Dave and I had chin wagged yesterday afternoon over the phone, excitedly discussing how fantastic the boating forecast was for today. Light variable winds, 1.0m sea and 1.5m swell - moderating. It just doesn't get any better down here.

Tied up with a number of other things, I hadn't been out in the boat for sooo long and I recalled Dave had given me some jip in a post a while back about getting soft LOL.

So, I bit the bullet and arranged to meet Dave down at the ramp at 05:30 this morning - that's a 4.00 am rise  and 50k 'trip down the road' for us, but all worth it, with the prospects of catching up with a good mate and FINALLY getting into some pearler conditions that weren't on a week (work) day!

In our telephone conversation yesterday, Dave had jokingly suggested I bring something to tow him in case his latest boating project (how many's that Dave 6, 9, 25 - I can't keep up).

We arrived as planned at 05:30am with Dave and Cheree (his wife) no where to be seen. Oh well, Sandra and I agreed, Dave can ring us on my mobile when he arrives. He did just that, but not quite as planned.

We'd launched, logged into VMR610 (I'm Mariner 421 with Albany Sea Rescue) and were JUST about to clear Oytser Harbour and WOT it, when my phone rang.

"Hi Colin, it's Dave, how are you.......yeah well, we've hit a spot of bother......we seem to be broken down......near Michaelmas Island"

"No worries Dave, we'll catch you shortly.....what colour's the boat"

"You can't miss it Col - there's no other boat around....oh, and the hull is a baby poo colour...."

I hung up the phone, looked at Sandra and thanked goodness outboard motors are VERY good at drownding out explitives.

We were soon "flying" towards Michelmas Island as conditions were perfect for full WOT and, after a full lap around the island, we finally spotted Dave near Michelmas Reef. Maybe we were down wind and smelled the baby poo hull!

Undaunted, Dave asked us to hang on as Cheree pulled up a fish.

We soon had the bridle and tow rope deployed with the lead end running through the bow loop and up to the bow cleat. 

A steady 10 knots back towing Dave's Chivers Thunderbird with "skinny" Dave onboard and "big bulky" Cheree was no easy task - the distance back to the ramp was close to 10 nm.

We radio'ed VMR610 and advised them of Dave's boat, how many on board, were we commenced to tow, and where we were heading, as well as the make and discription of Dave's bouy, oops, I mean boat, and his hull number.

We finally made it back to the ramp and managed a bit of deft bow and thrust work to manouvre the lead boat in the tight confines of the ramp area between service jetty and pen marker and put the trailing sea anchor, oops boat right on the finger.

News had got around because there were quote a few folks snapping photos.

2 hours after we had planned, we finally got underway for a fish.

But Dave, please don't feel bad......feel bloody terrible! LOL. 

Yesterday I phoned Dave to make sure he was going...in future I'll phone him to make sure he's NOT going LOL. JK mate.

All funny stuff aside, Dave's a top bloke, even if he does by sh*t boats (LOL), and I'd do it again in an instant (and will probably have to!)