(schools in China are HUGE man! Getting my head around
the populations gives me a headache), both from high school
and from university, she would be the only one who was
doing such a thing.
The idea that such an every-day activity for me, and not too
big a deal for any Kiwi really, was such a rare and amazing
thing to millions of people, really brings home just how
damn blessed we are here in this little land of ours.
Another visitor to our land was Milena, a Lithuanian lass
doing her Big OE to the antipodes. By the way... why New
Zealand? Lord of the Rings.
Now taking Milena out to mug a pile of small snapper
was also to her an enormous buzz. While she was no fisherperson at home, she had plenty to say about life in Eastern
Europe. To have a boat like mine? Easy! With money
and the knowledge of who to bribe to get such a thing it
would be easy. To find somewhere to actually catch a fish?
Not so easy. The days of the old Soviet empire have long
gone, all the good fishing or boating spots are now no
longer controlled for the use of Party Bosses only, oh no.
Now they are all "owned" by government ministers, top
officials in the government and the very, very wealthy
"mafia" type businessmen.
Amy didn't care if a fish
was small, or not a holy
snapper... just catching it
for free... Amazing!
What I found most interesting was
the reaction of the overseas visitors to
what I would normally only sneer at
The chances of just a Joe Bloggs like me being able to
have such toys as I have, to go out and spend a day catching
anything at all are slim indeed.
Man, we really just do not know how lucky we are, as the
song goes.
So, we only caught tiny little fish that all had to be tossed
back, as I said, in Mercury Bay in January that is about
all you will ever find. Come calm weather and February's
thinning crowds, I was able to get out to the Hook (200m
deep, well off Red Mercury Island), and yes, 50lb pukas were
back on the menu, but that is another story.
What I found most interesting was the reaction of the
overseas visitors to what I would normally only sneer at and
disdainfully flip back over the side. They were amazed at
such easy fishing. They loved the colours of the fish. They
REALLY loved seeing a couple of pods of dolphins.
It was something of an eye opener to me at just how spoiled
for choice we are in this country, and how we assume a good
day's fishing only counts if you wind up with a bin full of fish.
In these trips with Amy and Milena, we only kept one tarakihi
(wow, big deal), but those girls have dozens of pictures of
themselves with fish such as they had never dreamed of seeing
before. They didn't give a tinker's cuss whether we kept any or
not. Seeing a school of blue maomao hanging around the back
of the boat and seeing a rat king come in and have a go at one
of their little hooked fish just blew them away.
And it opened my jaded eyes. I don't care if I can catch
great big fish any more. I am just happy as Larry to be able
to live in a country as free, as clean, as uncrowded and as
beautiful as ours. And that beats filleting a pile of dead
snapper any day of the week.
We don't know how lucky we are, son, we don't know
how lucky, we are.
Welcome to my world, a paradise called
ZIPOLO HABU RESORT
for fishing, diving, surfing or just relaxing in the sun, visit
ZIPOLO HABU RESORT
Munda,Western Province, Solomon Islands.
Visit our website at www.zipolohabu.com.sb
Email zipolo@solomon.com.sb • Ph 00677-62178
or contact Captain Asparagus
Email StuCawkerCapt.Asp@xtra.co.nz
VIP.S79
May/June 2013 Professional Skipper 51
