We've meticulously planned this two-week expedition to the breathtaking Steep Point, timed perfectly with the new moon phase in March. Our adventure entails fishing from my trusty Haines Hunter, promising an unforgettable experience.

Our first stop was in Denham, where we embarked on an extravagant refuelling mission. This endeavour involved filling not only my 600-liter tank but also 10 jerry cans and a substantial 200-liter drum, culminating in a grand total of 1000 litres. The strategy behind carrying the 200-liter drum was that the Haines would burn approximately 100 litres to reach Shelter Bay from Denham. Upon reaching our destination, we executed the plan to transfer 100 litres from the drum to my tank, making the drum manageable for two individuals to lift off and get to the shore.

After launching the boat, I decided to conduct a brief test drive while the others parked the car. We wanted to ensure that it was floating properly. We realized that some weight needed to be shifted to balance it properly. Once we made the necessary adjustments, we set off. Although the boat did feel a bit weighty, it still handled beautifully.

Once we ventured onto the open water, we discovered that the sweet spot for our speed was around 20 knots. At this pace, our fuel consumption averaged about 58 litres per hour, with a mileage of 0.6-0.7 kilometres per litre. This meant we burned a total of 93 litres for the 60-kilometer journey. Our route took us straight across to Dirk Hartog Island, where we followed the coastline down before making a direct course across to Shelter Bay. As you're in a bay for the whole trip its quite protected from the open ocean but can still get quite some wind chop.

During our journey to Shelter Bay, we were fortunate to encounter favourable weather conditions with gentle winds. However, our anticipation was clouded by an unfavourable weather forecast for the next two weeks, predicting strong southerly winds. Given this forecast, we made a collective decision to head straight to Shelter Bay, swiftly unload the boat, refuel from the drum, and promptly embark on a half days fishing.

Heading directly out from the point, a mere 10 kilometres offshore, we found ourselves in waters in the 60-meter range. Both dropping down vexed Dhu drops on drift one we had a double hookup of Rankin's. On the following drift, Rex made a strategic shift to bait, which led to a rewarding catch of a beautiful Pearl Perch.

During the subsequent few days, we found ourselves relentlessly battered by harsh weather conditions, with the relentless, strong southerly winds., we strategically explored various fishing spots, ranging from 60 kilometres south of the point to 60 kilometres north of it, as well as the ground directly in front of the point. Our fishing took us through a diverse range of depths, spanning from 40 to 100 meters.

We discovered that the most productive fishing grounds were in the 80 to 100-meter range. Interestingly, shallower waters presented a challenge, as relentless Pink Snapper voraciously attacked our baits and jigs before other species had a chance to take the bait.

Over the following two weeks, we encountered a challenging bottom fishing environment with fish not really on the chew, but our determination paid off as we managed to land fish each day. We employed a combination of bait fishing and jigging techniques, resulting in impressive catches including Red Emperor weighing up to 8 kilograms, Rankin Cod, Baldchin Grouper, Coronation Trout, and a variety of other species.

Despite the persistent strong winds throughout each day, we were fortunate to find that Shelter Bay Anchorage offered a welcome respite from the southerly gusts, creating tranquil evenings for us.

Our anchoring strategy involved using a single anchor at the front of the boat while securing the stern to a hammered-in star picket. The beach's noticeable drop-off allowed us to anchor the boat relatively close to the shore, ensuring ease of access.

Star picket rather than stren anchor offers the ability to take up slack or let out slack on canging tide conditions

The highlight of our trip undoubtedly was the pelagic fishing experience. We stayed at the southern tip of Dirk Hartog Island, fishing in waters ranging from 20 to 30 meters deep. Our winning strategy was straightforward: we kept an eye out for the telltale presence of birds, and without fail, it led us to the fish every single time. With water temperatures consistently hovering around 23 to 24 degrees Celsius each day, the abundance of fish was truly remarkable.

Our initial success in this pelagic fishing endeavour came from trolling lures. Among the notable catches were a massive Wahoo and multiple Yellowfin Tuna. Following that, we shifted our approach to locating the fish and then enticing them with casted stick baits to trigger exhilarating topwater bites.

On the journey back to Denham, the boat felt noticeably lighter without the bulk of the fuel load. Nevertheless, we were still carrying a substantial amount of camping gear, which added to the boat's weight on the water. We did use some fuel, approximately 64 litres, for the return trip. This was significantly less than the 95 litres we had consumed on the initial journey over to our destination. In total, we consumed 912 litres of fuel during our two-week adventure.