A Three Hour Tour

On Sunday, I was invited to go fishing with Dave Fifer, one the AGs. His father-in-law Leonard was visiting and wanted to go fishing in Dave's boat. Accompanying us was another AG Christopher Hale. Dave's boat is a low sided flat boat popular for fishing in Palau. We departed from Neco Marina. When I arrived there was a large crowd gathered awaiting the arrival of the Hokule'a, a traditional canoe from Hawai'i sailing to Micronesia and then Japan. They use traditional methods of navigation like stars, the moon, and the current. It was supposed to have already arrived by that time, but it was still making its way down the coast of Babeldaob. We just saw the large crowd sitting awaiting its arrival.

It was a beautiful sunny day with few clouds. A decent breeze caused a bit of chop, but overall it was a fine day to be out on the water. We headed southwest near Little Toi until we were just southwest of Ulong. There we stopped at a nice stretch of shallower reef that made for ideal casting. We cut the engine and drifted with the current as Leonard, Christopher, and I cast. Leonard caught the first fish, a small emperor that he released. I then caught a nice grouper, but April 1 marked the beginning of their protected season, so I had to release it. Enforcement of those type of fishing laws can be difficult, but since Christopher is the one who handles the prosecution of illegal fishing, I released the grouper.

After drifting outside the reef, we repositioned ourselves further south. We drifted southwest near the Eleven Islands and the Seventy Islands. Those two nearby clusters are the most famous of the rock islands and usually the islands photographed. The Seventies are protected and no boating is allowed, but the Eleventies are not protected and made for a gorgeous spot to fish. Soon after arriving I hooked into a large bluefin trevally that we could see about forty yards off the boat, but it was able to slip the hook. A little later, my lure got hung up on a rock. It was shallow so I jumped in an waded over to the rock and unhooked it, earning a few scratches from the coral. The guys were kind enough to the throw the anchor so I could get back to the drifting boat. Our luck turned and we began bringing in fish. I caught a beautiful nine pound bluefin trevally that stayed on the hook and I got it in the boat. Christopher then started landing red snappers and caught at least a half dozen in a forty-five minute stretch. Fishing is fun when we land a lot of fish in succession. Eventually we decided to head back. After leaving the shallow area, Christopher dropped a trolling line and soon after caught a very nice mackerel. He was very happy and pleased with the conclusion of our fishing.

Unfortunately for us, the day was far from over. Soon after catching the mackerel, the boat's engine starting acting up and the rpms dropped to about quarter speed. We were still a long way out in the middle of the large area southeast of Ulong and Little Toi. Dave headed straight across at quarter speed to get us into the boat traffic lane. We weren't quite there yet when the engine cut out completely. Dave did his best to check the engine, but was unable to get it started. We later learned it was an electrical short in the engine. As Dave fiddled with the engine the rest of us took stock of the situation. It was just about a hour until sunset. We had managed to get near the main boat traffic pattern out to the big dive sites, however the dive boats had already left by that time. We had plenty of water and food and it was a full moon, so we were confident we could make it through the night without too much trouble and be discovered by the dive boats the next morning. We were more worried about Dave's wife Lori and her mother who would be worried about us. As we sat there, Christopher busied himself by attaching a towel to a pole with fishing line to make a crude flag. We saw a few boats way off in the distance, but none were close enough to signal.

About ten minutes before sunset, we saw a boat coming right at us. Christopher began waving his flag and we got their attention. Fortuitously, it was a boat Dave and Christopher recognized as a private charter boat from Neco. They knew the driver and the dive guide, who jumped aboard to give the engine a look. They managed to get it started again, but only at low rpms. As they fiddled with the engine, the rest of us we treated to a beautiful sunset over the Seventies. With the engine still not cooperating, our rescuers volunteered to tow us in. They attached a line to our boat and we climbed aboard the big charter boat. In a short span of time we went from stranded to cruising through the rock islands in the waning light on a charter boat. The ride was fantastic and gorgeous with the fading colors of the sunset and the full moon rising. On the charter boat it was only a family of four who were very nice. We drove them back to PPR before returning both boats to Neco. At the dock we met up with a relieved Lori. Also at the dock was the Hokule'a and its support boats which had arrived mid-afternoon. After unpacking the boat, I took my bluefin trevally and headed home. I had just enough energy to clean and fillet the trevally and eat half of it for dinner. It is delicious fish to begin with and it is only made better by the fact I had caught it, cleaned it, and cooked it. I collapsed into my bed exhausted but very happy not to be sleeping on a boat.