Blonde Rays! 2011/2012
The blonde ray fishing in 2010 was very good but sadly there was just no room in the diary in 2011 to offer any Blonde Ray Individual trips. Please check the Individual List for 2012 as there is a trip for rays on MONDAY 13TH AUGUST 2012. It remains my firm belief that there is a very real chance of beating the existing British record from the Kidney Bank.
I'm always banging on about the ray fishing. It used to be extremely popular but these days most of you prefer to fish very light for bass and bream etc etc. BUT don't forget that Weymouth offers some superb inshore ray fishing. Yes, you have to fish in the tide from the anchor so that means 2lb leads...and, if you are serious and want to maximise the fishing time, go up to 3lb leads.
Before I hear the grizzling beginning, let me remind you that a twin speed reel makes light work of such weights and fish...the tackle is out there; the fish are available...try it!!
There will be a couple of Individual dates set aside in 2012 aimed at ray fishing...try it!
Here's our crew Jai with a smashing bunch of regular lads from Gloucestershire with the Bob Boxer Memorial Trophy in memory of our good friend and superb angler Bob Boxer.
Bob had retired last year (2010) and was pleased to have bought a house in the countryside with his wife. The garden has a stream running though with a good run of coarse fish in it. Bob was looking forward to spending his retirement concentrating on his freshwater and sea fishing and leading a gentle country style life. Sadly, this was not to be.
His angling pals decided to hold an annual angling event in honour of Sir Bob and this year's event took place on Friday June 3rd.
We were lucky with the weather and also with the fishing with some super cod coming in throughout the day. The 'Sir Bob' Cup was awarded for the biggest cod and this was very close with 3 anglers catching cod close to 17lb. In the end the Trophy went to Mike (Derby) with a cod a shade over 17lb.
It was a grand day with Derby's lovely partner having prepared a fantastic sausage casserole for us all and the drinks cooler box was full of quality!
Bob fished aboard Offshore Rebel for many years and, like many customers, had become a very good friend. He and Jai got on famously together.
We all continue to miss his good humour and character.
Bless you, Bob.
ACCOMMODATION
You customers are becoming ever more demanding. When I book the accommodation for the group, I ONLY book L'Haras (Mrs Jansen). This is due to her price (2011 price is £38 per night which includes packed lunch) and because I do not have to send her a deposit on the groups' behalf due to the number of trips I send her way. Thus, if we do not go because of weather, you do not lose your deposit!!!!
You DO NOT HAVE TO STAY at L'HARAS!! You are free to make your own bookings anywhere on the island you like!! I am happy to give you the phone numbers if you are unable to find them yourself.
Some groups prefer to go self catering which is considerably cheaper; some like to stay at the Camp Site (VERY cheap; £25 for the week!) and some like the Braye Harbour Hotel at £130 per night each!!! It's up to you!
IF you want a room to yourself, then please go ahead and book somewhere. Mrs Jansen (L'Haras) has only two single rooms!!! And 3 double rooms...catering for 8/9. Booking yourselves takes an awful lot of pressure off me!!!
HOORAY.........the engine's all sorted and we're running again.
Have to do the whole process again this winter....as another new engine will be going in on the Starboard side so we have two new beasts to push us along in 2011.
And...yes...they cost a fortune. Each engine plus installation is £20k...so £40k to re-engine her!!! Ouch...
Update....April 2011....second new engine in.....all now running fine!!! We are cruising a bit faster with the extra power....
Further Update....June 2011...new engine blows up!!! Nearest available engine is in Memphis,USA. Cummins (engine suppliers) air freight new engine in via Belgium (Customs at Heathrow delays engines)and install it....just one day before my Olympic Contract was due to start in July.
Further, further update. Last day of EFSA...October 2011...new engine goes wrong again!!! 28 Cummins experts from all over the world descend on the boat and stand about puzzled. Chief Cummins Wizard Mechanic, Simon, comes to the rescue. Fixes engine with a steely glare and casts Magic Incantations over it to ensure it will never go wrong again.
An even further update. Skipper Whittall, never one to be known as a cynical disbeliever, writes 32,000 letters to Cummins begging them to give him another engine to make up for the year's disasters. The begging partially works and a deal is struck. Another new engine will arrive in March 2012 and be matched up with the other two, a new gearbox put on it and so all ready to replace if either engine goes wrong again.
Skipper Whittall (me) last seen living in the gutter under Weymouth Town Bridge wearing old, shredded oilskins and feeding on semi roasted seagulls.
The new house I have bought in Phuket, Thailand, has three double bedrooms on the top floor and one single room on the ground floor for me!! All rooms have en-suite bathrooms and air-conditioning. The upstairs rooms have private balconies. There is a fifth bathroom, small swimming pool and parking for four cars. It can therefore sleep up to 6 people.
It backs onto a lagoon behind which is an elephant trail and behind that mountains.
It is five minutes from the main Chalong Pier in south Phuket from where the boats for fishing and diving go. In 2010 the new golf course close to the house will be opened. The quieter beaches are just five minutes away in Rawai where you can also enjoy Thai Food provided by the resturants as you are sitting next to the sea...it's idyllic!
PRICES: £600 per week for the whole house in peak season (Dec to March);
£400 per week for the whole house in Nov and April
£300 per week for the whole house in May through to October.
If you book the house for 3 weeks you get the fourth week free.
Booking a room. This costs £200 per week. Each room sleeps 2. All rooms have Air Conditioning; en-suite; private balcony.
Flights are about £550 return...so a three week holiday for two would cost you £850 each.
The original idea was to rent out the house on a self-catering basis but in response to the demand from customers, I will be in the house (if required) all of Dec, Jan, Feb and March each year to act as guide, taxi driver, trips arranger etc etc etc.
All sorts of activities, fresh water fishing, sea and shore angling trips, PADI diving courses, Thai Cooking, sailing....etc! It means I am going to get to know Phuket extremely well as I find out how to fulfil all your different requests...brilliant.
Click on this link and you are in Thailand!! www.paulsthaihouse.co.uk Read 'Pauls Blog' at the bottom of the menu on the homepage....you will see a 'diary' of what we have been doing to give you an idea....the last entry is all about the 3 day Similan Fishing trip we did in March....STACKS of fish!!
Booking situation (as of writing today 21st Nov 2011. The house is now full until the end of November 2012. December is available (Xmas/New Year on the beach??) and January 2013 up until Jan 23rd is available. The house is booked again from Jan 23rd to March 14th 2013. Now we are getting to understand the fishing better, I can guarantee you some pretty amazing sport....and don't forget, you can learn to scuba dive with me....for free!!!!!
AVAILABILITY. Now we are fully booked for the 2011/2011 season up until the end of March 2012. Luckily an Australian Dive Company is then renting the house until the end of Nov 2012.
December 2012 is available.
January 2013 is available up until January 23rd 2013. House is then booked from January 23rd until March 15th 2013(approx).
The last two weeks of March 2013 are available.
Prices will remain the same for the 2011/2012 season (see above).
Please have a look at the web site (paulsthaihouse.co.uk). The web designer (Dave Gibson) has inserted a number of links that will take you into a number of further web sites. You can find out the weather in any month; you can book your tickets online; you can access the charter boat or diving Company websites...or even delve into Thai Culture.
It's all on the web site...take your time and have a browse around.
I can guarantee you will not regret coming to Phuket for your winter holiday....go on..DO IT!!
My UK Telephone number is 01305 783739 or Mobile 07860 571615. Please email me for any questions about this....I am glad to help you have a great holiday.
Last Updated: Tue Nov 22 2011