Salmon catchin!!

21 August 2015
329088kms. 13:30. Beautiful sunny day after another minus 6 frost. Forecast awesome for next couple of days so we're off to the Canals to, according to Mike, do some "salmon catchin!". Not fishing, catching! 14:00 done shopping/filled diesel and now on way to Clyde Dairy to get fish & chips for lunch. Went into Twizel to fill up with water. Had 1 jug at the pub and parked up beside Lake Ruataniwha at 17:20. Beautiful evening but it's going to be a cold one, we think.  Sat and watched TV and talked. Decided we weren't that hungry after our late lunch, so had a ham and salad turkish bun for tea. Hit the pit at 22:00.

22 August 2015
Up at 05:30 because Roxie needed out! Minus 1.6 so not too bad. Had coffee and back to bed!  Up again at 08:00 - now minus 3.2. But glorious sunrise and clear skies so it's going to be gorgeous. And it was, but no fish! Didn't see anyone else catching any either. Jo came out and had coffee and lunch with us while we were at the Pukaki Canal, and after trying B and checking out C, we dumped and went and parked in her driveway. Had drinkies, went to pub for tea - beautiful blue cod (& the place was humming) and when we got back to Maggie (@ 10:30) we were confronted by 2 very unhappy dogs as one of them had needed to go to the toilet. Poor things! So spent next hour cleaning carpets/feet/shoes.

23 August 2015
Up at 7:00, minus 5, clear skies and it's going to be another cracker day!
Mike cooked breakfast for Jo and I, & once things were warmed up & thawes out so we could use the hose to finish cleaning, we headed off back to Pukaki Canal. Nothing happening for ages and then started to get some nibbles on the shrimp. And the next thing, my reel frantically spins into action, followed immediately by the crash of rocks as my shrimp is taken - along with the hook, sinker, line, rod and reel!!!! Mike tried for a while to snag it but no luck. Off into Twizel to see if hardware/fishing shop still open but just missed the Fishing shop who closed at 13:00! Bugger bugger bugger no more fishing for me.  Despite trying and a few nibbles, Mike had no luck either. Packed up at 16:15 & moved to the spot we found further away from the road beside Lake Ruataniwha where we are now allowed to park. Gorgeous afternoon but can see the front coming. Oh, & our usb cigarette lighter charger has given up the ghost. Used both power banks but they're now empty too. So having to conserve battery power on phones. And I sat and cross-stitched this afternoon - but had left the current page, needle and scissors at home so had to start on a new page! And the guys who saw my rod disappear reckon it would have been one of the big fish they've been catching all week - 20-25 lbs!!!

24 August 2015
Up at 07:00, plus 1.5 degrees and overcast. 09:00 - dumping in Twizel and then home via Wrinklies. Awesome weekend!!