Ono; Paradise with a GT wonderland

[carnster]

Seriously awesome trip and gr8 pics.

[Zed]

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I'd like to hear more of the finger. Was it biochemical or just touched a nerve? Is there no ciguatera there? 'Cuda are notorious for storing it up in HI. Top notch blue! Those are so beautiful in the water. I've caught a total of 1 in southern Baja MEX. You've found a good wife/partner. Or she found you, maybe. You're my hero. Do you adopt? I'm 43 and independent/self sufficient, but I'm "special-needs" as I don't pedal a Hobie.

Thank you for posting up the report!

[indiedog]

Awesome trip Derek, but looks like both of you were too tired to do much at dinner time after your big day out on the water.

[Barrabundy]

Thanks for that report. Including your wife has brought instant credibility to any fishing holiday discussion I have with my wife......the photos of restaurant, massage facility and beach were especially convincing

[RedPhoenix]

Right. You're off the christmas list.

I booked that bloody typhoon for the day you ARRIVED not left. Going to have to ask 'crusher' to chat to my weather guy, it seems.

Red.

[Junglefisher]

Truly awesome, an inspiration.
Any idea what the snake is?

Was thinking the same thing, like a cross between a Children's and a Brown tree snake (NT species)

Tree boa.
Candoia bibroni


+1 with Zed, what caused the finger numbness? I'd forgotten about that with the excitement of the snake.

[keza]

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I'd like to hear more of the finger. Was it biochemical or just touched a nerve? Is there no ciguatera there?

There is ciguatera in some areas, the boat fishes in other areas generally and doesn't have any trouble with it.
Not sure which direction Derek went in the kayak.

[Zed]

That was actually multiple unrelated questions --I think 4yo's are more coherent, ha. I didn't mean to imply the cig was related to the finger, just to clarify. The big (really nice one) 'cuda was what spawned the question, since they do rove the reefs and can build up a heavy dose of it.

[keza]

I sort of new that but my answer is probably as bad as your question.
I was meaning that one area of the reef is know to have cig but the boats tend to stay clear of the area.
Then I was meaning that the cuda may or may not of come from that area but as you say they do roam and are known for worms etc.

[Decay]

Right. You're off the christmas list.

No loss there!!
Last year I gave you a fish "textile" pre-impregnated with fish odors and a smattering of simulated blood. A precious item that I recall with fond memories, in return you gave me a pre-oxidised hook that you had "treated" to make it "child safe" (blunt) attached to 40 cm of UV damaged 20 lb monofilament line. Until you lift your game and Christmas presents I intend to continue writing these stories!

Zed wrote:* * * * *

I'd like to hear more of the finger. Was it biochemical or just touched a nerve? Is there no ciguatera there?



There is ciguatera in some areas, the boat fishes in other areas generally and doesn't have any trouble with it.
Not sure which direction Derek went in the kayak.

I wish I could tell if this was biochemical or physical, I'm still having minor issues in the morning. There was never anything more than a scratch that didn't even break the skin, so I was skeptical about biochemical, however, two days ago I noticed a very small puncture wound on the tendon that may have been caused by a fish spine, I suspect I have a combination of physical damage and chemical (on accounts that temperature affects the numbness in my finger).

Regarding ciguatera, it is definitely in the area and needs to be considered when eating all fish. It is more present on the Western side of the reefs, so Piero tends to fish the East (including the Astrolabe drop off). Piero makes careful decisions on what guests and staff can eat depending on species and place of capture. The barracuda (cuda) was eaten, partly because the staff took ASAP but also because it was smallish. Last year this baby came in at 22kg:

22kg cuda

That proved to be ciguatera free and was caught about 1 km away from this years fish. This year's fish was somewhere in the 10-14 kg range (I didn't weigh it this year... it was cut into steaks before I could do anything) so it was a reasonable guess that it was ciguatera free (and proved to be so). The other benefit at the island is that the locals have a local bark from a tree that they use to cure ciguatera poisoning. Piero can testify to it working as it save bella the cat (cats are hypersensitive to ciguatera and die in hours).

Bella used to give all fish a CAT scan as they came in:

Bella just finishing a CAT

Bella also used to pre-warm the kayak seats

Bella warming my kayak

Bella has unfortunately passed away and know Piero and Vuli miss her. There is a new Bella but she's not trained to do the CAT scans yet.

[Zed]

Thanks Decay. I remember that TR, now. Bella was a cool cat, and you're trips too. Now that's a 'cuda!
Good luck w/ your finger. Based on your description, I bet you got jabbed in a nerve.

[RedPhoenix]

Right. You're off the christmas list.

in return you gave me a pre-oxidised hook that you had "treated" to make it "child safe" (blunt) attached to 40 cm of UV damaged 20 lb monofilament line.

Bah.. that wasn't UV damaged - it was 'heat treated'! See, the fact that I kept it on the back shelf of the car in the sunshine until it partially melted, means that it smoothed out all the nicks in the line from the manufacturing process. And adding oxygen atoms to stuff makes things stronger anyway. Look at nitric acid - without those double-bonded oxygen atoms, it'd just be ammonia. Plus.. with your record of loosing glasses overboard, I couldn't trust you with sharp hooks anyway.

And as for the fish 'textile'.. I think it might have crawled off somewhere of it's own volition. I think I saw it behind the water-tank the other day. A square of cloth is not supposed to 'hiss' at you when you walk past.

Red.

[dru]

Thought it was all boring. (maybe not!) But THEN you show a life saving cat! Oo-er.

Oh ok. there is nothing in this report that fails sensational. Here in the Sydney winter. Thank you. [and Bella is cool.]

Hmm, checking the bucket list... Do they do cocktails? We've got fish, we've got yakking, we've got massage. Getting close.

Hey, your plane was a twin Otter wasn't it? If so no issues landing there. Very fond of this plane.