MFF ORIS Comp: Discussion

[robby017]

NO problem Sir.

Here's a 3rd route leading from Intercontinental/Eden Centuary Cinemas/Eden Superbowl and Baystreet Complex.......

Drive up from near Eden and Intercontinental Hotel to the top of the hill and pass trough small tunnel (passing under Regional Road/ the 2 Red dots)...... continue driving straight up Triq is Swieqi and take third turning on your right(the first 2 are one way so you must take the 3rd one). Once you take the third road, which is Triq is Sidra, keep driving up this road until you get to Giordano's which will be on your right...... opposite Giordano's fields start to show, so, if you're seeing fields to your left...... you've passed Giordano's.... Another note to mention, Giordano's is part of the Garden View Holiday Complex building.

http://maltafishingforum.com/talk/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=4080

[Spirit of Jason]

Thanks Robby and Shanook, I have managed to work out the route from San Gwann.

[shanook]

be careful Gus as wrong turning will get u to paceville not aplace for our age anymore lol...... apart from a shout from the missus

[Moonwalker]

Cant understand why Gnejna starting time is at 5am while others is at 4:30 - pls explain.

I have a friend with some good expereince on alunghi that wishes to join as crew. He has 3 rods and many lures so he is ideal for some beginners with a boat. He's not coming with me cos I have no place for him. If interested pls post here or send me pm.

[robby017]

Simple... Gnejna is much closer to the fishing grounds...

[busumark]

i suggest that all starting times be put back by 15 min.

at 05 00 there will be already light and that 30 min after sunrise is good for alungi. from Gnejna if you have a boat doing 18 kts you still need 20 min to start fishing so that good 30 min is lost. if the boat is slower a lot more time is lost.

from B'bugia and cirkewwa you have at least 9 miles to start fishing so to start fishing at 05 00 you have to do 20 kts half of the time in the dark. the slower boats may take an hour to arrive and so they loose the first 30 min good for fishing.

If the starting times are B'Bugia 04 15 Cirkewwa 04 15 Gnejna 04 45 I think it would be better because everyone will be or nearly will be in a good position to start fishing by sunrise.

[Spirit of Jason]

I know what you mean Shanook, we made the mistake of booking into a hotel there about 10 yrs ago, we only lasted one night and we moved into the Baypoint Raddison.

[Spirit of Jason]

Skip
Have you got the easting, for Marsamxett Pier.

02:00 – 03:15
Marsamxett Pier – Near Valletta Waterpolo Pitch Approx GPS: 35°54'1.47"N  35°54'1.47"N.

Most of the forum members will know were it is, but me being a newbie.

Thanks in advance.
Captain Gus

[skip]

02:00 – 03:15
Marsamxett Pier – Near Valletta Waterpolo Pitch Approx GPS: 35°54'1.47"N  14°30'36.26"E.

Sorry about that, cut and paste problem!

[The_Gaffer]

i suggest that all starting times be put back by 15 min.

at 05 00 there will be already light and that 30 min after sunrise is good for alungi. from Gnejna if you have a boat doing 18 kts you still need 20 min to start fishing so that good 30 min is lost. if the boat is slower a lot more time is lost.

from B'bugia and cirkewwa you have at least 9 miles to start fishing so to start fishing at 05 00 you have to do 20 kts half of the time in the dark. the slower boats may take an hour to arrive and so they loose the first 30 min good for fishing.

If the starting times are B'Bugia 04 15 Cirkewwa 04 15 Gnejna 04 45 I think it would be better because everyone will be or nearly will be in a good position to start fishing by sunrise.

Mark, I fully understand what you're saying. 

However, lets look at this from a different angle.  So, there are approx 17 boats leaving Grand harbour to make their way down to the starting point at Birzebbugia.  If the starting time at Birzebbugia is pushed back to 4.15am, the boats have to leave Grand Harbour at around 3.00am to make their way down to the starting point at Birzebbugia, travelling in pitch darkness at around 5 to 6 knts.  To check 17 boats at Valletta pier, say 5 minutes per boat, is going to take around 85 minutes, or 1hr 25minutes, we need to start the checking at 1.30am!, so that by 3.00am all boats can make their way down to Birzebbugia.  Again, at the start point, all boats, whether fast or slow, have to go at 5 to 6 knts, for at 4.15 am it is still pitch dark.  I don't think this is going to be acceptable.  As a forum, our primary concern is safety at sea, and we need to ensure that we do not create a situation whereby boats are make to rush out in pitch darkness just for the sake of being at the fishing grounds.

[Moonwalker]

My angler hot spots are at around 20miles from Gnejna. So although we can start fishing on the first or second ridge, we would prefer to go to the hotspots directly and start fishing there just before sunrise. This trip would take about an hour so leaving at 4:30 would be ideal for us.

[The_Gaffer]

Moonwalker: this is not about personal preference, but rather about collective safety.  Once all the boats coming down from Grand Harbour arrive at the tarting point in Birebbugia, we'll be meeting up with the boats coming out of Marsascala and Birzebbugia...potentially about 30 boats all gathered between the two fairway bouys just outside the entrance to the freeport, all with their own potential hotspots.  Last year I had a very close encounter with a boat speeding out in pitch darkness trying to reach its preferred fishing grounds.  Given the wide publicity this competition is enjoying...we don't want to be in a situation where we have to explain how and why an accident at sea was not prevented, just because we were satisfying personal preferences.  
Also, do you think its fair that the participants leaving from the Grand Harbour area have to be at the checking point by 1.30am!!!...well I don't...by the looks of things, I'd calculate I need to be on the boat by 1.00am just to make it in time for the Valletta checkpoint.  So I'd need to wake up around midnight!!!!....
Let me explain... Joe wakes up (if I do sleep that is) 1.00am...wash face, go to the bathroom,  have quick breakfast, and drive down to the Marina from B'kara.  Joe arrives at the Marina at 1.00am...boards The Gaffer, uncovers boat, disengages shore-power, starts engines, does quick inspection of the boat, engine, electronics, makes sure everything is in perfect working condition, crew arrives, crew boards boat, mooring ropes are let off, and The Gaffer edges out of berth for a 15 minute journey to Valletta chackpoint; Time now is 1.40am...Joe slowly manuevers boat to come alongside the Valletta checkpoint jetty, inspectors board the boat, carry out inspection, and finally The Gaffer is allowed to leave...Joe waits for the rest of the boats to finish inspection, and hopefully, by 3.00am, all boats exit Marsamxett harbour and slowly at 5-6knts, make their way down to Birzebbugia in pitch darkness and seas infested with bouys, markers and God knows what debris!!!!...Not the ideal situation to start off a competition.

[The_Gaffer]

Nick, Given the situation explained in my previous post, can we make arrangements to have the boats moored at the Msida Marina inspected at the marina, like we did last year, instead of having to go to the Valletta checkpoint. 

[LapsiBoy]

If we are leaving out of ghadira bay where do we meet up in the morning?

[The_Gaffer]

Lapsiboy:  there will be an inspection point at Cirkewwa for boats leaving from the north part of the island.  Be sure to attend the safety briefing where all this and other important aspects of the tournament will be explained.  Failure to attend the safety briefing automatically disqualifes the boat and skipper from participation, since formal registration will happen at the safety briefing.