The House(s) of Fran_mart

 I'm not sure if I should post this here but the snaps show the weather, and fish are wildlife....  And I own the blog so I guess can do as I please! At around 0617 this morning I noticed there was some action - or more possibly inaction, as they were just floating about - at the Karbeethong Jetty. A few folk were zipping in from the direction the Wharf. At 0648 this guy didn't need to be in such a rush. Indeed at 0702 gentle floating was still the go.  All sorts of boats. Just before the start.  My best count was 42 boats. Off they go. My guess was that about 40% of boats headed off towards Top Lake, 50% went towards Allan Head and 10% decided that Harrisons Channel was the go.

There was a large catch and release Flathead Fishing event on over the weekend.  I too the opportunity to ride down to Karbeethong Jetty to watch the start while Frances took photos from the deck.  Here is the scene from our deck around 0700.  Down at the Jetty the like for parking spaces went a long way (and a lot of boats were coming in from town).  Waiting for The Man! This boat was wheelchair friendly!  More waiting! This was my favourite boat design.  Another spectator was awestruck by the small amount of freeboard at the rear end of this boat.  If you have 200 HP stuck there it is going to weigh things down a bit!  Breakfast was available.   Still waiting. By about 0725 the mob were pretty well mustered.  My count, from the jetty, was 77 craft - probably including the officials boat. Off we go!  I had thought it might be an old-style Le Mans start, but began to doubt that when the ambulances...

Before the morning comes the previous evening's sunset!  About 0630 on the morning of 16 March I glanced down at the Inlet and found many small boats gathered at the Karbeethong Jetty.  (The photo makes the scene look lighter than it was at that time!) I'd take a punt on there being a Bream fishing competition!  Some were nearly late! This shot has got most of the boats, being harangued by the starter. Here is the second one off.  The wake of #1 is just in front of him.  All the early starters headed off across the Inlet.  Perhaps they ere going to Marshmead rather than fishing!  As all the good spots in that direction ere taken, the later boats headed off into the Narrows and presumably Top Lake. Apart, that is, from one punter (who possibly investigated the area the previous day) who hooked right around to Stingray Point. Things started to get a bit golden then so I assumed Mr Sun was arriving. As we were leaving to head...

There was a fair bit of activity down at the Karbeethong Jetty area at 0530 this morning.  We got down there about 0640.  A fair heap of cars, but no other spectators, not even the spouses of the competitors!!  The Hobie people were well set up with banners.  In retrospect I am surprised they didn't have any demo kayaks there (but on thinking about it, apart from us everyone there already had a kayak)!  Close to sunrise.  Here is the starter doing his thing - mainly counting down. The punters were hot to trot.  Off they go.  It is a mass start unlike the power boats which head off in pairs.  Some snaps of sunrise.

Looking down at the Karbeethong Jetty this morning, just about 7am I was reminded that there was a fishing competition on this weekend.  I had expected it to be a powerboat event but it was actually run by Hobie Kayaks.  They headed off in 2 bunches, with one lot heading up the Narrows and the others across Bottom Lake.  Here is a close up of the Narrows fleet.  It was also a Marshmead visiting weekend.  This is a campus of Methodist  Ladies  College - anexpensive private school in Melbourne - located on the remote side of the Inlet.  On one weekend per term the parents get to visit.  We had been told it was easy to work out when this is on, as the quality of clothes worn around the streets rises dramatically.  That wasn't very apparent in town this morning! What was apparent was that all the parents were wearing life jackets on the boats coming back across the Inlet.  It was a bit choppy: my weather station recorded gusts ...