When Have You Been Caught In Bad Weather?

[defyet]

Hey All,

Just wondering if any of you have stories of being caught in bad weather,

Last night (Sunday Night) the weather looked nice and calm so i thought me and the misses would hit botany, we set out about 6.30pm and only fished along the shore line at Bright Le Sands infront of the Novetel picking up Bream, there was no wind at all and the water was very calm and flat. About 10.00pm the wind started to pick up and it started to get a little choppy then by about 10.45pm i thought we better head back as it was starting to get fairly choppy and being pitch black dark with the moon not out it was already hard enough to see the boys around the run ways.

So we started to head back, i thought ill head towards the heads to go around the run ways so i dont get too close, about 5 min into it i was about 100m off a boy heading face on with the old runway and we were getting hammered by waves over the boat pushing us towards it, so i kept about 200m from the boys staying along side the run way finding one boy at a time so i knew i was going in the right direction while trying to hold the spotlight, steer and throttle the boat to keep it in control, by the time i found my way to the newer runway near the 8 knot zone into the boat ramp the waves were smashing up on top of the runway at low tide, i was at half throttle with 115hp and we were pretty much getting pushed backwards and blown all over the place. Once we got between the poles into the 8 knot zone i was soaking wet and knew we made it back and i never felt so releaved in my life. If i knew the conditions were that bad out in the bay i would have anchored up near the shore where i was and fished till the conditions cleared or until daylight.

It felt like something you would see in the movies with a boat getting caught in a storm out in the ocean, something i never want to experience again.

Once i got back to the ramp and pulled the boat out 2 blokes turned up in a Tinnie ready to put it in the water with the wind howling, luckily i was there to tell them to not even think about going out otherwise they'll capsize as soon as they get out of the 8 knot zone.

Next time ill never under estimate the weather report and never go out in the bay at night, very glad we made it back in one piece!

Edited April 12, 2010 by defyet

[fishingrod]

This may be slightly off topic, but could be interesting.

Heres a link for the Sydney Ports Botany wave height bouys that you might find interesting for comparsion:

http://wavewindtide.sydneyports.com.au/wave/weather_original.asp

Between 9-10pm you can see the wind really picked up at Sydney airpot on their observations:

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDN60901/IDN60901.94767.shtml

cheers

Rod

Edited April 12, 2010 by fishingrod

[tuffy]

You're lucky, Defyet. Botany Bay can be a nasty waterway when the wind comes up. I've only fished it once ( usually fish Syd harbour and Northern locations) and got caught the same as you, but luckily mine was during the day. Shit of a trip back to the ramp and very relieved when I got there. For my money there a closer locations for me to fish which have a lot more protection when the wind comes up.Just shows, though, that fishing experience is one thing, but location experience is equally important.

Bet the missus was panicking.

Cheers, Tuffy.

[crunch]

Not fishing, but when I was doing Sea Scouts in Perth we were out on the river on a perfect day sailing, and within the space of 10 minutes, things turned nasty with no warning. The water picked up from glass to 1m swells with wind spray everywhere. We had about 15 boats out and many of them only had newbies in them. It was a mad dash back in with everyone trying to get back to the shore.

I had the leader's son with me, who was probably the most skilled, so we had to go around and make sure everyone was OK.

We were the last back in, and the front was literally 20m behind us and gaining. Keel up, landed it, and bolted back to the shed and sat it out. by the time it passed, we went back out to get the boats in, and there was about 30L of water in them.

Pretty scary stuff when you're 13!!

[defyet]

You're lucky, Defyet. Botany Bay can be a nasty waterway when the wind comes up. I've only fished it once ( usually fish Syd harbour and Northern locations) and got caught the same as you, but luckily mine was during the day. Shit of a trip back to the ramp and very relieved when I got there. For my money there a closer locations for me to fish which have a lot more protection when the wind comes up.Just shows, though, that fishing experience is one thing, but location experience is equally important.

Bet the missus was panicking.

Cheers, Tuffy.

Sure is, things turned nasty within a matter of minutes, i have been out there several times during the day so i knew where the markers were and what to look for so i knew where i was in the bay, but being pitch black dark and not being able to see them cause of the swell made it a bit scary. Especially when you think your well away from the runway heading out around them and all of a sudden you shine the light and see your facing the runway only a few hundred metres away! Even the flashing navigation markers out there could not be seen. Was a hairy ride back, somewhere i wont be going at night again.

Now the boat is all scratched and scuffed from getting bashed up on the jetty/boat ramp.

[Dalucius]

We had a similar experience . It was a couple of years ago, again on Botany Bay. Our boat is 4.8 and in that type of weather it felt like a matchbox toy. The day was beautiful and about midday a wall of wind hit us by surprise. We had been listening to the weather report on the radio and watching as storm clouds were coming up the coast and planning to head back to the boat ramp in plenty of time. It was so bad we didn't even hesitate at getting our life jackets on. I sat on the floor of the boat as I tried to keep an eye on a smaller vessel 'hugging' the runway back to the boat ramp. It took Geoff and all his effort to get us back in one piece. We were both drenched by the waves which were hitting us over the bow, port side and over the back. Thankfully all the boats out there that day made it back safely but very wet. Glad to hear your adventure turned out the same way and you got back safely.

[jewgaffer]

This may be slightly off topic, but could be interesting.

Heres a link for the Sydney Ports Botany wave height bouys that you might find interesting for comparsion:

http://wavewindtide.sydneyports.com.au/wave/weather_original.asp

Between 9-10pm you can see the wind really picked up at Sydney airpot on their observations:

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDN60901/IDN60901.94767.shtml

cheers

Rod

Hi Defyet, I'm really glad you managed to find a safe way back in the dark and sorry to hear that your boat received a few scratches. Southerly blow ups can be very risky in Botany Bay especially if the wind hit hard on a day when the swell was up in the first place...if there's a strong southerly forecast it would pay to launch at Tom Ugly's and at least you can come back in along the Towra side.. if you were keen on fishing on in the river, you could anchor in the deepwater in behind the cruisers just back from Tom Ugly's marina

Thanks for posting up these links fishingrod It would definately pay anyone planning on going out at night to check the wind forecast and the swell height too as Botany Bay can turn nasty very quickly.

Cheers

jewgaffer

[SNAP-ER]

Mate the bay can be extremely dangerous i got caught out 2months ago in my 4.35 quintrex coast runner on a saturday afternoon when a southerly came from no where.I had taken my girlfriend out and her best friend for a few hours on the water and decided to stop near the shark nets at brighton beach so we could get something to eat.I stayed with the boat while they went to get some food and rang them up, 2mins later to come back and help me hold the boat .I was anchored 2m from the sand and 50m from the nets.Everybody left the beach within 5mins and had a family of 4people offer to help me hold my boat in place as the wind was that strong (25knots roughly is what seabreeze had but i think was much higherr than that)the anchor wouldnt hold and was out with 50m of rope and 3.5m of chain on it.We were all struggling to hold the boat and decided to try pull it up on the beach but was afraid of the waves crashing into the back of the boat and filling up with water.By this stage the girls came back and were looking really freightened,and so was i as the current and wind were no match for our capabilities.

We were now about 10m from the nets and concrete pillars and i was trying to call for more help,the other family had to leave as they couldnt stand the wind and sand blowing into there faces, though i had about 10 blokes come over and grab my anchor rope and try pull me away from the nets,We were all struggling and getting really tired after about 5 intense minutes we were beginning to weaken and i was desperately trying to start my motor though we were in very shallow ground and the boat was bouncing left,right and centre with the 2m waves.By now my motor is smashing against the concrete pillar and my canopy is getting destroyed by the shark nets, we were stuck hard up against the net and pillar and getting smashed by waves,i also had my girlfriend trying her best to keep the boat away from the nets as she knew how much i love it,and look after it.By now shes all in tears and im screaming at her to get away from the boat and the net and she somehow got caught in the net and scoffed some water,but luckily came out underneath the net SO SCARY!! AND WORRYING!!Ive never been so scared in my life and on top of this my Marine radio had seized up since the last time i used it and could not call for help and i could see the coast guard about 1km away helping and looking out for others.

We some how managed to pull the boat up onto the beach and had to go back to the ramp to get my car and trailer with a mate and saw someone with a 4wd and asked him if he could help me out in retreiving my boat of the beach,and so he did and was a very big challenge,lucky enough there are still good people out there to help when they can and as we all should do.

Out of this i have learnt to allways check the weather,and believe it or not this was the only day i didnt, as it was a last minute thing that i offered to take the girls out on the boat instead of going to the beach and thought we were only going for a couple of hours and the weather looked fine,Also when we first got out thee we went to La parouse and i said to the girls ive never seen the water in the bay so calm in my life especially around the head lands,THIS WAS THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM!! take notice of this everyone.Another thing is make sure you have a marine radio that WORKS!!and leave it on to allways get the latest forecast.

All i was thinking at the time is that my boat and goods were all gone and seriously thought that i was going to lose my boat,I hope this never happens to anybody else and that im just glad that i tried to stay as calm as i could and was telling myself that it will all be okay!!

I can only say thank God we all made it back alive and that the boat only has a few battle scars on the engine.I repaired the steering column and had to get the ladder hinges re welded as they had cracked.Rally nothing major from what couldve happened.

Hope my story can prevent this from happening to anybody else!! Take care raiders!!

Edited April 12, 2010 by SNAP-ER

[Guest Aussie007]

we got caught out in the bay one night around 10pm in a 14 foot fiberglass boat just a open runabout almost sank my boat waves smashing in the boat from the back end i told the story on here about 2 years ago it was a very serious night when i got home i checked the weather on the BOM web site it said 90kph wind storm for botany bay earlier in the night it was perfect no wind no clouds just all of a sudden within minutes the wind picked up it was 50knot winds that night worse of all we were over at the drums and had to travel from the drums across to mol point than down to the old botany bay boat ramp at a walking pace the tug boat driver was keeping an eye on us and was going to help us but he seen us make it back and shortly after drove hes car around into the boat ramp car park to make sure we made it back ok this night 5-6m boats were struggling

[Stacer560]

geee.. if i am correct and read correctly, all these bad weather stories are from botany bay and not many from sydney harbour...

Does anyone have any good stories out at sea?

A friend of mines family are in the trawling business and he has told me stories to make me not want to go to sea, but then i guess when you are out at sea for 5 days straight, catching fish for a living, you have to stick through thick and thin to earn your $$$...

The best story he told me was one night a few years, 100km + offshore, 5m seas and strong winds the boat was taking on water and getting pushed about. From this, it caused them to move off course and there net got caught. Being unable to move took on a lot of water. There emergency water pumps did not work and at this stage they had taken on that much water the boat was bound to go within an hour if they did not cut there net, but costing $**,**** of dollars, it is a last resort they were about to do.

Luckily for them a nearby trawler came to there aid within 30mins, although he said it was hard for them to get close, managed to get them a few pumps, and slowly but safely pumped there water out. Then the skipper got back to trying to turn the boat around and get the nets out.

They did manage to get the nets out, and found a hole in the boat.

The story had more to it, but that was the best short way to sum it up.

Everytime i see him, i ask him for a new story, and it is amazing what you see, catch and hear about at sea.

Never forget the washing machine they collected 30km off sydney haha

[rickb]

About 15 year ago when I was pro fishing out of crowdyHeads,

I had my poor old Dad out with me.We were fishing off old bar,

like a bloody fool after I called in I switched off the radio

as it was dead calm.Naturally I missed the update forcast,it

was about 7.30pm when dad said is their a railway track around here

when I heard the noise i knew straight away what it was ,sounded like a locomotive

coming up the coast.I told him to wind in and I cut the anchor rope,fired up both

motors and opened them up,my old man was more afraid of the speed I was doing

at night,than the howling southerly gaining on us very rapidly.

The southerly hit us as we passed the bommie near lighthouse,

missing the other bommies near crowdy entrance was sheer luck.

we got in alright poor old dad had brown trousers.I have never

turned the radio off again.

cheers Rick.

[fisherdad]

Abot 2 years ago we took our new 17 ft half cabin onto the bay it was the first time in many years back in a boat. Botany bay lived up to it's reputation and a rain squall came in that bad we could not see the shore except for kurnell. We began to cruise Bach in the direction we believed to home to be( back towards Tom ugleys)

we ended up coming accross a cardinal marker we were not expecting to see. By now we could not see shore yep botany had turned it on.

We pulled out the map and worked out a compas bearing for the marker we were looking for going slowley.

20 mins later we were were we wanted to be

next week purchased a gps not that's it's needed but it's safer when you know were you are and were home is and how to get there also handy in the dark

[gibodfisho]

About 15 year ago when I was pro fishing out of crowdyHeads,

I had my poor old Dad out with me.We were fishing off old bar,

like a bloody fool after I called in I switched off the radio

as it was dead calm.Naturally I missed the update forcast,it

was about 7.30pm when dad said is their a railway track around here

when I heard the noise i knew straight away what it was ,sounded like a locomotive

coming up the coast.I told him to wind in and I cut the anchor rope,fired up both

motors and opened them up,my old man was more afraid of the speed I was doing

at night,than the howling southerly gaining on us very rapidly.

The southerly hit us as we passed the bommie near lighthouse,

missing the other bommies near crowdy entrance was sheer luck.

we got in alright poor old dad had brown trousers.I have never

turned the radio off again.

cheers Rick.

Thats an awesome story, shows how much you respect the ocean and

do the Harry Holt for home with no second thoughts.

Cheers Gibbo

[Csaba]

And here I was thinking of going into Botany Bay in a 3m Dingy with oars... Glad the wife talked me out of buying a small boat.

In Canada I was fishing on my canoe in the middle of a rather large freshwater lake. In the span of 15 minutes the wind picked up and waves were growing larger. I had no motor, so began paddling. As hard and fast as I paddled I could not reach my destination. After becoming tired I decided to go with the wind and head to the other side of the lake where I got smashed up on some rocks. No injuries, but I had a 3hr walk around the shoreline dragging my 3m canoe back. Great fishing session.

As for Botany Bay, I was there this morning on Bare Island with a mate fishing, and seen a small boat heading out...once the sun came up you could see the white caps of waves towards the opening of the bay...not nice weather. Oh, the Sea was angry this morning.