December 2009 report

[Simen]

Our holiday started on the 6[suP]th[/suP] of December and took us to mile 108 on the Namibian Coast. On arrival at Henties Baai just a quick stop at Spyker’s house for an update on fishing conditions and then the loading of pre arranged bait from Leon Krauze  at Skubbebar. ( Leon has a small tackle shop there and a lot of big freezers for stocking of fresh bait )

Last stop for fuel and we are on our way.

Arrived at a very empty mile 108 at about 14h00 and started setting up camp right away. This on its own takes a good couple of hours as this is going to be our home for the next month. Full darkness is only about 20h30 s0 there is enough time to get all done. Worst is the 68 pegs that has to be knocked into the hard salt surface, but a good 4lb hammer does the trick. I sort the camp and Sarah sorts the caravan.

1) Camp very empty.

 

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Next day off to the beach for some fishing, joined by Spyker and Marina. A lot of young fish was landed but mostly spent the day hunting bigger fish and visiting areas where we thought to get some larger specimens.

For the next couple of days we fished the coastline with some mixed results. Sarah landing a good Spottie between the plenty of young cob and me catching the smallest Barbel I have ever seen.

2) Small Barbel


 

 

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Friend of mine Boet Nel was lucky to land a cob of +25kg. Don’t know the excact weight as it pulled my scale ( 25kg ) full the minute I lifted it off the sand. The biggest cob to date I have seen landed in that specific area.

Cob 25KG +


 

 

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We had a lot to look forward to as we were waiting for the Henning family to arrive. We met them in Henties on the morning of the 14[suP]th[/suP] and after a good breakfast we set off to mile 108, for us to intoduce them to their new home for the next 10 days and watch them set up camp.

Andries soon found out that getting a” tentpen “ into the Namib desert is not any easy task. Problem solved as I had extra pegs which he used to anchor his “house”. It took them no time at all to finish their camp and I realized that my fear of them not being accustomed to camping was gone in an instant. This family is used to camping and has organized themselves well with all the creature comforts needed for their stay.

Andries and the Namib Salt.

 

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Once their camp was up and running it was time to introduce them to the rest of the mile 108 family and explain all the do’s and dont’s of the area. But again these guys fitted in as if they had been there many a time.

Meeting the rest.

 

 

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Andries made the grave mistake of not telling us about Yolanda’s birthday on the 15[suP]th[/suP]. We have a “Court sitting” in the evening where we sort out charges made against family and friends.

How it works is that we have a prosecutor( me ),  a judge ( Koos ), any amount of defendants ( any person can lay a charge against anybody ) and a jury ( all who are not charged form the jury ). You get charged and have the opportunity to defend youself and the jury decides whether you are guilty or not. If found guilty you have to wear the PINK HAT and drink out of the PINK CUP until the court sits again and someone else is found guilty.

Well the photo says it all. Andries—sorry that you had to come such a long way just to find out that you have an allergic reaction to Tassies.

Andries guilty as charged!!!!!


 

 

[Simen]

Within a day or two after the arrival of Andries and family the sea turned really bad and we had real thick green water filled with baby pink prawns and a lot of sea grass getting hooked onto your line. I was afraid that this was turning into a disaster of a trip and that they travelled all this way and not catching any fish. We did however still land some good fish during these times and some PB’s were achieved by the Henning clan.

Marcelle with a good Steenie.

 

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Marcelle and Anelda, Andries’s two kids was an absolute pleasure to have around. There friendliness and good manners is a quality to be proud of.

When it comes to fishing both of them are as keen as Dad and that is not excluding Mrs. H who fished just as hard as all of us. (Please see ANDRIESH report).

I am just sorry we could not get any one of them hooked into a Bronzy. Maybe, a good thing as they now have a reason to come back.

Andries, Yolanda, Marcelle and Anelda you will always be welcome to spend your fishing holiday with us and Michele and myself thank you all for being such wonderful friends.

They all were there when looking for some octopuss.


 

 

[Simen]

On the 19[suP]th[/suP] we had, let’s call it the first Namibian social as we had members from Nam and S.A. present. Although few in numbers we had the opportunity to meet Ants. Anthony I am very glad you achieved your PB with the Bronzy. You now know where they are so come back and look for a +100kg one. 

From L>R.

Simen, Sarah de Jager, Mev Spyker, Ants, Yolanda (Mrs H), Marcelle, AndriesH, with Anelda in front.

 

 

[Simen]

Bad seas prevailed for most of the holiday and although a lot of fish was caught daily the bigger guys eluded us this December, but as luck will have it we are close to the coast and plan to take our revenge in the very near future.

But to sum  it up another great holiday with the results as follows:

Cob:  63   Steenbra:  7   Sint Joseph:  6   Galjoen:  41   Smoothound:   3   Spottie:  8  Lessers:  5   and also some Klipvis, Blue Ray, Kolstert, Shad, Doughnuts and to many Barbel to mention.

 

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Michele with a good sized Spotty.

 

 

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Sint Joeseph.

 

 

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Lesser.

 

 

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Wish it was mine, but alas, friends cob which killed the scale at 25kg.

 

 

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Galjoen.

 

 

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7.5kg Steenie.

 

 

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Blue Ray.

 

 

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Cob.

 

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Kolstert/Blacktail

 

 

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Fresh bait.