Dalrymlpe Bay

Started the day in full wet suit and rain coat and stayed that way, the temperature was 8° felt like 5° and never above 20° for the morning.

Going to go into the Pioneer River, to give the sun a chance to get up a bit. I have always taken the long way around Flat Top Island, there is a long sand bar that runs off Flat Top. Also a decent bar off Eastern Point that is north side of the mouth, that joins Flat Tops bar. With a small gap on the upper part of the tide, low water it is blocked.

Decided today was the day I would brave it, a small swell was causing little rollers. Picked the spot and sat just behind on top of the waves little crest. Rode it across the bar and powered off into the river. Went out across the same bar, around Flat Top and in between Round top, sat there and had some breakfast. Played with new camera waterproof Fuji XP 140.

Was a little choppy, took a bearing to Dalrymple Bay and off I went. A 10 klm run, nothing to the seaside to worry about, on the shore side you might want to be mind full of Oyster Rock, really about 5 rocks about 3ks Nth from Bakers Ck and about 3ks from shore. Passing Sandringham Bay that is a good chunk of the trip, the wind seemed stronger and more westerly creating a bit more chop and small waves side on to the ski. Glad to of been rugged up my feet were feeling it a bit, must get thicker wet suit socks.

Arrived Dalrymple Bay a lot calmer, nice spot next to the coal Terminal at Hay Point and Louisa Ck to the right in behind that little head land.

Then ventured into the Creek, not very far because I don’t have depth sounder and I am gutless.

There are a couple of old ramps one to seaside is concrete that ends with a sharp drop off, another 30m upstream probably 4WD and Old berthing post just up from the ramps.

Can see the end of ramp drops off and looks like were the odd trailer or two have found it. Maybe a serviceable ramp on the higher water.

Beach anchored and had a walk around, I think there are some nice spots along the coast to be found. We seem to have a need to travel out to the islands, that are indisputably awesome. For those days where the weather is a bit indecisive or I am, I choose to to do a shorter trip along the coast.

Not for the reason it is any safer than open water, merely to have short run too cover if needed. From my short experience, the longer distance to travel in shitty conditions the more you wish it was shorter, its just uncomfortable. That may not be the case with more experience ?

Started to make my way back, took bearing from out in the middle of the Bay to directly between Flat Top and Round Top to be sure to avoid Oyster Rock by about 3ks by my reckoning. Not smooth run but better than the run out, I took another run up the River to the ramp, this area I basically spent my first 10 hrs of Jet Skiing, feeling comfortable in that area. Made my way back to harbour through what I now refer too as the Inside meaning over the Bar and inside of Dangerous Reef. The outside route, Harbour – Dangerous Reef – Flat Top – River Mouth about 13.3ks. Inside route is about 6.8ks, close enough to half the distance.

The balance of the morning running all over the place, Nth past Slade Pt, spotted schools of fish, probably half way to Shoal Pt, 5ks or so east. Back down to River tried the bar again but to shallow now. Back to harbour and pulled out about 1pm.

Weather observations were 8 knots WSW for most of morning, trip meter 114ks fuel was 41lts. I was cruising all the time with one exception in the River on the way out on a outgoing tide I gave her a spurt to 89kph, the fastest yet.

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