Wednesday, 1 May 2024 Competition Day 2

The maximum number of fishing days in the bottom fish tournament is four. Weather conditions allowed for only two days, namely Monday and today. Thus Monday was Day 1 and today, Wednesday, is Day 2.

The boats started arriving at Struisbaai Harbour at 05:30. Take-away breakfast and coffee were served at the Struisbaai Harbour Cafe and there was an air of anticipation and excitement amongst the anglers as they collected their boat boxes filled with snacks for the day.

Unlike Monday, there was no mist today and the boats could launch just after 06:00. Lines-in was called at 07:00. Lines-up was at 15:00 giving the competitors time to get ready for the closing function.

Below is a gallery of photos depicting the launch which went smoothly thanks to the drivers who helped get the boats in the water as quickly as possible. (Click on the first photograph to enlarge then use the arrows to view the slide show. Press escape to return to the blog post.)

Lines up at 15:00 was called and I headed to the harbour to welcome the first returning boats. I became aware that a man standing next to me was slightly anxious. Rapidcat was the first boat to appear. The man called out to the skipper and told him that two young men on a rubber duck were having trouble with their motors and were stranded just opposite the last house at Langezandt. Brian asked me to inform his driver that he would be delayed and he raced off on a rescue mission. He also called SkiBoat Mobile to inform Andrew of the situation. It was just a short distance away and soon he reappeared towing the rubber duck with the two grateful young men on board.

At first, the boats returned in drips and drabs, and then they came thick and fast towards the end.

Most of the fish caught were measured and then released but special catches were brought to the scales.

At 19:00 everybody, dressed in their highest colours, gathered at Struisbaai Harbour Cafe for the closing function. The report on this will be in my next post.