Paindane Family Easter adventure

[Prego]

So like many we spotted the opportunity to take 3 days off work and score a 10 day break. I wanted to return to Santa Maria but they were fully booked so after much consultation with Lebaka we decided on Paindane.
It would be our first official visit to the area hence the adventure of learning a new area.
Being a family trip we decided to overnight in Komati at the Crocodile Bridge inn. We were up at 4am the next morning as the border was open 24hrs for this period. We had a nice smooth trip up, stopping for breakfast at Chidenguele and bumping into forum members Fishaholic  and Serenity. They were off to Legogo.

We made it to the sand road at 13h30 and to the split on the red sand road at 14h00 were you need to deflate your tires as now you entering the dune area. I made a few calls to make sure I'm going the correct way and off we went. We arrived at heart break hill 1 and my brother proceeded in his fortuner and once he summited he told us on the 2 way radio that we are going to k*K  it wasn't funny at the time as there was a few stressed faces in the car lol. Off I went and bouncing all over the place we managed to summit with our big girl Ocean Hunter in tow. "Shew that wasn't to bad, heart break hill 2 can't be that bad" I muttered.
Boy how wrong I was.

As we carried on towards Paindane point we passed the local grocer called Taurus, the guy has everything you need if you happen to forget any supplies, from ginger to soy sauce even meat if you happen to run out or just battling to catch fish we passed Guinjata and knew we weren't far to Paindane so we were waiting anxiously to lay our eyes on heart break hill 2.
We come over a hill and there in front of us is hbh2. Aah that's not to bad pffffffft. I was approaching the base of the hill when a younster in a Fortuner coming in the opposite direction makes me stop in the thick sand so I avoid hitting him and there I  sat properely VAS even before accending. After a few choice words I tell my brother to take the ladies and kids up top and then we will try get out this jam we in. While waiting, I try call the lodge manager to see if he can help us as he has a tractor but no answer  . We ended up unhooking the boat. Pulling my Jeep  out then pulling the front of trailer off the route so i could hitch up again at a different angle. An hour in and we on the way again with some speed to tackle hbh2. I didn't make 3/4 of the way after several attempts. Eventually my brother tried with the fortuner and also no joy. I then recall the words of Lebaka from our many consultations "double team". So we hook up both cars to try get Ocean Hunter finally into Paindane and even so we just made it thankfully someone had layed some palm leaves on the last little ridge and we caught them as we were loosing traction and power.
We let the cars cool down as both gear boxes of my Jeep and my brothers Fortuner were cooking. We gathered the ladies and kids who had been having a few drinks and the kids a lekker swim at the dive centres pool while we dealt with the stress and off we went down to the beach to see where we were to leave the boat for the duration of our stay as its not viable to take it up to the chalets every day as its also a properly steep dune.
We park the boat next to the gantry near the Esperanza beach bar and restaurant  only to find we got 3 side wall cuts on one of the boats trailer wheels......eish  this wasn't a great start to our trip in a place we didn't know how things really worked and management didn't seem to bothered to help.

I decided to leave the boat as it stood and deal with that and off loading it the next day as I needed to cool off. We went up to the lodge to meet management and again we were left dissapointed as they just pointed us in a direction to where our chalet was. Luckily I had picked up a gilly to help on the boat and he knew the place.

Thank goodness on arrival our accommodation pleased everyone and that seemed to put a smile back on our faces and with  no wind and flat seas we were finally able to sit down take a deep breath and enjoy a very welcome cold  with a lovely view

1. On the road
2. Our view for the next 8 days

[Prego]

After a good rest we wake up to no wind and flat seas and I make the call to just chill, unpack the boat, change the wheel on the trailer and just enjoy the day on the beach with the family.
I don't know who was more shocked  that these words came out my mouth, me or the family 
We spent a gread day on the beach checking the launch, some local catches, some great snorkeling and a little spinning session from the side late afternoon and to end off a great day we enjoyed a magic crayfish dinner

[Prego]

The next day would be a fishing day........finally. By 7.30 we launched and within 5min had lines in the water. It really is the beauty of the area fishing wise. You can fish successfully without burning lots of fuel with many guys just drifting off the paindane reef all day.
With having the family on board which all turn green the minute you stop we were only allowed to troll. I kept it simple chasing birds and current lines and by 10 we had a couple of skippies and 2 dorado on board and was anticipating things to pick up at the turn of the tide at 10h20. The beach crew radioed in to check up on us and we said we on the way in just when we had a hard, long strike go to the races only to be dropped as my brother slacked off the power before we had the rod in hand..........fish gone but we excited again. We make a turn over the same area and a marlin pulls in behind a kona but it doesn't eat. I grab the rod to try entice him to take the lure but in the excitement/ viskoors I grabbed the rod with a rapala on only to see the rod next to me in the gunwale go bendo and drag screaming off.........did I feel like a knob
 
After a good laugh we cleared the lines and the battle ensued after 30-40 minutes we get the leader onto the rod but no one was keen to tackle  the marlin so i pass the rod and by the time I go to grab the leader he dives deep ..........not good, this happen another 2 times till I decide to pump up the drag to well over 8kgs. Eventually we get him boat side but i fear the worst cause of the 3 deep dives he did, but at the boat he does a few kicks and I think he will be ok. We quickly get the hooks  out and swim him next to the boat. He gives us a few good bites on the hand but after 20min there was no sign of life and we boat him stone dead. Spoils of war I guess a more accomplished crew could of avoided this but oh well it won't go to waste.

Worst part about it was I had left my phone at the house so no action pics. 
We get onto the beach all excited and sad at the same time as we would of liked to release the fish. We took some pics on my brothers phone which ended up going for a swim later that day. So Ocean Hunters first landed marlin and there are no pics 
However its unbelievably tasty fish and my gilly and his family had a huge feast that night so much so he never pitched for work the next day  which wasn't a biggy as we planned to go into inhambane the next day which was to be a blow out.

1. Marlin sashimi
2.My sons new sword
3. The lure that did the damage from Demon Tackle

[Prego]

I see some of the pics are side on if admin could fix that for me please 


The next few days while the wind was up, were spent taking in some sight seeing at different beaches and resorts and a visit to Inhambane to get a new spare wheel which happen to be a blessing on the way home.

1.Trailer spare tyre being fitted at the local Supa Quick
2. Having a few drinks and a quick bite at the local pub next to Supa Quick
3.Drinks at Casa Barry, one of the longest standing lodges I know of from the days I started visiting Moz

[Prego]

Day out at island rock beach
1. Boys learning how the locals pump their water
2.Bakery we found when we took a wrong turn at a village in the middle of nowhere.
3.Snorkeling , Swimming at Island rock resort beach

[John F]

I see some of the pics are side on if admin could fix that for me please 

Sorted. But I think I accidentally deleted the 2nd pic on your first post. 

Please post it again.

Great report as usual 


 

[Prego]

The kids decided they wanted to fish. Within 15min of launching the 3 of them had caught a skippy each and had a good chanda on the boat so I quickly went and dropped them off at the beach were they spent the rest of the day snorkeling and we carried on fishing.
Things had gone queit and I decided to follow a current line south knowing we would / should find some bait and eventually the game fish and again it worked out.

I watched a dorrie jump in behind the cona and passed the rod to my brother as he hasn't caught one yet but it wasn't to be as he gave a little bit of slack and it jumped off. We set the spread and after about an hour found plenty birds working. Going through them we went double then a third strike and finally a 4th fish on.
I quickly cleared the strikeless 5th rod put the 4th strike rod which was the shot gun on the t-top and we proceeded with the tuna dance. About 5min in the oom lost his one and the t-top had also come undone. Now we concentrated on mine and my brothers fish eventually getting a 17kg and a 13kg yft to the boat. We were now happy as the following day was my wifes birthday and she wanted some tuna......sorted, so we headed back to enjoy the rest of the day on the beach.

1. Fritz going bendo on 2 skippies on a daisy chain, a good work out 
2.Days catch
3. Boys enjoying the sashimi

[Prego]

Following day we spent on Guinjata beach and then did a late afternoon jigging session in 3m swells right off the launch site.

[colin]

  Great to see a family having fun together 

[Plugger]

Nice report, looks like a great place for a family holiday.

[Prego]

In a short maybe hour session we got 3 different species of kingies although small, a small job fish and my brother broke off on 2 good fish that kept pulling drag on a locked stella 10k. The leader broke around the solid ring, I'm still pretty baffled by that.......maybe a bad batch of leader 

We ended the day on the beach around the boats enjoying a few cold ones and good stories under the stars

1. Black tip
2.Green spot
3. Chilling with the Jampacked family under the stars

[Prego]

Our last day we planned to go out to sea but the family pulled the plug so I joined the Jampacked family on their boat and enjoyed a great day out at sea filling up a hatch of yft and skippies. Then it was time to pack and prepare for the journey home.
We were meant to go right through but ended up having issues on the road with one of the trailer wheels on the boat, basically disintegrating. Luckily I got pulled over for speeding when I did other wise it could of been a fatal disaster.
The police lady was kind enough to call a local to come to our aid. We managed to get a grinder, a generator and some new studs and nuts from him to get us back on the road. Thank you senhor Nunes for your help.

1. The suspect rim
2. Road side maak 'n plaan
3. The crew with our saviour that day Senhor Nunes

In all it was a great trip not without teething issues but that's how we learn about new areas.............school fees.
It's a fantastic family destination with great shallow reef snorkelling as I have seen any where in the world. The fishing is great with many options and very little fuel needed to be successful. You need to be prepared with decent ground clearance on the 4x4's and if towing a boat going in just one car is not a good option.
If you plan on filling up your fuel cans and vehicle before you take the sand road don't its cheaper near Paindane they give you a better rate.

Hope you enjoyed the read, heres looking forward to our next trip in December at Santa Maria
Cheers

[REEFMAN]

Awesome report Paulo! Besides the vehicle issues, looks like you guys had a blast! 

[Happy Dog]

  nice trip

[FishStyx]

Lovely stuff Pregz... Thanks for the report. Paindane is special for me. First place I took a boat out, first fish I caught as skipper, and lekker chilled times. Also had a few things stolen off my boat there.


Suspect leader you say??? 


 

[Cage]

thanks for taking the time to share Paulo! I'll be picking your brain on  couple things soon, also heading that way with family later this year

[dugong]

Nice report that wheel looks scary, did the studs come loose in the hub and the play stuffed up the holes??

[CRANKMAN]

Thanks Paulo, nice report. 

[Prego]

Thanks guys it was great family trip and destination with some great fishing for the short time we spent on the water.

Lovely stuff Pregz... Thanks for the report. Paindane is special for me. First place I took a boat out, first fish I caught as skipper, and lekker chilled times. Also had a few things stolen off my boat there.


Suspect leader you say??? 


 

Hey Martin, I've never seen it before. They way the fish was still making a run and then all of a sudden gone I thought straight away he was reefed but no the leader broke where it went around the solid ring with the knot in tact.

Nice report that wheel looks scary, did the studs come loose in the hub and the play stuffed up the holes??

It was the spare wheel that was on and it was tightened properly by me and then checked by my brother's father in law. I'm thinking rust and the wheel just started falling apart. I was very glad to pay that fine she saved us some serious heart ache if we went on just a few more clicks. The trailer is in at LA Axles to replace that hub just to be safe and for an overall service.
 

thanks for taking the time to share Paulo! I'll be picking your brain on  couple things soon, also heading that way with family later this year

Lekker Cage, give me a shout when you ready

[WalkersKiller]

Awesome stuff Paulo, super report!