Black Panther 1,584 Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 The river is going crazy. Something is spooking the fish and they are splashing everywhere. More than 30 mins now. What do you think is chasing them? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Black Panther 1,584 Posted May 12, 2018 Author Share Posted May 12, 2018 A big one just smacked the hull hard. Like a fist. A few nights ago getting in the dinghy we heard a big splash but couldn't see anything. Maybe we have own weiti river monster. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Black Panther 1,584 Posted May 12, 2018 Author Share Posted May 12, 2018 Wow. The little guys are hiding under the hull and the big something is getting very aggressive. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Black Panther 1,584 Posted May 12, 2018 Author Share Posted May 12, 2018 Wow. The little guys are hiding under the hull and the big something is getting very aggressive. It's a bit weird as I'm the only person around. No one will believe me tomorrow. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fish 0 Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 H A P P Y T E E T H da dant da dant da dant chomp chomp chomp 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Black Panther 1,584 Posted May 12, 2018 Author Share Posted May 12, 2018 Eventually headed upstream towards Charlatan. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ex TL systems 63 Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 I was at tiri one night and a pod of dolphins were in the bay all night and still there in the morning probably chasing rays Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fish 0 Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 Did you survive the night BP? Is your dinghy OK, or does it look like a leopard seal tried mating with it? If you need rescuing just holla and we'll be right along. How long did it all carry on for, and did you see / work out what it was? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Black Panther 1,584 Posted May 12, 2018 Author Share Posted May 12, 2018 I'm think I survived . It lasted over 40 mins. I eventually started the engine and they moved away instantly. Only ever saw the bait fish near the boat. Other than that the occasioanal heavy splash and two massive thumps against the hull/keel. It was surreal and I've been playing boats for 60 yrs now. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Black Panther 1,584 Posted May 12, 2018 Author Share Posted May 12, 2018 I think the difference was this predator was utterly indifferent to nearby human. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fish 0 Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 Maybe it was just a normal 'meat ball' of fish, where the big fish circle the bait fish into a ball and start chomping away at them, and it just happened to be centred around you. I know the fisho's get very excited by meat balls. There is certainly a lot of life in the river, especially on a rising / high tide. I've seen a good sized kingi swim past the dinghy pontoon (about 1 m in length). Saw a full size ray there with the kids. There is normally enough bait fish around the pontoon to look like an aquarium. Not to mention "Mr Strippy Fish", who is a Parore that lives by the little ramp upstream of the dinghy pontoon. Every time the kids come down we have a look for him. He has been in residence for 6 months, maybe 9 months now. Often around dusk (and high tide) there are massive random splashes around the river. Very hard to see what makes them, but they are certainly not small what ever it is. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fish 0 Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 Or do you think it was one large predator? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chariot 243 Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 Maybe NZ's first salt water croc. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fish 0 Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 Hay BP, do you think it was a Leopard Seal? I'm thinking about taking the kids for a putta in the dinghy this afternoon, but since ours is a grey inflatable that looks vaguely like a lady seal, I wouldn't mind ruling out the 'Weiti Predator' from trying to get amorous, while it would be a good 'close up' experience with wildlife, I might find it difficult to get the kids out again afterwards.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vorpal Blade 89 Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 Nothing at all to worry about BP...... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Black Panther 1,584 Posted May 12, 2018 Author Share Posted May 12, 2018 In the clear light of day probably the meat ball and some big kingis. Amazing be right in the middle of it Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rigger 47 Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 Flying fish, 18 inches long, make a thump when hitting hull. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 543 Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 I have seen many a live bait fish try to almost climb out onto rocks when a Kingi has turned up. I also have a friend that when she was in Greece they had a school of fish fly out and strand themselves high and dry on the beach. Although we can only assume some large predator had caused them to do that. The Beach was covered in fish. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Timberwolfy 62 Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 couple weeks ago I was working late on bored when I started hearing similar noises, though to a far lesser extent. best bit was when I could hear one thumping against the hull. almost made me not want to install the stereo system... (I bought speakers the next day) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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