mrmoshe

Another update on those paddlers: Kayakers still rocking after rocky night at sea Two Australians attempting to kayak to New Zealand are back on track after a harrowing night which saw their rudder disabled and wild 30-knot winds pound their craft. James Castrission and Justin Jones from Forster in NSW reported that the kayak's main line - connecting the craft's rudder to the tiller - wrapped around the rudder, leaving them unable to steer. However, the line has now untangled and the two adventurers are back on course, albeit still 900 kilometres off the coast of New Zealand. Within the last hour the duo sent a text message to their Australian-based support team indicating they were safe. The message said: "All ok, night was rough and stuffy, but all ok." In a video report posted earlier on the kayaker's website, Jones said: "The amount of strain is just going to be immense - there's a big chance that if the waves get bigger and wind gets worse, the rudder could get damaged and [in the] worst case get ripped out. "We're sitting here, really nervous, and just trying to see if it makes sense to jump in the water right now, but the issue with that is that the risk of injury is great. The fact that it's dark is not helping at all." The director of the duo's support team from Race Recon, Patrick Brothers, said the two men rode out the night in their survival suits with their emergency beacons strapped on in case they were thrown into the sea. "The decision was made, based on probability that it would be extremely dangerous to go into the water, to ride it out and thankfully they are ok," Mr Brothers said. "I was extremely concerned - the guys are a long way from anywhere, potentially days away from rescue. A helicopter wouldn't be within 700km of them and there's not a lot an aeroplane could do. "This was exactly the situation that Andrew McAuley was in when he was lost doing the same trip. That's the nature of this crossing and why it is so risky." Castrission and Jones face ongoing bad weather today with strong winds from the south east and heavy seas. The two men set off on the 2200-kilometre voyage from Forster in a custom-designed double kayak on November 13. The friends, who went to school together, hope theirs will be the first successful attempt by kayakers to cross the Tasman Sea after a series of failed bids. The most tragic bid occurred in February, when 39-year-old Australian Andrew McAuley died.

Shark bites man on bum A MAN was bitten on the buttock by a shark at a beach on the New South Wales coast today. The 31-year-old man walked into the Tea Gardens ambulance station just before 11am (AEDT) today seeking treatment for a serious bite wound on the buttock, a spokesperson said. He was being treated and would to be airlifted to hospital. He had been at the beach north of Newcastle.

Nice feed of beer battered flattie fillets there YF. I went for a wade at pipeclay point on friday after some flatties and hardly got a touch in the 2 hours I was there. It looked very fishy but no one home then. I didn't take my usual waders and was wading in shorts and a pair of crocs and almost stepped on the biggest, ugliest, meanest looking stingray I have ever seen in the lake. It was buried in the mud and just his eyes showing...one more step and he would have got me a beauty. I left soon after...not worth getting jabbed for a flattie. Next time..it's waders (with very thick lugged soles). Cheers, Pete.

The iPod speaker that comes with built-in tuna A TINY fish tank that doubles as a music speaker has sparked outrage among animal activists and aquarists. The iPond - up to 15 times smaller than the recommended tank size for the fish it contains - is proving a hit with Christmas shoppers. One Sydney store has sold out of the $70 device and other outlets are reporting brisk sales. But the RSPCA has called on the device to be banned because it is too small to provide fish with adequate oxygen supplies and a clean environment. The iPond is sold nationally by the Pets Paradise and Pet Goods Direct chains. Users can play their iPods through a speaker built into the bottom of the brick-shaped tank. The tank's water capacity is about 650millilitres once rocks are placed in it. Pets Paradise is selling Siamese fighting fish with the iPond. The fighting fish are native to South-East Asia and have a "labyrinth lung" that allows them to take in oxygen from air. Typically they live in puddles and rice paddies. A Melbourne Aquarium spokesman said Siamese fighting fish required a minimum tank size of 10 litres - dramatically more than the iPond provides. Animal Liberation Victoria's Noah Mark said he was disgusted by the invention. Studies proved fish had memories well beyond a few seconds and were social creatures that experienced pain and boredom, he said. "The fish in this thing does not look like it has very long to live and it can barely move," he said. "Even if it does live it's not [a] life worth living ... it's really just a torture box." Acoustics expert Jason Gedamke said there was no doubt noise from the speaker would escape into the water. "The speaker is directly coupled to the outside of the tank ... [so] you are going to have a small level of sound introduced," Mr Gedamke said. "It's the same as putting a fish tank on a speaker." RSPCA spokesman Hugh Wirth said despite the fighting fish's ability to breathe air from the surface, the tank was far too small for it to receive adequate oxygen. The small volume of water would lead to rapid temperature change and this meant the tropical fish would not live long, he said. The iPond should be banned, Dr Wirth said. Marketing manager for the Pets Paradise and Pet Goods Direct chains, Alyse-Grace Robertson, said the tanks had gone on sale in September and were selling briskly. The group that manages the stores had received one formal complaint about the product. Customers sometimes asked questions about the welfare of fish in iPonds. "A few people ask, 'is the fish OK?"' Ms Robertson said. The chains were satisfied that fish in iPonds did not suffer. She said before selling the tanks the chains had consulted the Pet Industry Association of Australia. Output from the speakers was small and fish in iPonds seemed to flourish, she said. A spokesperson for Apple said the company was willing to comment on its own products, but not on accessories made by third parties.

Australian tuna tossing competition to use fake fish in bid to go green Australia's competition to see how far someone can throw a tuna will be missing something next year: the fish. Organizers of the Tunarama Festival held each January in Port Lincoln on the remote Eyre Peninsula are replacing the real thing with polyurethane replicas for the highlight event, the frozen tuna toss. Each year, contestants in four categories hurl fish weighing up to 22 pounds as far as they can. The winner in each category gets $870. The fake fish have been sculpted by an artist to look just like the real thing. "The dimensions are perfect," Merriwyne Hore, the acting manager of the 2008 festival, said. "We road tested it with one of our champions. He had a few throws, and he was really impressed. It felt good, very balanced." Hore told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that the switch was being to avoid wasting perfectly good fish, among other reasons. Hore said some people had objected to the change, but it was judged necessary on ecological and monetary grounds. "Some people don't like it because it's not original, but it's time we got green, got realistic about this," she said.

Fisherman washed away by giant wave A man has been washed away by a giant wave while fishing on rocks on Tasmania's east coast. The man was fishing alongside another man at Cosy Corner near Binalong when a wave swept him off the rocks at about 12.40pm (AEDT) on Friday. ADVERTISEMENT "One of the pair had his fishing line caught in some kelp and went to the water's edge in an attempt to retrieve his line," said Tasmania Police's Inspector Shane LeFevre. "Bystanders were in the area at the time and witnessed the person struggling in the strong surf after being knocked off his feet by waves. The Westpac rescue helicopter, marine police, SES volunteers and a rescue aircraft from Victoria searched for the man, but he could not be found. "Police and SES have been deployed overnight in the immediate vicinity with further resources to be deployed at daybreak," Inspector LeFevre said. "Police divers have arrived at St Helens and will be ready to deploy as soon as weather conditions allow on Saturday morning." A full-scale rescue operation will continue on Saturday. Saturday's weather conditions are expected to change, with 25-knot winds and a 1.5 metre swell before a southerly change.

Give either of our tackle sponsors a buzz as I'm sure they either have them or can order them for you....plus a Raider discount with luck. GoFish Dural or Fishfinder Bait & Tackle Best wishes, Pete.

Yeah Dave...you are correct. Cheers, Pete.

to the site Yrelax...sounds like a top little session and well rewarded. Those quick sessions sometimes turn out to be fantastic when you least expect it. Keep those reports a coming. Cheers, Pete.

Cod limit cut in SA New restrictions on catching murray cod will apply from the new year in South Australia. The daily bag and boat limits for recreational fishing will decrease from two fish to one and the minimum size will be increased to 60 centimetres. The annual closed season for murray cod will be extended to run from August until December. SA Fisheries Minister Rory McEwen says the tougher restrictions are a response to a reduction in the species because of the drought. Some extra info: South Australia moves to protect iconic Murray Cod Thursday, 13 December 2007 The South Australian Government has moved to protect the iconic Murray Cod by imposing new daily bag, boat and minimum size limits for recreational fishers. SA Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Minister, Rory McEwen, says the new limits are in response to concerns about reduced numbers of Murray cod in the South Australian section of the River Murray and the current protracted drought. "PIRSA Fisheries has reduced the daily bag and boat limits that apply to recreational fishing for this species. The minimum size limit has been increased and the annual closed season for Murray Cod will be extended," Mr McEwen says. "When the current closed season ends on December 31, 2007, the daily bag limit for Murray cod will be one fish (previously two). "The boat limit (where three or more people are fishing from the boat) will be three (previously six). "The minimum legal size limit will be 60 cm (previously 50 cm). The maximum legal size limit will be maintained at 100 cm. "The closed season, designed to protect Murray cod during their breeding season, will now commence on 1 August (previously September 1) and continue until December 31 each year." Updated signposting, advising fishers of the new regulations, will be erected at key locations over the coming weeks. The changes will also be reflected in a re-print of the recreational fishing guide and on the PIRSA Fisheries web site www.pir.sa.gov.au/fishing.

Shark attacks kangaroo at Torquay A GROVEDALE man says he was amazed to see a shark attack a kangaroo at Torquay on Saturday afternoon. The man, Daniel Hurst, said he saw a two or three-metre long shark leapt out of the water and attacked the unfortunate roo as it paddled out to sea. ``The shark came right out of the water,'' he said yesterday. ``It flipped onto its side. ``I didn't see the kangaroo after that.'' Mr Hurst said he first spotted the roo when it hopped out of scrub and down to the beach where he was walking his dog at about 5pm on Saturday. He said the kangaroo entered the water and started swimming out to sea, making slow progress. It was about 80 metre from shore, with only its head visible above the water, when the shark struck, he said. By the time Mr Hurst got back to his car, he could see a big flock of sea gulls hovering above the water where the roo was attacked. ``I still can't believe,'' he said yesterday. ``It's the most bizarre thing I've ever seen, and I've travelled all over the world.'' And while Mr Hurst said friends were sceptical about his story, he was adamant it was true and said several other people on the beach had seen the curious incident unfold. ``People can believe what they want, but I've got no reason to make this up,'' he said. Ranger Mick Smith from Lara's Serendip Sanctuary confirmed that kangaroos could swim, and would do so if they felt threatened and saw the water as an escape route. He said whiptail wallabies in Queensland had been known to swim out to off-shore islands but said he had never heard of eastern grey kangaroos - the main local kangaroo species _ swimming in the ocean. ``It sounds like very unusual behaviour,'' he said. He said certain diseases could cause strange behaviour in kangaroos. Colac wildlife officer Stan Williams said kangaroos often sought refuge in dams and rivers if they were being chased by dogs. And he said a kangaroo he was trying to catch in Queenscliff several years ago had jumped into the sea and was last seen heading out the Rip towards King Island. Torquay Surf Life Saving Club director Daniel Black had not heard about a kangaroo being taken by a shark on the weekend, nor had staff at nearby Cafe Moby, nor Great Ocean Road Coastal Committee executive officer David Clarke.

A speedy recovery to you Peter. I hope it wasn't caused by those thumper blackies you have been pulling in lately. I suspect you will be back in action very quickly. Have a great Christmas. Cheers, Pete.

Well done Kit. Some respectable kings from Pitty as opposed to the harbour for a change. A good sign if the larger kings are turning up there. Glad your mate managed his first kingy on his birthday...better than getting socks Hope to read more pittwater king reports very soon. Cheers, Pete.

A big to all the new members. Don't hesitate to ask questions on anything fishing related as there are some extremely experienced fishos amongst us who are only too willing to pass on their vast knowledge. Also...don't forget to post up your fishing adventures and remember to take along your camera as we all love looking at member's catches. Enjoy your time on the forums and have fun fishing. Cheers, Pete.

Port development could scuttle giant cuttlefish A VULNERABLE and genetically distinct population of giant cuttlefish stands in the way of the mining industry's bid for a deep-sea port in South Australia's Spencer Gulf. The shallows off Port Bonython, 25km northeast of the steel city of Whyalla, are the world's largest breeding ground for the giant Australian cuttlefish, which, at up to 1.5m long, are the largest of their kind. But the mining industry is eyeing this spot for a deep-sea port to take its billions of dollars of uranium, copper, gold and other minerals to the world. The state Government has shown its hand by buying land for "future developments" at the site, putting mining wealth and conservation on a collision course in this narrow stretch of water 220km north of Adelaide. Marine biologists, fishers and environment groups are gravely concerned for the cuttlefish's future if Port Bonython is expanded. Spearheaded by the Olympic Dam uranium, copper and gold mine expansion, South Australia's coming mining boom totals $12billion worth of development. The state's Chamber of Mines and Energy is lobbying Premier Mike Rann and senior ministers to develop Port Bonython because it is close to rail links. If the bid is successful, about 20 large ships a week will dock at the port compared with two at present and a 3km jetty would be built to handle the extra traffic. The expansion and associated dredging could kill off the cuttlefish, which, according to Adelaide University marine biologist Bronwyn Gillanders, is a species all of its own. Associate professor Gillanders has recently completed a study that showed the local cuttlefish - a "master of camouflage" with its ability to change colour - is a separate species that evolved "in the very recent past". After being nearly fished out 10years ago, a moratorium has allowed stocks to recover - but the cuttlefish faces an uncertain future as it breeds only once in its one-to-two-year lifetime, so any change in its environment could be fatal. "If they don't breed in that first year, the population will reduce quite dramatically," Professor Gillanders said. And if the expanded port did not kill off the species, a planned desalination plant - also for the mining industry and also for Port Bonython - would, Professor Gillanders said. Briny water from the plant pumped into the gulf could push salinity levels well past its present level of about 40 parts per thousand: "At 50 parts per thousand there's mortality," she said. "There's a number of people that are concerned about, not just the idea of the port, but also the desalination plant." The Australian Conservation Foundation and Wilderness Society are opposed to the port development and the desalination plant. "People are hoping that the cuttlefish issue will go away and it will if this goes ahead - permanently," Wilderness Society state campaign manager Peter Owen said. "Putting this infrastructure adjacent to the known breeding grounds of a unique and potentially endangered species is fairly short-sighted." Chris Fewster - a former commercial fisherman who dives in the area about once a week - is not against progress and welcomes the mining boom, but "not at the expense of what's already here". He fears the extra ships will bring pests such as starfish or algae that will "decimate our local environment". 'If they have dirty hulls there could be any number of species that fall off," Mr Fewster said. Locals are also concerned about how the developments would affect the fishing industry.

Further update on the paddlers: Cyclone threatens trans-Tasman paddle A TROPICAL cyclone may force two Australian kayakers, who are paddling to New Zealand, to abandon their quest. Wind, mechanical failures and low morale have delayed the duo's planned Christmas arrival in Auckland to New Year's Day. Justin Jones, 24, and James Castrission, 25, were dealt another blow today with news that a cyclone was forming about 2000km northeast of New Zealand. An independent support company, Race Recon, which makes contact with the men every evening, said the cyclone was heading towards the kayakers. “We're a little bit concerned,” Recon head Patrick Brothers said. “Over the last 24 hours the predicted time has blown out to New Year's, if at all.” A number of yachting crews in New Zealand have abandoned journeys north and have offered to remain on standby to rescue the kayakers from the looming cyclone. The Australian and New Zealand maritime safety authorities would be called into action if conditions became extreme, Mr Brothers said. “We've got to wait and see what happens and not panic with any false alarms,” he said. Headwinds curtailed the pair's progress to 38km today - their weakest performance since they left the NSW mid-north coast on November 13. “Today was the worst day of the whole expedition and it wasn't even in the right direction (more south than east),” Mr Brothers said. The kayakers were just over the mid-way point of their 2200km journey. Their electric desalination pump has failed, forcing them to use a manual pump which takes valuable time away from their gruelling 15-hour daily paddle regime. The most recent mechanical malfunction involved the craft's rudder, with water beginning to affect the control cables. “It looks like the guys are really, really going to earn their stripes,” Mr Brothers said. The pair report three indicators each night to their support team to gauge their current stamina. On a scale of one to 10, they both rated their physical fitness today as a seven but their mental toughness and fatigue levels have dropped to as low as three. “The guys are in the dumps now because of the headwinds,” Mr Brothers said. “They're pretty worn out.”

Australian men dealing with 'barbecue envy' AUSTRALIAN men are using the humble barbecue to boost their masculinity. The barbecue has officially joined flashy convertibles as the new status symbol for men, a new study has found. The bigger the barbie the more envious the neighbours, while those with less grill-power suffer severe barbecue envy. Almost half of Australians say they have been jealous of a neighbour or mate's barbecue, the study from barbecue maker BeefEater has found. Of those surveyed, 35 per cent said they invited others around to show off their barbie, while impressing friends was a factor for 15 per cent when buying a new one. Cooking on the barbecue was strictly a man's job, with 97 per cent taking on the task. Most men believed they were instinctively superior to women at sizzling a steak. Others claimed they had developed their expertise from watching their fathers. Retiree Mark Atkin paid almost $8000 for a six burner, top-of-the-range barbecue last month. "I thought if we're going to have a new BBQ, we're going to have the best," Mr Atkin said. After moving from the UK to Australia three weeks ago, he plans to use his new toy every night.

Fishing bans in 15% of Moreton Bay Commercial fishing will be banned in nearly 15 per cent of Moreton Bay under the Queensland government's plans to preserve the area for future use. Premier Anna Bligh launched a draft conservation plan for the bay, which covers the wider Brisbane area. "This is about looking after fishing well into the future and making sure for generations to come there are fish there for all of us to catch and for those of us, like me, who like eating seafood, fish out there for many years to come for us to eat," she told reporters at Shorncliffe on Brisbane's bayside. "We can't have a fishing industry if we don't protect the sensitive breeding habitat of this bay and in order to do that we need more green zones." Currently only 0.5 per cent of Moreton Bay is covered by green zones but that will lift to nearly 15 per cent of the 350,000 hectare bay under the draft plan. The state government has estimated the changes will hurt the $24 million-a-year local fishing industry by up to $4 million a year. In response, it proposes establishing a $14 million adjustment package to buy out commercial fishing licences over time. Ms Bligh downplayed the impact of the plan on recreational fishers. "For those people who like to throw in a line off a jetty anywhere in Moreton Bay, you'll be able to do that now and into the future," she said.

A very very to all four Raiders celebrating today. Hope you all get the presents you want (fishing gear of course) Cheers, Pete.

Well done Oz. Nice bag of healthy kings in the crap weather. The kingy social is shaping up to be a doozie this year. Cheers, Pete.

Trumped: fisherman with a knockout punch Pile of sand ... the property owned by Michael Forbes that stopped Donald Trump in his tracks. Photo: AFP IN ONE corner, a world-famous property developer with serious dollars to spend and some of the most prestigious real estate in places such as New York, Chicago and Dubai. In the other, a ragtag of staunch Scottish conservationists and a salmon fisherman who has become a local celebrity by refusing to sell his unkempt nine hectares to make way for "the world's greatest golf course". The billionaire is not used to losing, but he got a bloody nose on Thursday. In a surprise decision, the local council threw out Donald Trump's plan to build a £1 billion ($2.3 billion) golf resort on a rare and vulnerable stretch of sand dunes on the coast north of Aberdeen in eastern Scotland. After the project was voted through last week by the council's Formartine local area committee, Thursday's meeting of the council's infrastructure committee was seen as a formality. George Sorial, Mr Trump's managing director for international development, had hailed the earlier decision as vindication of the care and thought the Trump Organisation had given to the planning application. But on Thursday night, a bitterly disappointed Mr Sorial said Mr Trump was "very shocked" by the decision. "It's not just a loss for us but for the people of Aberdeen and the shire. The members of the council's infrastructure committee have chosen to protect a pile of sand." Concerns about the proposed resort, which included two championship golf courses, a five-star hotel, a golf academy, nearly 1000 holiday homes and 500 private houses, centred on the fact that part of it would be built on a site of special scientific interest containing sensitive sand dunes. Mr Sorial rejected accusations the Trump team had been "arrogant and patronising" in its approach. "There's a view we are arrogant. We are not arrogant. We set certain standards. It may be incomprehensible to smaller minds, but we have always set high standards. We presented them with a plan and hoped they could open their minds, but it was too much for them." Complaints to the council surged after a row erupted between the property developer and Michael Forbes, a fisherman who refused to sell his land despite spiralling offers of up to £373,000. Mr Trump described Mr Forbes's property as a "disgrace" which was in "total disrepair" and which had damaged his visionary scheme for an award-winning resort. The ruling was close, with the vote locked at 7-7 after 2½ hours of heated debate, but the casting vote by the committee chairman, Martin Ford, ensured Trump's vision would have to be carried out elsewhere. Mickey Foote, of Sustainable Aberdeenshire, said: "The council has been involved in a very lengthy and contentious debate over the economic benefits versus national heritage. They chose to protect the national heritage … They have chosen not to indulge an over-ambitious property developer." But the defeat will come as a blow to many in the business community who supported Mr Trump's plans. Guardian News & Media

Great Barrier Reef holds drug key to diseases AN extraordinary underwater treasure trove of new species found off the Queensland coast could hold the key to miracle cures for hundreds of diseases. Researchers on the Great Barrier Reef have found at least 500 new types of marine sponges, which produce chemicals that have already led to breakthroughs in fighting diseases such as AIDS. But the clock is ticking to derive medicines from the sponges, as climate change and nutrient run-off from farmland threaten the future of the Reef. Scientists will race to analyse the sponge chemicals to determine the benefits they can offer the medical world. Marine sponges are the chemical factories of the sea, producing an amazing number of chemicals used as an armoury against predators and environmental impacts. With medication such as AZT used to treat AIDS coming from a sponge, the new species confirm the Reef as a drugstore worth billions for pharmaceutical manufacturers. The five-year project in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and Torres Straits, one of the largest studies of its kind in the world, has opened an exciting array of possibilities for researchers. About 1200 sponge species were found but only about half are thought to be already known to science. Queensland Museum head of biodiversity John Hooper said yesterday the sponges would be studied for beta blockers - for heart disease - and for compounds to combat illnesses such as gastro-intestinal disease and cancer.

Man put in hospital by jellyfish sting A BRISBANE medical student is recovering in hospital in north Queensland after being stung on the neck by an irukandji jellyfish. Sean Bills, 26, was celebrating the completion of his degree with fellow students from the University of Queensland when he was stung while swimming off Hayman Island in the Whitsunday group. "The first thing was the sting which just came down around my neck,'' Mr Bills told the Seven Network from his hospital bed in Mackay. "I was falling on the floor and writhing in pain and crying.'' He was wearing a stinger suit, but it did not protect his exposed hands, face and neck. Mr Bills' friends used vinegar as first aid on the sting site on his neck, before he was airlifted to Mackay Base Hospital and given morphine for the pain. He said he will never again go swimming in waters off north Queensland during the stinger season, which runs from October to May.

Fantastic result We sure have some cluey Raiders on here....82% aint too shabby. Well done to the Swordies for organising such a successful event and congratulations to all passees. Cheers, Pete.. Roger Wilcox...Over and Under.

Great news Caige..... That is fantastic to win that comp...boy..are the other kids at school gonna be envious of you. Well done young fella. Cheers, Pete.