Turtle Off Maroubra

[Bawley]

WE FOUND THIS TURTLE DRIFTING OFF MAROUBRA IN ABOUT 45 METRES. HE LOOKED LIKE HE WAS DOING IT TOUGH.

[mpreston55]

The ocean sure is full of wonderful things . Looks like he has some marks on the bottom of his shell. Could they be toothmarks from a shark? Maybe that's why he was doing it tough.

Must have been a great experience .

Howard

[plankton]

Nice find... what a beauty. I wonder if the shark nets are too blame for its exhaustion. It might have found his way out of one!

[andrew399]

How did you cook it and what did it taste like?

[fishhunter76]

How did you cook it and what did it taste like?

Dosen't everything taste like chicken

[Hodgey]

An amazing find!

Hodgey

[Floating_Medic]

So what did you do with it?

[Bawley]

So what did you do with it?

MATE I PUT IT BACK INTO THE WATER AND FELT SORRY FOR IT... IT WAS STRANGELY SWIMMING AGAINST A STRONG CURRENT... IT WAS TRYING TO HEAD NORTH. I TRIED TO FEED IT FOR SOME STRENGTH BUT CUTTING SOME SQUID UP BUT HE WASNT INTERESTED AT ALL. WEIGHED A TONNE

How did you cook it and what did it taste like?

NAH MATE.... I LET HIM GO TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY. IVE HEARD THEY CAN BE COOKED.. BUT I HAVE TROUBLE DE SKINNING THOSE WRETCHED LEATHERJACKETS LET ALONE HAVING A GO AT A CRITTER LIKE HIM..... HAVENT BEEN OUT IN A WHILE HEARD THE JACKETS ARE THICKER THAN EVER

The ocean sure is full of wonderful things . Looks like he has some marks on the bottom of his shell. Could they be toothmarks from a shark? Maybe that's why he was doing it tough.

Must have been a great experience .

Howard

MATE HE WAS BUGGERED.. I DIDNT KNOW WE GOT TURTLES DOWN HERE..

Dosen't everything taste like chicken

I HAD DODGY BUTTER CHICKEN A WEEK AGO......FROM THAT INDIAN BLOKE DOWN AT MAROUBRA......I DONT WANT ANY CHICKEN FOR A WHILE

[copafisher]

.. I DIDNT KNOW WE GOT TURTLES DOWN HERE..

I have seen them pop up in Brisbane Water near the Rip Bridge while fishing there. My wife used to fish/knock around in a tinnie in Brisbane Waters 25 years ago, she indicated they were quite common then.

I now try and keep a better lookout when at speed so I dont run one over. Would hate to hurt one.

Steve

[smokinjoe]

We saw one out at Port Stephens during the interclub, he was floating around on the surface but as soon as we came near to it, he took off at speed and dived very quick. Makes me think if this one let you pick it up easy it may have had some problem with it. As for me i would have actually rung Taronga Zoo and given it to them.

[Floating_Medic]

Dont be suprised, i have seen them on dives at shiprock point in dolans bay many times, and a few times whilst on my way out of the heads in port hacking.

Next time, if someone does find one that seems sick or injured bring it in and on the way keep it moist and call WIRES and they can meet you at the ramp to have it looked after. They will jump through hoops to get it healthy again.

Or in sydney, ring me directly as i work for WIRES.

If you want my number just pm me.

[Bawley]

I have seen them pop up in Brisbane Water near the Rip Bridge while fishing there. My wife used to fish/knock around in a tinnie in Brisbane Waters 25 years ago, she indicated they were quite common then.

I now try and keep a better lookout when at speed so I dont run one over. Would hate to hurt one.

Steve

Steve, mate brisbane water 25 years ago was a fishermans paradise. I still remember 32 years ago, as a kid, heading up to a place called wondabyne, fishing off the ballast and cleaning up on flathead, mud crabs, bream too. we used to head down to the bridge at woy woy and clean up on jackets, bream and occies.

I recently did an overnight trip there and caught the biggest bream i have ever seen.. and heaps of soapies off the shore. probably is still good there.

not much of a day today. might go for a walk down to maroubra///

all the best mate

andy

We saw one out at Port Stephens during the interclub, he was floating around on the surface but as soon as we came near to it, he took off at speed and dived very quick. Makes me think if this one let you pick it up easy it may have had some problem with it. As for me i would have actually rung Taronga Zoo and given it to them.

I never thought of that... next time i might buzz em.

[Smitty]

I had a large one surfuce about five metres from the tinnie when I was anchored up in a quiet corner os south west Arm in port Hacking about ten years ago, scared the c**p out of me! It is surprising where they'll turn up.

[Dreamtime]

How did you cook it and what did it taste like?

Cut into strips like beef then stirfried in olive oil with some garlic and chillie - yummy.

Texture similar to tender beef fillet, taste similar to chicken but own flavour.

Readily available here at the local market. Also in PNG.

The shell is then used for jewellery - earings and bangles.

Sorry guys, but here it is subsistence farming for survival. Unaided divers go to great depths with no weapons but bare hands. Turn the turtle upside down to bring to the surface. Mostly the smaller specimens are taken for consumption to leave the larger ones to breed. They also consume the eggs - normal practice is to take half and leave half to hatch.

Wild pigs, cows, crocodiles, sea urchins, dolphins, flying foxes, bandicoots and bush wallabies are also regularly hunted and consumed. Guns are banned here so traditional methods of capture are adopted.

I have eaten all of the above except dolphin. The meat looks black and not palatable to me.

Enjoy your dinner!

[Langa]

As a teenager fishing in a small tinnie with a couple of mates in Cowan Creek one night, it was pitch black no moon, a turtle surfaced a metre or two away and exhaled loudly we all nearly jumped out of the boat it scared us so much. I later found out they were common there at that time (35 yrs ago).

[Bawley]

As a teenager fishing in a small tinnie with a couple of mates in Cowan Creek one night, it was pitch black no moon, a turtle surfaced a metre or two away and exhaled loudly we all nearly jumped out of the boat it scared us so much. I later found out they were common there at that time (35 yrs ago).

mate ive heard of big jewies doing that too... in cowan.. they call them croakers

Cut into strips like beef then stirfried in olive oil with some garlic and chillie - yummy.

Texture similar to tender beef fillet, taste similar to chicken but own flavour.

Readily available here at the local market. Also in PNG.

The shell is then used for jewellery - earings and bangles.

Sorry guys, but here it is subsistence farming for survival. Unaided divers go to great depths with no weapons but bare hands. Turn the turtle upside down to bring to the surface. Mostly the smaller specimens are taken for consumption to leave the larger ones to breed. They also consume the eggs - normal practice is to take half and leave half to hatch.

Wild pigs, cows, crocodiles, sea urchins, dolphins, flying foxes, bandicoots and bush wallabies are also regularly hunted and consumed. Guns are banned here so traditional methods of capture are adopted.

I have eaten all of the above except dolphin. The meat looks black and not palatable to me.

Enjoy your dinner!

[srxwat4]

Hi Guys I seen a turtle about that size off Watsons Bay about three weeks ago, he looked pretty healthy then.Sure did surprise us .

[zen801]

Hi drummo,

Mate a few months back i almost ran over one in my tinnie.

He stuck his head up at the last minute and i swerved around him.

I couldnt believe it as he was up near Bantry Bay in Middle Harbour.

I have seen penguins, eagles, sharks and even a whale basking in the shallows at the entrance to MH.

The turtle really surprised me.

We are very lucky in OZ.

Mike

[Bawley]

Hi drummo,

Mate a few months back i almost ran over one in my tinnie.

He stuck his head up at the last minute and i swerved around him.

I couldnt believe it as he was up near Bantry Bay in Middle Harbour.

I have seen penguins, eagles, sharks and even a whale basking in the shallows at the entrance to MH.

The turtle really surprised me.

We are very lucky in OZ.

Mike

Mate they are pretty heavy critters too.... weighed a tonne when I picked him up.

About a month ago I hooked a large seal on an unweighted yakka. mate that was something different.. i managed to get him to the service and the hooks pulled but he must have been sore around the mouth . tight lines

[Dreamtime]

About a month ago I hooked a large seal on an unweighted yakka. mate that was something different.. i managed to get him to the service and the hooks pulled but he must have been sore around the mouth .

A few years back, late 80's I think, bottom fishing off Palm island (Nth of Townsville) a damn turtle took my bait. Can't remember what lb line I was fishing but this bugger could not be stopped. The first thought was a shark, as a hammerhead of huge proportions had just surfaced beside the boat. It was solid and just kept going, not at any great speed, that was why I thought shark. About 50 or so metres from the boat it surfaced and then I discovered the unwanted catch. The line was cut and who knows if the poor bugger survived with that length of mono trailing from his mouth. Around the Island we saw on several occasions, hunters standing at the front of a dinghy with a rifle chasing these reptiles. Not really traditional hunting but apparently legal then, as was undersized fish and female crabs.

Is that still the case? Legal I mean, for indiginous Australians.

Cheers

[Bawley]

A few years back, late 80's I think, bottom fishing off Palm island (Nth of Townsville) a damn turtle took my bait. Can't remember what lb line I was fishing but this bugger could not be stopped. The first thought was a shark, as a hammerhead of huge proportions had just surfaced beside the boat. It was solid and just kept going, not at any great speed, that was why I thought shark. About 50 or so metres from the boat it surfaced and then I discovered the unwanted catch. The line was cut and who knows if the poor bugger survived with that length of mono trailing from his mouth. Around the Island we saw on several occasions, hunters standing at the front of a dinghy with a rifle chasing these reptiles. Not really traditional hunting but apparently legal then, as was undersized fish and female crabs.

Is that still the case? Legal I mean, for indiginous Australians.

Cheers

yes mate legal for indigenous aussies.

[brendong]

about 6 months ago when i had my little tacker's out with me throwing a couple of sp around a sand bar, we saw one all the way in at Greys Point....they must be around but i reckon a few must get cracked by the odd prop too....

[tuffy]

I hooked one about a month ago up in MH at the entrance to Sugarloaf. Thought it was a big ray at the time - big pull but no fight - until he surfaced. Luckily it was one of those occasions when my knot gave way at the hook, so I didn't have to worry about it dragging 5 meters of braid and 2 mtrs of 20lb fluoro around.

Tuffy