0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Andre van Wyk

  • Dogtooth Tuna
  • ****
  • 535
  • DARK CONTINENT DARKSTAR RIDER
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0


The adventure had started

After a short stopover at Skukuza, we were en route to Vilanculo. Vilanculo airport turned out to be a pleasant surprise and was extremely organised after a recent facelift. Luggage was collected (all of which had arrived safely, including passenger M Oreshit) and we emerged from the terminal building to the customary warm Mozambique welcome. Craig was waiting for us and he watched with a quiet sense of disbelief as we loaded our huge amount of baggage into the shuttle and set off.

After a brief stop for last-minute shopping at the local hypermarket (Moz-style of course), and fending off numerous offers of quality ganja, we made our way to the beach from where our baggage would be transferred to the yacht via the tender.
The first sighting of Yacht Sarah was very special. We all took in our first impressions of what would be our home for the next 13 days.


As morning dawned, so did the realisation that we were now miles out to sea. The travel to and from Bassas proved to be a really awesome time as the team sat around sharing stories, ideas and prepping tackle for the battles ahead.
It is hard to describe the freedom of having absolutely nothing but open sea around you. It is a silent and very personal place that you often slip back to when given the chance.




We did troll of course, but alas even after 36 hours, no takers emerged for our offerings that were diligently smoking in the wake. As afternoon merged into night, well fed, the tension built palatably in anticipation of finally seeing Bassas the next day.

Slowly a speck on the horizon grew into one of the many wrecks that are scattered around the atoll. We had arrived!



TO BE CONTINUED.......
Last Edit: October 03, 2011, 07:20:43 PM by Andre van Wyk
To Ride, Shoot Straight and Speak the Truth...

Ben Furness

  • Bluefin Tuna
  • ***
  • 428
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Love your style, trip looks amazing!

Brandon Khoo

  • Foundation Moderator
  • Giant Trevally
  • ********
  • 4135
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Fantastic report - keep it coming!!
If it swims; I want to catch it!

Nathan Cefai

  • Giant Trevally
  • *****
  • 866
  • Reel Men Smoke Stellas
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Sick report Andre,well done mate,looking forward to more of it..

Andre van Wyk

  • Dogtooth Tuna
  • ****
  • 535
  • DARK CONTINENT DARKSTAR RIDER
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Thanks for the comments guys... LOTS more to come, its a loooooong report....

But here are a couple "tweaked" teasers....

Parrotfish on Soft plastics on the flats... these things make Permit seem easy... Dre 1 - Parrots 6 ( of those hooked... 100's of refusals! )




Some surface beasties...





*** Forgive the "tweaking", I was playing with a new program... :-) ***
To Ride, Shoot Straight and Speak the Truth...

Earl Hamilton

  • Fusilier
  • *
  • 54
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Absolutely storming start to the report there Andre! Well done! You have captured the essence of an amazing trip, you do it proud-can't wait for the rest!

Andre van Wyk

  • Dogtooth Tuna
  • ****
  • 535
  • DARK CONTINENT DARKSTAR RIDER
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Part 2:

Of course fishing continued unabated after supper as everyone tried their hand at luring the resident school of assorted number plates to take. It also marked the begin of a nightly ritual of MC slapping the water repeatedly with a fly akin to a pillow case in an attempt to attract the always resident White Tips, Galapagos and Zambezi sharks. As luck would have it he would typically hook one just as supper was served, providing the team great mealtime entertainment but having to make do with the meager remains of any communal dishes as a result. Luckily as number plates go, he is not the biggest, and he seemed to make up alright through the substitution of hydraulic alternatives.

Jou bliksem, kom hier!
Last Edit: October 04, 2011, 01:13:44 AM by Andre van Wyk
To Ride, Shoot Straight and Speak the Truth...

Angus Hulme

  • Bluefin Tuna
  • ***
  • 276
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
'Dre, this is awesome stuff mate.....great writing, super pics and to me, you've definitely succeeded in conveying a real sense of the excitement that you and your mates experienced. Any more material to come?! :)

Thanks for sharing

Cheers,
Angus




Dan Colebrook

  • Fusilier
  • *
  • 94
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
awesome report, keep it rolling!!  8)

chris scurfield

  • Guest
awesome read on an amazing place, cheers for sharing.

Andre van Wyk

  • Dogtooth Tuna
  • ****
  • 535
  • DARK CONTINENT DARKSTAR RIDER
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Thanks guys... appreciate the kind words... A collaborative writing effort, but mainly put together by Franz, so he deserves most of the credit:-)..

There is still LOOOOTS more to come!! I think whats been seen so far just takes us up to the first night on the Atoll... still got another 7 days worth!!!
To Ride, Shoot Straight and Speak the Truth...

Robin Loi

  • Fusilier
  • *
  • 71
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
thanks for sharing Andre, out of this world location! must have cost a bomb i reckon?

Andre van Wyk

  • Dogtooth Tuna
  • ****
  • 535
  • DARK CONTINENT DARKSTAR RIDER
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
thanks for sharing Andre, out of this world location! must have cost a bomb i reckon?

Cheers Robin - Actually pretty cheap compared to most... the Boat charter for 14 days, was around R 120,000.00 split over 6 anglers, so thats R 20,000.00 each... so thats about $2500.00 AUS, which compared to similar places ( although there aren't many similar places ) is pretty damn cheap... add flights to get from Cape Town to Joburg to Villanculos and you looking at about $3200 to $3500 all in...

Not bad for 14 days worth...
To Ride, Shoot Straight and Speak the Truth...

Dave Hudson

  • Fusilier
  • *
  • 37
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Awesome report mate, on the edge of my seat!!!! Keep it coming

George Relf

  • Fusilier
  • *
  • 97
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Fantastic report Andre! You could put that in a magazine

The writing style puts you there amongst the action with the photos providing the scenery.

Love the hair by the way  8)

Can't wait for the next installments  :)