On A Lighter Note

On A Lighter Note

 

 

We now have a studio apartment on the Emten Lagoon.  Our balcony is right on the edge of the lagoon.  So naturally, I fish off of our balcony.  Below is a picture looking off of our balcony and the first fish I caught.  Don't ask me what kind it is, because there are so many that look alike.  They just have different coloring.  To me, they all look like a perch.

 

 

 

 

We then had the opportunity one Saturday to go to the northern part of the island to one of the branches, Paonagisu.  We went with Brother and Sister Bennion.  He is our facilities manager.  He is from Fiji and loves to fish.  So, after we went to the branch building, see below, we stopped at a boat ramp near by to do a little fishing.

 

 

 

 

This was the biggest fish I caught.  It is called a Trevally.  Kind of looks like a Tuna.  We caught some smaller fish that day, but gave them away to the natives there.  John took the Trevally home and ate it.  I'm still skeptical about eating any of the fish because of Ciguatera poisoning.  This is caused by a dinoflagellate that adhers to the coral, algae and seaweed.  The reef fish eat the dinoflagellate and the toxin builds up in their bodies.  The carnivorous fish eat the reef fish, and they pick it up.  The problem is that it doesn't cook out.  So if a fish contains enough of it, you can get really sick.  There is no scientific way to detect whether or not the fish has it or not.  The natives set the fish out and see if flies are attracted to it.  If it draws flies, then it's ok to eat. Yum. 

 

 I've been back to this place once since I caught the Trevally.  I don't have any pictures of that trip, but it was a memorable one.  Brother Bennion and I delivered a couple of chalk boards up to the Paongisu Branch.  We than stopped to do a little fishing off the boat ramp.  On my first cast, I slipped on the moss on the boat ramp and slid all the way down into the water.  I was able to quickly get out of the water on the side of the ramp where it was flat.  I then realized I had broken the end of my pole and got my cell phone wet with salt water.  Good-by phone!  I tried to dry it out and clean it up (took it all apart), but I think the salt helps to short circuit the whole thing. 

 

 Brother Bennion started a conversation with one of the boat men there at the ramp. He talked him into taking us out on his boat, if we paid for the gas.  So - I went trolling with no tip on my pole.  John caught a Rainbow Runner, and so did I.  They are also called Hawaian Salmon.  It was about 20 inches long and maybe 2-3 pounds.  It was skinnier than the Trevally.   I ended up giving mine to the boat man, who happened to be one of the Chiefs out on the island across from the boat ramp.  I also caught a Bonita that I let John keep.  On top of everything else, I forgot to bring my sun screen that day.  Even though we were only out for about three hours, I got fried.  Luckily I had my hat on to keep my head from getting burned.  Aloe Vera does wonders and really helped my arms.  It was still a fun trip.  I forgot to mention that it was Connie Jeanne's birthday.  Serves me right!

 

Below are a couple of other pictures off our balcony.  

 

 

 

  This last one is looking across and down the lagoon.  They are building some more huts for tourists.