Nomad Sportfishing Newsletter May 2007

[Brandon Khoo]

I asked him about that. The army permits people in when they are not using the place but often, you have to vacate the area at a moment's notice. The Bay itself is apparently in use for most of the year. For the islands outside the bay, they can also close this area and do during exercises but apparently, the islands are open for most of the year. The only problem with the islands is that the closest launching point for a boat is Stanage Bay which is something like 80 miles from High Peak island, one of the island we were anchored in.

That is a long to go in a tralier boat.

[Stephen Polzin]

Just FYI, i was under the impression that a lot of the Shoalwater Bay (if not all) is under military control, therefore no civilians are allowed in. I could be wrong though

I've got a map with the bombing range boundary marked, as well as the green zones and yellow zones. 

You're right in a fashion Luke.  A large area of Shoalwater Bay itself is a bombing range.  There is only a very small area within the bombing range boundary that is not a green zone though (the area around the Clara group) so apart from this small area, permission from the military isn't going to have too many advantages for the fisherman.  I'm quite certain Nomad would not be fishing in green zones. 

closest launching point for a boat is Stanage Bay which is something like 80 miles from High Peak island, one of the island we were anchored in.

Yes the closest ramp is Stanage Bay and there's 100km of dirt road leading to it from the highway.

 However, High Peak Island is just over 70 kilometres from the ramp.  A lot less than 80 miles, and 70km is do-able in a trailerboat, especially when there are numerous islands in between.  Like I said though, it would be a mission. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking the uniqueness of the place, or the Nomad operation.  If anything, after doing a bit of research into the area, it would be very difficult if not impossible to beat the value offered on a Nomad trip.

 

[Brandon Khoo]

I certainly didn't take it that way, Stephen and actually, you're right. I think I got the distance mixed  and its 70 - 80 miles to Mackay, not Stanage Bay.

We did see a couple of trailer boats when we were out there as the islands like the Percy Group have really nice sheltered areas. The only thing to be careful of is you're a long way out anyway you look at it and the seas out there can be big. Even the 80 foot Odyssey was rolling all over the place when we were on the way out there so it would pay to be careful.

[Stephen Polzin]

Yes there's definately safety in numbers in such a remote location, and the benefit of a mother ship has got to be enormous. 

steve