Weather in the southern bay

[joeT]

I have been fishing in the southern bay a bit lately, out around Coochie and sometimes to Peel. However, I'm not too familiar with how the bay reacts to certain weather conditions/wind etc. So I've only been out to Peel when its dead calm and glassed out.

Can someone give me some pointers on the weather conditions to watch out for?

For example, I wouldn't go out if the wind forecast is greater than 15kts, but I'm not sure on the wind directions and what tides would churn up the swell.

Any courses I could take on this?

Cheers

[joeT]

Forgot to mention, boat is 4.1m ally with 30hp. :)

[aquarius]

Joe T you will be ok with a forecast of 10 to 15 knots but having said this the weather can and does change by the hour.
Make sure you are carrying all the right safty gear and get up to date forecasts before venturing out.
That area between Peel and Cleveland Point can get very nasty in a 20 knot wind against the tide situation.
I have been on the sothern end of Peel in a 15 to 20 knots of S/E and some of the waves coming in you could have surfed on.
Horseshoe bay is great in a N/E WIND but remember you have to go back to the ramp sometime and if the wind exceeds 15 knots its going to be a bumpy crossing.
I'm sure you will get plenty of good info on this post from the dedicated members of this site.
Remember if in doubt don't go out!!!!!!!!!!
Cheers Brent :) ;)

[webby]

Hi the bay can be a fickled place at times.
The areas from peel across to coochie, is fairly shallow and even with a 15kt (espcially n/e @ s/e) can produce white caps, you'd be right if it only just came up, but if been blowin consistently, and especially wind against tide you may find it a bit lumpy in your 4.1m.
The area between peel and raby bay, due to current can get even worse with the same conditions as above.
Even a constant s/w again 15kt will make trips a little uncomfortable in your size rig.
If your launching from vicky pt or further south, and the wx does come up quicker then you expected, you can travel down the inside of straddie past blakesleys, and come back across the top of macleay, thats if you feel unsure about getting back across the more open area.
The important thing is slow down and take your time, no fish is worth putting you or others at risk.
There is also a wind beacon on the bananna banks, that you can check out on the Bom site, not sure if cleveland weather is still available online.
You can also contact, any of the VMR stations in the sthern bay and they can keep you updated.
regards

[aquarius]

Yes Brian Cleveland weather station is again online.
I will try and put up the web site.
members.iinet.net.au/~imarine/CWSv6/
Cheers Brent

[joeT]

Thanks for the replies. I carry all safety gear with me all the time, and even have flares.

Which wind is against the tide? Like, if there was a rising tide, which wind would make it against the tide? (south-east?).

The reason for my post is that I've been caught out once, with 3 people aboard, in 1-1.5m whitecaps coming back and it was a little scary ;D and I haven't gone out to Peel since.

Would you believe that I used to be crazy enough to go to Peel in a 3.75m ally with 15hp? :o

[aquarius]

The tide when its coming in is north to south and vise versa on the ebb so if the wind is from the north say 15 knots and the tide is going out this will make for sloppy conditions.
I,M TALKING ABOUT THE WESTERN SIDE OF PEEL ISLAND.
CLEVELAND POINT TO SPIT BEACON.
Cheers Brent

[skippa]

G'Day Joe,

From my experiences, one other area to watch out for is the eastern side of Coochie, this can chop up quite quickly as its very shallow in places. (also there's deep holes just north of here) You don't say where you've launched from, and if you've come from Reddie Bay you would usually go thru this passage.

We have come home thru here with wind against tide, ie runout tide (pushing water north) with 15plus northerlys (waves heading south), and have come across surf like conditions. Back off the pace and keep the bow out of the short steep chop, watching for the one that rises up from nowhere.

It's easy to get caught out when you've spent a day in horseshoe bay, not realising the northerlys have picked up only to findout when your in open water south of Peel.

As said earlier, the bay can be a fickle place at times and there has been some excellent advise given in the above posts, so take care and enjoy the beauty of Southern Moreton Bay.


Cheers,
Tony 8)

[joeT]

I usually launch from Victoria Pt. However, I might look into launching from Cleveland Pt when going to Peel as its a bit closer.

[MulletMan]

There is some great advice here for you but drop into our VMR Operations Base at Victoria Point any old time on a weekend and we will show you over all the charts and point out the nasty bits! In a stinking Nor Easter, you will find heading back to Victoria Point a lot more friendly than bashing across the sides of the waves to Raby Bay. The opposite applies to a south easterly - decisions decisons!
Likewise, ask the VMR gang at Raby Bay who will also be pleased to help out. For your size tinny mate, above fifteen knots from pretty well any direction except maybe west, stay home and clean yer fishing gear!

[joeT]

Ok, I'm looking to drive over to Peel early tomorrow morning.

The weather is:
"NW winds 10/15 knots, shifting SW to W 10/15 knots during the morning. Local NE seabreezes during the afternoon. A 20/25 knot S'ly change during the evening. Seas to 1 metre, rising to 1.7 metres in open waters during the evening."

So given the tides, the "shifting SW to W 10/15 knots during the morning" should be fine as its with the tide? I hope I understand this ok.

So tomorrow morning should be fine to go over to Peel at about 6-7am and come back before midday?

Cheers

[Fishinmishin]

Good advice given here. Mate don't let a bad experience put you off, just learn from it and don't repeat the mistake. I remember when I first started boating I headed out to peel in a 4.5mt polycraft. I sat out in the calm weather having a good fishing session watching a monsterous, dark, low level cloud rolling towards us from the south. When I THOUGHT it was a couple of km below vic point I decided to put up anchor and head back. I think I got to about the top of banana bank when I realised it was to late as the most sudden rain and wind squalls rolled over us. The cloud cover and rain was so thick that I lost all sight of land. The swirling winds were so strong the the rain hit my face like nails and the sea churned into a high peaking mess with breaks everywhere. Some waves were litterally coming over the bow, over the windscreen and into the boat. If I had shit in my system it would have been in my pants a while ago. I didn't have the visability to see any beacons or land and had no compass, jackets or radio onboard so I just tryed to keep pointed into the swells. Finally I saw land and headed for it. Getting a lot closer I relised that it was near Cleveland pt so headed in to raby bay. Caught a taxi to Vic pt to get the car as I didn't feel like driving the boat to Vic pt fot some reason. Let me tell you, I now have a VHF radio, EPIRB, flare kit, V sheet, PDF type #1 jackets ect. I of course have regained my confidence and head outside in some ugly weather but I take neccessary precautions such as weather reports, reading the clouds and planning my trips. I took me almost losing my old boat and my freind to relise the water can be an awesome place to spend a day, but not being aware of what it is cabable of can cost you dearly. At least you sound like your aware and actively learning more. Thats more than I could say about myself in the past.

[Fishinmishin]

Almost forgot, how was the fishing yesterday?
Might see you out some time. If you have a VHF radio, my call sigh is Fishinmishin.

[joeT]

I went out this morning to Peel :D

Glassed out at 6-7am, then at about 10 wind picked up so I headed home soon after.

Fish went balistic on my SP's. I had one unstoppable that made a huge splash as the SP hit the water. Due to inexperience I tried to slow the drag down with my hand... busted me off. No real keepers except one very large pike to be used in future for bait.

Fishinmishin, I don't have a radio, but I would love to tag along with someone experienced. I think I remember in one of your posts you live in Macgregor. I'm in Eight Mile Plains so pretty close.

Cheers