WP squid and a bass straight cruise

With the bashing that we have been giving Port Phillip Bay in recent weeks we thought it time to give the bay a miss and head over o Western Port for a quick look around for some squid and give the boat a big long run, we launched at Hastings boat ramp and made the long trip through the port to Cleelend Bight in the Eastern entrance to Western Port, was a great morning for a ride with the Northerly wind behind us we made it in short time, found my trusty patch of reef and though out the sea anchor to help maintain a lengthy drift. First egi to get tied on was the Gan Craft 3.5 Pink Shrimp head. First cast saw me strike into a half decent squid, not massive but nice for the first cast of the morning. After a couple more squid it was getting a bit crowded in the bight so we decided to head for Cat Bay in the western entrance for some peace and quiet. I thought with the Northerly blowing it might have flattened out the conditions in Bass Straight so the decision to go off shore rather than through the port was made.

At first as we stuck our nose outside it was swelly with no chop, the swell was only a couple of meters high but well spread out so it started as a gentle ride, then as we came around the corner into the full face of the ocean it started to stand up a bit with chop of about 1/2 a meter on top of the swell withe occasional 1.5 thrown in, driving front into the chop and swell the boat ate it up, it seemed to love driving into the conditions. That said I was not going to be able to drive into the swell front on for long with out hitting land so the tac off to the port side was required and a drive side on to the chop and swell was required. although a little damper than it was going into the swell again the boat loved it and with 3/4 throttle just cruised through and over everything that I threw at her, we did the whole trip across the bottom of Phillip Island and cut between seal rock and the nobbies, now I had a trailing sea and although the boat handled it just fine, with the massive chines that this boat has the trailing sea was not its fave position. It still went no dramas but lets just say I should have brought a snorkel or a stormey with me as it was a lot damper coming back in.

Safely back in the port we had a quick cast around Cat Bay to land a few more before we decided to head back home with the 30knot North blowing us all around the place.

Great day out on the water and thanks to Dan for making the journey outside easier, you feel a lot better about going outside in a new small boat that has had a couple of small motor issues.