Achill Island, 20th May 2014
Mon May 26, 2014 10:42 am
People: myself and the two boys
Duration: about four hours
Tide: low up
Weather: mixed, at least it didnt rain (on us)
Bait: dire - not that it mattered
Rigs: one hook rough ground rigs
Results: a monster starfish (no seriously)
Report: Decided to head off to AChill with the boys for an afternoon's fishing, told them to pack the car with gear and rods while I got the food, treats and drinks, coats, lifejackets, sunblock, rain gear ... the usual.
Off we trotted heading for purteen harbour given we'd arrive at low water. Thought we'd try for some congers or mullet before moving into proper marks. Wind was strongly westerly, some nasty squalls at sea but overall not a bad day. Arrived in purteen to find a top of the range sea kayak fully kitted up with two OMG expensive LA Croix spinning rods, designed for this kind of fishing...
Anyhow down to the main pier to find the the elder lad had left all my fishing gear in my large rucksack outside the garage door. By pure luck I had retrieved an old SLOSH20 and a few bits and pieces from my "recycling / needs a scrubbing" draw in the tool chest so that was fitted onto a rog and we got some hand lines working. Lots of small bites from tiny pollack and blennies but no evidence of any "snakes" or mullet. Eventually got talking to the kayaker - eastern european - who was clearly no novice and yet was heading out to the rear of the island... on his own. No mobile phone. No EPIRB. No ETA or note on his windscreen.
So we chatted and I politely asked if he did not feel insecure about heading out on his own?
No
Did he not have a mobile phone with him?
No
Ever heard of an EPIRB?
Yes
Have one with him?
No
Did he not have a proper helmet on him (he did have a gas canister life jacket)?
No
Did he tell people where he was heading and when to expect him back?
No
Did he realise that he would be liable for the costs of a full air sea rescue if it was called out (ok I lied but...)?
No
Now this guy, as he paddled out 30 minutes later, was sitting on at least 2 K Euro worth of it, but why he would not spend € 100 on the bits that might save his life (and not endanger others needlessly) is *&£($"%^£"$ beyond me.
Can someone explain this to me?
Any for the record, we got a large starfish and then decided having surveyed a lot of rock marks that the flood at Cloughmore might be an option. It wasn't as it was too bright. A few hours more would have been ideal.
Cheers
Duration: about four hours
Tide: low up
Weather: mixed, at least it didnt rain (on us)
Bait: dire - not that it mattered
Rigs: one hook rough ground rigs
Results: a monster starfish (no seriously)
Report: Decided to head off to AChill with the boys for an afternoon's fishing, told them to pack the car with gear and rods while I got the food, treats and drinks, coats, lifejackets, sunblock, rain gear ... the usual.
Off we trotted heading for purteen harbour given we'd arrive at low water. Thought we'd try for some congers or mullet before moving into proper marks. Wind was strongly westerly, some nasty squalls at sea but overall not a bad day. Arrived in purteen to find a top of the range sea kayak fully kitted up with two OMG expensive LA Croix spinning rods, designed for this kind of fishing...
Anyhow down to the main pier to find the the elder lad had left all my fishing gear in my large rucksack outside the garage door. By pure luck I had retrieved an old SLOSH20 and a few bits and pieces from my "recycling / needs a scrubbing" draw in the tool chest so that was fitted onto a rog and we got some hand lines working. Lots of small bites from tiny pollack and blennies but no evidence of any "snakes" or mullet. Eventually got talking to the kayaker - eastern european - who was clearly no novice and yet was heading out to the rear of the island... on his own. No mobile phone. No EPIRB. No ETA or note on his windscreen.
So we chatted and I politely asked if he did not feel insecure about heading out on his own?
No
Did he not have a mobile phone with him?
No
Ever heard of an EPIRB?
Yes
Have one with him?
No
Did he not have a proper helmet on him (he did have a gas canister life jacket)?
No
Did he tell people where he was heading and when to expect him back?
No
Did he realise that he would be liable for the costs of a full air sea rescue if it was called out (ok I lied but...)?
No
Now this guy, as he paddled out 30 minutes later, was sitting on at least 2 K Euro worth of it, but why he would not spend € 100 on the bits that might save his life (and not endanger others needlessly) is *&£($"%^£"$ beyond me.
Can someone explain this to me?
Any for the record, we got a large starfish and then decided having surveyed a lot of rock marks that the flood at Cloughmore might be an option. It wasn't as it was too bright. A few hours more would have been ideal.
Cheers
Re: Achill Island, 20th May 2014
Mon May 26, 2014 1:33 pm
Ex military id wreckin.Them lads are equivalent to navy seas or any elite outfit. Whos knows really could be just some nutter 8 )
Re: Achill Island, 20th May 2014
Mon May 26, 2014 5:45 pm
Drove from Dublin to Cullenstown once and had left all the bait at home,,, 
Some nice specimen Rockling knocking around that Cloughmore harbour.
Some nice specimen Rockling knocking around that Cloughmore harbour.