Today (after early morning surf)......was window of opportunity for an ocean paddle. Went from Kaiti Beach to Tuamotu Island and back. Gentle NW wind......then calm.....then NE wind for return journey. Hooked a really big kahawai just before back at Kaiti Beach but gott off when lifting from water.
So thought it was a "build a gaff" moment. Used the handle end of a broken carbon shaft.....drilled hole through shaft for the gaff anchor elbow. Then a couple of stainless hose clamps to hold it in place.
Is looking good.

not sure why everything is on its side though......is really light......but will probably attach a float to it at some stage

did have my helmet camera......but got "over excited" and forgot to turn it on

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GizzieNZ said..
not sure why everything is on its side though......is really light......but will probably attach a float to it at some stage

What's for a float if you use it to hook moles

Nice one Captain Hook .

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Kami said..

GizzieNZ said..
not sure why everything is on its side though......is really light......but will probably attach a float to it at some stage

What's for a float if you use it to hook moles

you mean moles in the garden? we don't have moles here. We have hedgehogs......I killed this great big hedgehog without looking all around.......now have 4 very cute baby hedgehogs in a box :(

Took the Cairn Terrier for its first ocean paddle........didn't expect to catch fish.......just enjoying glassy water conditions

went from kaiti beach and very nearly to tuamotu island........then scurried back before the NE wind swept in

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GizzieNZ said...

Kami said..

GizzieNZ said..
not sure why everything is on its side though......is really light......but will probably attach a float to it at some stage

What's for a float if you use it to hook moles

you mean moles in the garden? we don't have moles here. We have hedgehogs......I killed this great big hedgehog without looking all around.......now have 4 very cute baby hedgehogs in a box :(

Why on earth would you kill a hedgehog?

They are a serious introduced predator in the nz ecosystem........they were introduced to deal to slugs and snails.......but they prefer insects and eggs and baby birds. One hedgehog they chopped open had about 50 weta legs in its stomach (nz native species are unprepared to deal with imported predators)
Hedgehogs also wreak death and destruction upon ground nesting birds in the south island braided river systems........eating eggs and young chicks.
Don't let one get into your chicken coop either. Some guy in christchurch in the 1860s did a swap.........12 hedgehogs for 12 weka........there were later releases in the North Island

Many of the new generation pest control traps include hedgehogs as a target predator along with you aussie guys possums and rats stoats and ferrets

male hedgehogs can travel 2 or 3 km in a night

blog.forestandbird.org.nz/hedgehogs-cute-but-lethal-to-native-wildlife/

I know I should be killing these little baby hedgehogs.......but i killed their mum.......today they were running around highly distressed squeaking like little birds.....now they snoozing wrapped up in a tea towel
Life is tricky

Hard to exterminate everything

Thanks for wild life report, Gizzie. I didn't know that hedgehogs has been imported in NZ and remain like a pest as well. Here Gipsies use to eat those cute and protected animals , roll up in clay then cook it straight in fire work, open the clay cork needles and skin go off, it's ready to eat. As illegal fact should be a more sweat taste
To night went fishing with my own cairn terrier, she better like staying ashore sneaking for coypu, funny animals they are but safe for environment.
Gizzie keep enjoying your wonderful country

Real shame about the hedgehogs in nz as they are indagered here in the U.K. With very low numbers due to developments in the countryside slowly wiping them out.

These ones are still alive and well........they have 3 meal options. Firstly water (not very popular) second course goats milk blended with baby food (very popular)......and finally straight baby food.
Some like this and some like that
Will build them a little outdoor house so they can decide when they want to go out into the big wide world

why are my photos turning up sideways?

We generally feed our wild ones dry or wet cat food must be meat based Not fish Always been told never milk? They also get small left over bits of cooked chicken,ground peanuts and things like that and a fresh bowl of water at all times. . I have to admit they are super cute and we have a little hog house with a web cam in to watch them in the summer when they feed.

cows milk is a no no.......goats or sheep milk okay A web cam to watch little hoglets feeding sounds very sophisticated
Can feed older hogs those things.....these about 6 weeks old.......still graduating from milk to solid food.
Have got a reputation for being very hard to raise. Apparently really young ones need their anuses to be stroked with a feather to replicate their mothers licking to help them evacuate their body wastes......these ones are too old for that fortunately

Still no surf......gaff works good though :)

supposedly stainless steel.......but slightly rusty needing CRC sprayed all over it ?

fish and birds splishing and splashing around in the inner harbour turning basin and between Waikanae Beach and the breakwater today.......this one came from further out in the bay past the shipping navigation buoys though

Some very poor gaff work in this video......and an awful lot of talking in it considering it features just me and my dog

So calm out there! Beautiful spot.

Hedgehogs are pretty cute too.

was "ideal conditions".......no surf and no wind. Tends to be fairly small windows of opportunity here and you got to have a vague idea about what the wind is likely to do. Have paddled the Bic Wing to shore in strong cross winds and its not pleasurable.
Was actually surf at makorori point this morning. Quite big sets but northerly wind which meant choppiness.
Surf a complete novelty here at moment

Actually some decent surf at Makorori today.....after a long drought

pics just taken with the action camera so unfortunately lacking any zoom :)

The surf continues........town beach "big left" yesterday. No time for turning on this wave......you go straight ahead and hope you pop out safe and sound at the end