Caloundra bar?

[brenno360]

Hi everyone just wondering if anyone has crossed the Caloundra bar lately n what sort of condition it is in? With tomorrow being my first trip in 3 months n hear about all thes boat roll overs lately it's got me rather worried about it,
Any insight would be much appreciated,

Cheers brenden

[Smithy]

http://www.scgfc.com.au/forum/index.php?topic=855.msg4215;topicseen#new

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2012/05/10/boaties-come-to-grief-on-bar/

Ex Ausfish member.

[brenno360]

Thanks smithy, Ill be making sure everyone has there life jackets on and for both crosses also keeping in touch with the coast gaurd through out,

Cheers brenden

[FisHard]

Doesn't sound pretty!

[jake_snapper_king]

the boats that have had problems have been hitting on low tide with a decent ground swell. if your not confident to cross a bar do not do it . with the no wind and swell dropping and a high tide at 12 , a morning bar crossing shouldnt be too hard to tackle . watch the swell patterns and time your cross and sitt on the back of a wave when coming in.

[THE FLY]

Had a look this afternoon and yes it is really shallow at low tide but the swell has dropped right off to about 1m. The low tides are a little higher than on the weekend too, so should be ok this weekend. No channel on Bribie side like it has been though, but that'll probably change again soon. I'll have a go Saturday morning. A mate went off Kings Beach ramp on Saturday and got some good Snapper & Sweeties but nearly trashed his tinny coming back in. I think the surfers have had their fun, now it's our turn.

[hungry6]

Was out wave jumping the bar last saturday in jetski, You have to one brave person to be crossing that bar at the moment, some of the waves has no back on them at all. Southern end near bribie is breaking smaller ish but pretty dangerous, through the gut and deep water just have to watch if the sets aren't to close, she breaks out further reform and breaks again.

[jake_snapper_king]

I think the surfers have had their fun, now it's our turn.



i do agree with this. pumping waves over the last few months , now for the great fishing weather to come give us a few months. !

[rakinray]

Ex Ausfish member. [/QUOTE]
Whats the deal with that quote Smithy ?

CHeers Ray.

[Smithy]

Joey got a bit offside with a few on here from some of his comments.

[brenno360]

Hey everyone just an update we went out on Friday anyways waited Untill 1020am to cross the bar had 2m of water all the way nearly come unstuck in the middle of the bar at the last minute I spotted a anchor rope about 35 mm running across the mouth of the bar, i managed to shut the outboard down before it tangled in the prop, it slightly snagged on the skeg but thankfully let go before the big set of waves hit... Coming back across the bar was fine with 1.8-2m at 12:30pm (high tide???) we ended up with 16 good fish, mostly husser and grassys, did get snapped off 4 time... (only used 20lb leader)

Cheers brenden

[fat-buoy]

The old anchor line across the bar trick hey!! Good thing you spotted it before it got you hey :)

[Blindfreddy]

Did you report this anchor line to the coast guard or vmr as a duty of care to your fellow boaties?

[brenno360]

Sure did Freddy, first thing we did after crossing bar was report we were across safe and that we were not sure if it was free floating or if it was actually anchored, they said they would send someone to investigate, so hopefully it's gone, bit of a scary though being helpless in the middle of the bar with out an outboard...

[Zippidy]

Does anyone have any experience of engine failure during a bar crossing?

How would you react?

[Blindfreddy]

I'd react by sh*tting me pants....

[brenno360]

I haven't had the trouble myself as yet but I have been prepeared for such cases, what I have thought a good way is to stay safe, (anyone please correct me if I'm wrong) if anything goes wrong in the middle of a bar crossing to save yourself from rolling or getting pushed sideways into a bad situation, if u go sideways throw your sea anchor (bucket on a rope) over the back the boat to help hold u as straight as possible, that's what I'd do anyways,

[jake_snapper_king]

stay on the ocean side of the boat. dont let go unless its sinking or you know your able to swim free. if ur not a good swimmer stay with ur boat and life jackets should already be on.

[WalrusLike]

Wouldn't a sea anchor off the bow be better than stern?

[frogfuzz]

I cross the Caloundra bar often as it is my "home" bar. 14 years ago when we moved up here from Redlands, I had a 4.45M Bermuda (Quintrex) with 50HP 2 stroke. Once when I took a wave head on the boat came down really hard and the impact cut the motor. Yes I almost s%^t myself as this engine was very 'moody' and surfable sets were coming in. Thankfully someone upstairs must have been looking down on me as the engine started straight away (for a change) and I managed to take off.

Now I am in a Stabi 5.09M with a Honda 4st, and bar crossings are so different. That said - I still remember how close I came to disaster in my Bermuda and so treat the 'small' Caloundra bar with respect. A couple of times I have had waves pop up out of no where, esp in the last couple of months with the big swells, but thankfully the Stabi can take a couple of waves (where in my previous boat I would have been toast). If I am in doubt - I go home, flicking a few plastics in the passage as I go. Alternatively I call the VMR Caloundra and have them keep an eye on me. If you run the bar often - become an associate member of Caloundra VMR - it's good to support them and they do an excellent job. It costs all of $50- from memory (pay for their fuel and a few drinks, they'd probably take you out in their rig to show you how its done).

The last two times coming in though - it has been really hard with the swell to see where the channel is, esp at low tide. I've stuffed up twice in a row now - something I haven't done in years crossing the bar. First time I was lazy, I simply followed another bloke in who was in a 4M tinny. Stupid me. Unlike him I hit the sand bar and got stuck. Boat turned sideways, my mates started to freak. I didn't as the waves were rather small on this section of the bar and it does take a bit to flip a Stabi with small waves - and I had the scuppers out and I knew what she could take re waves over the back. After grimmacing thinking about my impella - with the engine on tilt I got out into the channel. Stupid me.

Second time, not last weekend - the one before - there was a big swell - very surfable, in fact I had to look out for the surfers on the way in. I picked what I thought was the channel (after running this bar 100's of times before) and proceeded. I had another bloke in a Quinny, with what looked like his young family in the boat all in life jackets, follow me as he too seemed to be having trouble picking the channel. I got part way through and realised I was too far north. I looked behind me and a big set was rolling in. For a split second I was tempted to turn, and thought nope - safer to plough a bit of sand on full throttle and plain over the shallows, which I did.

The other guy though, to my amazement did a U turn in what looked mid set. I thought he was very lucky not to be caught by the set rolling in - it would have tipped the Titanic if it hit you sideways. I think he ended up taking the same route again, just waited for a smaller set (I guess from his perspective he wouldn't have realised I hit sand and got it wrong, but as his boat was lighter with a smaller "v" he probably barely touched sand if he timed it right). Still, can't get over his U turn though when he was so close to the point of "no return".

Anyway - it is a bit tricky ATM when there is a swell and at low tide coming in. It is hard to pick the channel. I went out again last weekend - smaller swell, still a few surfing, but after being stupid two times in a row, this time on the way out I stopped once past the breakers. Looked carefully at the buildings and Bribie Is to get my bearings, and as I have a memory like a fish - told myself out loud where I had to line up to come back in on the low tide. Still hit the bottom - just.

Brenno - 16 good fish - you did well. All we got was one humungus Pearly (my mate#1 caught it), and 5-6kg Snapper (mate #2 and first time out caught it), and I got sea sick (much to mate #1 & 2's delight esp as I caught nothing!!). In fact the only laugh I had on them, was the look on my mates faces when I did stuff up in the bar and we went sideways!

Last weekend I picked up a number of legal snapper - kept one but threw the rest back as they were border line. I took it as a sign that maybe the snapper fishing may be OK this year off Caloundra.

[frogfuzz]

Wouldn't a sea anchor make the matter worse? Especially if the waves hit you at a off angle?