The Able Point Marina has an excellent ramp and pontoon facility for launch and recovery. It is well protected and permits safe launching and recovery.
The multi million dollar motor yachts in there are awesome.We managed to get out for a day trip to the North of Able Point Marina towards Dingo Beach. The strong Easterlies made the trip a bit wet when you weren’t in the lee of the islands. But once in behind, it was glass. A bit of fishing, swimming and snorkelling had everyone with a smile on their face.
We awaited a lull in the weather and headed up North again for some camping on the beach. Some islands are a no go so you have to be careful where you pull up. Again the trip up was a bit wet but with the hope of a nice fire and some good fishing on the mind we pushed on. We arrived at a location South of Dingo Beach. The large sandy beach had a creek, which we put the boats in overnight as the Easterlies kept pushing in. The creek was a safe place to moore the boats in.
Fishing was quite slow around the close in islands because of the rain hugging the coast. We did manage some small tusk fish, red throat and trout, but nothing of size. The brother in law pulled up a Red Emperor, which was only just undersize. We headed back in after a day on the water and not much fish in the esky.
I took the kids down to the creek and flicked lures for a while. Picked up a damn flathead on a plastic.
One of the only size fish for the trip. The brother in law proceeded to pick up Mangrove Jack one after the other, but again no size.We left Airlee Beach and headed for 1770. What a beautiful piece of Australia this place is, although the development beast is doing its best at Agnes Waters to spoil the place. We stayed at the 1770 caravan park right on the beach. It’s a hard life getting out of bed, walking 50 feet and walking straight onto a beach. I could here a lot of boats heading out though the channel past the headland early in the morning. The boats were 6-7m beasts, dominated by Kevlar Cats and Plate Alloy construction. We did the tourist thing for a couple f days and left the place, knowing we will go back.
The trip home ended up being quite eventful. About 150km from home, one of the rear axle “U” bolts decided it had a disliking to Queensland roads and departed the scene. The rear axle dropped back on the guard, which proceeded then to use the tyre, as a brake. I heard the tyre squeal and saw smoke in the rear vision mirror. Again one of Queenslands finest roads with no shoulder kept me on the road. A short distance later and I was on the side of the road in country Queensland on a Sunday wishing I were somewhere some other time in some other place. A few choice words and there I was wondering how to recover myself. The daughter points out that there is a “U” bolt holding the lights on which looks about the same size. Off with it and things are looking better. My next problem was the axle had a locating pin, which sat in the now geographically misplaced spacer. Out comes a “D” shackle from the anchor to help stop the axle from rocking, on goes the “U” bolts, on goes the spare and we are off and running again.
Prior to leaving the trailer brakes, bearings and bolts all got a strip, clean and inspection. The father in-law leaves his gear lying around and doesn't look after it and has not problems. Go figure.
Time for some Trailer TLC
Dex
