The Big Marn Goes In Kit Off!

[Flanman]

Sunday morning broke to find a very excited Flanman (leave pass stamped and in hand) and a very hungover Big Mac(cut to the gills from too many bottles of red the night before).

Given that the Flanman had his passed stamped there was nooooooo way he was going to forgo a fishing trip on our beloved Paris (Bertie 25)

The Big Marn was force fed coffee as soon as he got on board and we steamed over the bombora off Dobroyd Point to bottom bash and see what was biting. 90 minutes of berley and pickers saw only two parrot fish in the tank and it was decided to up anchor and investigate the activity under all the birds that were working in the middle of the harbour. The birds were certainly busy but we could not work out exactly what they were getting excited about. The consensus was tailor, who were both fast moving and not really interested in anything that was thrown their way.

We then decided to anchor of Middle Head out of the breeze and see if we could raise any fish there. There were several other boats with the same idea as it was protected adn between all of us we took it in turns to catch the same undersized cockney.

We decided it was time to go around 10.45am and this is when the fun began.

As we started winching up the anchor it proceeded to become stuck, and I mean really stuck. It was about 8m deep and as we have 20m of chain we were between a rock and a hard place. It did not matter which way we pulled or turned, it wasn't coming out.

We then sat and weighed up our options

1. Let out the chain and cut the rope, hoping that if we tied a bouy to it it would still be there to salvage with a diver. Given that we are talking about a $400 anchor and $300 worth of chain (we know this as we lost our last anchor at North Head last year)it was an option that was with little appeal.

2. Swim down and attach a rope to the front of the anchor and see if we could pull it out that way.

This is where the 'Big Marn', hangover and all, got down to his 'Reg Grundy's' and jumped in. He figured it was only a bit deeper than the deep end of the pool (who was I to tell him otherwise?)

Attached to one end of the rope, the plan was to swim down and loop it through so we could pull it out. A couple of deep breaths and down he goes for what seemed only a few seconds. My initial though was that he could not get down deep enough, but as he surfaced, he was yelling at me to pull it up as it was now free.

As it turned out, it had become lodged under a ledge, where the sand finishes and the rocks start and all he did was grab it and pull it out. He reliably informed me that anchors, even when they are under water, are still really heavy.

After a quick towel off and a medicinal beverage, of the hairy dog variety, we were under way.

So there you have it, all you other boats that were looking on, on Sunday morning, wondering what the clowns in the Bertie were up to, your questions have been answered!

Happy Birthday BIG MARN

RESPECT!

[Dusky]

Sunday morning broke to find a very excited Flanman (leave pass stamped and in hand) and a very hungover Big Mac(cut to the gills from too many bottles of red the night before).

Given that the Flanman had his passed stamped there was nooooooo way he was going to forgo a fishing trip on our beloved Paris (Bertie 25)

The Big Marn was force fed coffee as soon as he got on board and we steamed over the bombora off Dobroyd Point to bottom bash and see what was biting. 90 minutes of berley and pickers saw only two parrot fish in the tank and it was decided to up anchor and investigate the activity under all the birds that were working in the middle of the harbour. The birds were certainly busy but we could not work out exactly what they were getting excited about. The consensus was tailor, who were both fast moving and not really interested in anything that was thrown their way.

We then decided to anchor of Middle Head out of the breeze and see if we could raise any fish there. There were several other boats with the same idea as it was protected adn between all of us we took it in turns to catch the same undersized cockney.

We decided it was time to go around 10.45am and this is when the fun began.

As we started winching up the anchor it proceeded to become stuck, and I mean really stuck. It was about 8m deep and as we have 20m of chain we were between a rock and a hard place. It did not matter which way we pulled or turned, it wasn't coming out.

We then sat and weighed up our options

1. Let out the chain and cut the rope, hoping that if we tied a bouy to it it would still be there to salvage with a diver. Given that we are talking about a $400 anchor and $300 worth of chain (we know this as we lost our last anchor at North Head last year)it was an option that was with little appeal.

2. Swim down and attach a rope to the front of the anchor and see if we could pull it out that way.

This is where the 'Big Marn', hangover and all, got down to his 'Reg Grundy's' and jumped in. He figured it was only a bit deeper than the deep end of the pool (who was I to tell him otherwise?)

Attached to one end of the rope, the plan was to swim down and loop it through so we could pull it out. A couple of deep breaths and down he goes for what seemed only a few seconds. My initial though was that he could not get down deep enough, but as he surfaced, he was yelling at me to pull it up as it was now free.

As it turned out, it had become lodged under a ledge, where the sand finishes and the rocks start and all he did was grab it and pull it out. He reliably informed me that anchors, even when they are under water, are still really heavy.

After a quick towel off and a medicinal beverage, of the hairy dog variety, we were under way.

So there you have it, all you other boats that were looking on, on Sunday morning, wondering what the clowns in the Bertie were up to, your questions have been answered!

Happy Birthday BIG MARN

RESPECT!

Great post & funny as (cause I wasn't the one jumping in the water)

[Andy Loops]

hahahaha great post!!!

[Anroco]

What no pics!?!?!?!?!? :074:

CheeRS

Antun

[slinkymalinky]

He reliably informed me that anchors, even when they are under water, are still really heavy.

:Funny-Post:

Happy birthday

Love getting wet and cold on your special day. Much better than sitting in front of a fire with a cold beverage

Top post, Slinky

[out n about]

great, i just love it!! you know who your true mates are

[jim77]

Good on ya boys - good report and great effort going in to get the anchor.

I have done the same before - although i wasn't as lucky and ended up having to cut the rope and lose the lot! Hats off to ya for going in the water!

[luvbigfish]

well done on getting your anchor free , and good idea with that rope! ive had the same problems a couple of times but luckly got it free in the end , might tie a rope to the front of my anchor next time i drop it just in case i encounter the same problem,cheers paul

[Trapper Tom]

Hey Guys

I gather you listen to the continuous call team.

Any weekend when working in the garden, on goes the west/tigs jersey then 2GB at 12 and I am happy as larry.

And yes the Big Marn is good.

Cheers Trapper Tom

PS yes anchors are still heavy underwater, have done the above myself, (when younger !!!!!)

[bluebottle18]

Could I please get your contact number so I can contact you to retrieve the next anchor I get stuck. You can keep the anchor but not the chain

and any other item you find. The way things are I am afraid I might get booked for poluting the water for all the chain and anchors I have lost in that area. A bottle of your favorite spirit will await you once you are back on board mixed with a hot cup of black coffee.

Cheers and next time could you please take a video on how it was done for OH&S reasons.

[mac raymond]

The Big Mon / anchor retriever here. Long time reader first time poster.

Gotta say I was amazed at how clear the water was. Viz was limitless, absolutely crystal clear. I was also pleasantly surprised by the water being not nearly so cold as I feared it would be. It was bracing as opposed to sweetjesusmotherofmarythatscold. After I climbed out and dried off (with an only slightly stinky fishing rag) I thought to myself, for a second, "jeez that wasnt too bad, I might go back in and have a look around". Only for a second though. Sanity prevailed and I got dressed.

Note to all raiders out there - when you're in the stones use a reef pick and cheap rope. Not your fancy pants, dear as poison manson anchor connected to 20m of expensive chain. Had it been any deeper, rougher or colder the end result could have been different.

[Captin]

Well done guys. Know the feeling of losing expensive anchors and chain.

[tld517]

Excellent piece of report, well presented and good writing skill.

[Lineclass]

I think we have the first nominee for the "deckie of the year" award

[rickb]

I might of done that back in my navy seal days.

Now I just use three large cable ties, when it gets caught,

I just go the other way and keep pressure on until ties break

and just wind her in.

[FISHARK]

I second the "deckie of the year award"

Edited June 28, 2010 by FISHARK