to gaf the fish only. no one kept an eye on the waves because they were distracted by the good size mack i had on. most unfortunate and i hope it never happens to anyone. im most thankfull to the guys at dampier salt and god bless them all for their help! we wouldnt have made it if they werent so quick. fish safely guys!

Glad to hear all is well! Bet you were shitting bricks out there floating around.

I've got some rellies that run the pro boats out of Quobba, and they've assisted in rescues more than once. Not nice for them when they find someone too late. And i've seen some unbelievable king waves up there from time to time, just out of the blue - no way to safely predict every one.

im going back up on thursday. when i get back ill post some photos for you guys. ive been having alot of success up there with 100g raider lures by casting n/w off any rock, then letting the lure sink to the bottom before cranking it in hard. any colours will do. single hooks are better then trebles. hooked up plenty of spaniards, sharkies and my brother also got a tuna last year on them. good luck! let me know of the success.