Sussex Inlet, Feb 2011

January 31st, Travelled to Sussex Inlet and booked into the Riverside Caravan Park, for a week. After setting up we walked around the Park. They have a small waterfront area where I can tie up the Tinnie, the amenities are old but clean. We’ll see how the fishing goes and will probably stay here until it’s time (27th Feb.) to go to The Entrance. We were hoping that the temperature would be cooler than Sydney but not so! It’s just as hot down here.




February 1st, Another scorcher today, went into Town to look around and checked out the RSL & Bowling Club. The RSL had raffles and Lucky 8 Bingo on tonight, so we went for dinner and, you guessed it, raffles, bingo and a flutter on the Pokies. The meals were good, didn’t win at the raffles or bingo. The Lucky 8 Bingo was a new game for Val, so she was shown how to play their games by one of the Clubs Directors, also a player herself.



February 2nd, Put the boat in the water today and tied up at one of the moorings. It was another very hot day but I went out, in the tinnie, to investigate the river and do a spot of fishing. I caught a couple of puffer fish and 2 small bream. The water is shallow and being close to the outlet to the sea, was very clean and I could easily see the bottom of the river. I soon discovered that this river is infested with these little puffer fish, to be referred to as “pf” in future, who race to take your bait as soon as it hits the water. I have no idea how I will be able to catch a big fish with the pf around. I guess time will tell!



February 3rd, Nice breeze blowing today, so a little bit cooler. Went out for a fish, determined not to come back empty handed, took plenty of bait (prawns & squid) and finally caught a 37cm Flathead. That was obviously, the bait that the pf missed. Time had got away from me and I was feeling a bit peckish, it was 2.45pm when I arrived back at the Van. Val enjoyed a nice fresh flathead fillet for her dinner.



February 4th, Went out for a fish after lunch, while Val went to the Hairdressers. It was muggy and very windy and only caught a PF. Around 3pm I made a hasty retreat into shore, as a Thunder Storm was heading my way and we had washing on the line as well.



February 7th, We drove down to Vincentia today to do a bit of shopping at Bi-Lo. It’s a much larger Supermarket than we have in Sussex Inlet.



February 13th, The weather has been bad, either raining or just cloudy and windy. I caught a 45cm Flathead last Tuesday and Val came out fishing with me on Thursday afternoon. Unfortunately we didn’t catch any keepers. She enjoyed the trip and I’m looking forward to taking her out again. I’m sure she will like it better when she catches her first fish. By the end of the day she had mastered the art of casting, very promising. We filled in a few wet days doing Jigsaw Puzzles.



February 16th, More wet & windy weather up till today. We went to the RSL for dinner and raffles last night, didn’t win anything but meals were great. We went fishing this afternoon, Val 2nd time out with me, but didn’t catch anything. To top off our day, when I had tied up at the mooring post and was assisting Val out of the boat, her legs gave way and she fell backwards into the boat, pulling me off balance and into the water. Fortunately, I landed on my backside in 30cms of water and was up quickly to check on Val. I was concerned, as she landed back first across the bench seat but thankfully she was shaken up but OK. Val went straight to the Van for a stiff drink while I headed straight to the shower with a change of clothes. This was not a good way to get anybody interested in boating or fishing. I was expecting that this would be the end of our fishing trips but Val surprised me by suggesting that she gets in and out of the boat at the boat ramp, a lot safer.



February 17th, Dinner and Raffles at the RSL tonight, $3000 worth of Electrical and household goods. I won a “Rockwell” 12 Volt Battery Drill.



February 18th, Today we drove to Nowra, about a 25 minute drive, and did a bit of shopping. I had been told by a fellow caravaner and fisherman that I should fish at night in the river, bound to catch something. So, after dinner I set off to put his advice into practice. It proved to be bad advice, no fish, not many channel markers lit up and after running into a weedy shallow area, gave up and went home, very disappointed.



February 22nd, No improvement in the weather over the last few days. Last Sunday I did venture out for a fish, on dusk, and caught a good plate sized Flounder. We filled in Monday by taking another shopping trip to Nowra. We went to BCF to pick up a Birthday present for Roberts 60th party, next Sunday in Belmont. Tonight we went to the RSL for dinner and games, Val won an $8 Voucher.



February 23rd, I was told about another fishing spot, favoured by a regular visitor to this Park, so, out I went in the morning a came in for lunch, a very “happy chappy”, with 2 Bream (27 & 30cm long). Spurred on by this success I went out on dusk and drifted along the same spot and came in with 2 Flathead (37 & 54cm long).



February 24th, Had a quiet day but we went out for a fish late afternoon, to my now favourite spot. Val caught her first fish, a 28cm Whiting and followed that up with a 29cm Bream. She has now joined the “Happy Chappy Club”. I kept pace with her with 2 Bream (28 & 34cm long).



February 25th, Last day in Sussex Inlet, so went out for a last fish before bringing the boat in and caught 3 Bream (25,26 & 29cm long). I packed up all our gear ready to leave for Belmont, in the morning.



February 26th, Our navigator (Doris) is programmed to take us by the shortest route, directed us through the southern suburbs of Sydney to get to Pennant Hills Road on to Belmont, much to my utter disgust. We were caught up in all the Saturday traffic through Bankstown but once committed we could not easily change our course. We finally reached our destination and booked into Spinnakers Tourist Park, at Belmont, and Val made a rice salad and 3 slices for Robert’s Party tomorrow.



February 27th, We had a late checkout from Spinnakers and then around 12.30 pm towed the Van to The Belmont Yacht Club, where the party was held. It was a great venue with a BBQ area overlooking Lake Macquarrie. The food was great, everybody enjoyed themselves and Robert received some very nice presents. Joan did a “This was your Life” presentation for Robert which was very well put together and very funny. He was a wild lad in his younger days. Around 4.30 pm we left the Party and travelled down to The Entrance to Dunleith Caravan Park to start our 7 weeks stay, on the waterfront, of Tuggerah Lakes