Is She a Dudley Dix?

17.01.2015

Is she an ugly fish.........?

With restocking and admin up to date, we could not wait to get out into the islands again.

View from the Pa at Roberton

While fishing, at anchor in 25mts off Roberton Island, we were approached by a 50ft ketch, just as I was trying to extricate the hook from a pretty, but spiky gurnard.

“Is that an Ugly Fish !!”, I hear the fellow yell.  “No” I replied, “it’s a Red Gurnard… good eating!”

“Not the fish you clot! I asked if your beautiful boat is a Dudley Dix?”

And so we got talking on the fly, and it transpired that he was the first owner of the early aluminium Shearwater 39, “Skylark”, which he said he thinks is now in Turkey!

A couple of days later, we were approached at anchor in Opunga bay by a couple who sailed over from Cape Town, in the same Governor’s Cup race as Petr Musik and “Shoestring” in 2005. They too recognized the boat, and told me that they nearly ended up buying “Betel juice”. They now have an Amel Super Miramu, “Bamboozle”, and we have been invited to drinks on board this evening!

There might not be very many Shearwaters around, (+/- 46?), but they are certainly recognized all around the world, as great looking yachts, that sail fantastically as well! Well done Dudley!!

Red Snapper

Our day's catch

 Our fishing efforts were rewarded by 3 gurnard that day, and we caught a good few Red Snappers on other days. Interestingly, the minimum size limit for Red Snapper in NZ is 27cm, except here, where it is 30cm, due to the pressure on the species caused by the number of fishermen in these parts. And yes, we had to return 90% of the fish we caught, because they were only 28/29cm!

Our biggest, which Mary caught, was still only 35cm. They get up to a metre long, and can weigh up to 40kg, and are classified as Game fish in New Zealand.

On our return to Opua,we passed some of the Super Yachts anchored off Russell, here to participate in the Millenium Cup next week.

Pacifico......163ft!

Next week, its back on the hard for a “take two” on the paint job, where the Opua Marina are offering me a free haul out, and generous assistance to ensure that the finish is up to scratch for the price paid.

Thereafter, we will be heading off south, in Mrs Paki, to explore the South Island, camping and hiking along the way. But first we have planned to stop over in Hamilton, to watch the 3^rd match in the ICC World Cup, being RSA vs Zimbabwe!