Shark attack info graphic.
September 7th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
The fine folks over at Wend Magazine have linked to an interesting graphic on shark attack data- in some cases dating back to the 16th century…
Dead Opelu Shortage
August 27th, 2010 § 2 Comments
The best bait store in Hawaii is your local grocery store.
Fishing time for me has been hard to come by in the past few weeks, and in the time since I last got out (apparently) there are no frozen opelu to be found for bait in Hilo. I tried to get out on the water this afternoon, but a search for those stinky, but ideal, little kayak fishing baits proved to be in vain. Usually you can find an expensive pair in the grocery department of KTA or Sack-N-Save as a last ditch option, but even they were out. A little creativity was in order, and the closest thing that I could find in the Sack-N-Save deli was a type of small Jack called a ‘blue runner’. Looks to me like something a big Ono would find tasty, and definitely worth a shot at less than $3. I also found a pack of 6-8″ sardines, which are very much like opelu in miniature, so maybe I’ll just catch smaller Ahi. That would be fine.
The Sea Wave box is squid, which is great cut into strips for smaller fish. I’m still trying to learn how to catch my own opelu, because the only thing better than dead bait, is live bait…
After so much messing around, and an annoying preponderance of errands, and traffic that normally only dwells in my nightmares- I didn’t even get to launch. Tomorrow is another day…
Is it bait or dinner? Only time will tell...
Ahi on the grill
August 20th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
Sorry- no time to post anything substantial.
Fresh fish + local beer = good times
Ahi #2, 28 lbs.
August 14th, 2010 § 1 Comment
It’s been two and a half months of fishless days, and (most recently) weeks without fishing at all, but I’m happy to report that the fishing gods have smiled upon me once again. There are days when it doesn’t take long for you to realize that going fishing was maybe not the best idea. While it was a day off from work that I had pegged for fishing from a week ago, there are of course, all of life’s little pains that need to fill in the day as well. I thought, it would be fine to drop the kids off for the first day of school, drop the truck off for new exhaust work, then get myself and my boat dropped off at Leleiwi for a quick tour of the grounds. Everything went as planned, until I tried to pull the damashi rig behind the boat outside the rocks, just in case there were any live-bait fish that were interested in joining my cause. None were. Next, I threw out a crystal minnow while trolling out to water deep enough to throw out the opelu, but fearful of getting a bad tangle with the damashi, I trolled fast and soon reeled the CM in in order to drop the opelu. Now, why I was so concerned about the CM getting tangled with the damashi, but not the opelu rig, I’ll never know. Guess what happened next?
As soon as I felt I had dropped the opelu out far enough, I thought that it sure would suck if I got my damashi tangled up in it, so I decided to reel it up. Seemed heavier- seemed like there may be something on it, though I couldn’t feel any pulses. But as got it up close to the surface- sure enough- there was a fish on. Turned out to be a dead opelu- mine. The one I just dropped. Pffftht.
I spent a good 10 minutes focused on twisted lines in the 5-6 ft swell before I felt sick enought to realize it was time to cut. Not only the big knot-ball the damashi rig caused, but yards and yards of twist in the middle of the opelu line. I pulled it all in by hand, cutting and wrapping, and stashed it all in the bottom of the kayak. I was left with about 50 yards of line between my hand and the opelu, and just decided to tie it back on to what was left of the spool on the 6/0, hoping for the best. Especially since I couldn’t remember how to tie those fancy ‘line to line’ knots, so I just tied two clinch knots (trilene knots?) together. I assumed it would break. I should add here that I came real close to option #2, which was paddle straight in, as the swell, while commonly that size for us out there, was being really confused and annoying with multi-directional combers and shifty lines. The yak was being thrown around like a toy, and it was hard to stay focused on watching the seas.
Actually I combined the two options; paddle for shore after letting more line out. What more could go wrong? Fortunately, aside from the wacky following swell throwing my tail right and left, nothing did go wrong. Then (finally) something went right- the reel began to sing. “That’s what I’m talking about.” I actually said it out loud- being prone to talking to myself when fishing. Actually, I’m just prone to talking to myself. I grabbed the rod and gave it a tug, and felt nothing. Turned the boat into the fish, and then felt something taking me for a ride. Went slamming over a few big waves, and then began a fairly straight-forward pump and reel routine, until I got the fish up next to the bow. This time, the fish wasn’t side-hooked and came up much more easily. The first thing to pop up, was the lovely yellow-flecked tail of an ahi. I wheeled it around to the side of the boat and made three really bad stabs with the kage, but he was hooked well, and the fourth stab finally killed him.
After (comically) flipping him into the hatch behind me while a passing boat stopped to watch, I almost dropped another opelu before continuing my paddle, but decided to count my blessings instead. Turned out- I forgot to bring my cooler, so I had the lovely wife pick up some trash bags on her way to get me, and then went to buy a cooler. The cooler selection at wal-mart sucked so bad, that I just bought a big rubbermaid tub and filled it with ice. Worked just fine, just have to add plenty of ice.
I probably had the opelu in an ‘effective’ troll for less than 20 minutes when the ahi finally hit, so- next time that little voice tells you that you shouldn’t even have paddled out; ignore it. Just keep fishing…
28 lb Ahi. For immediate consumption.
The bite is on?
August 12th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
Today’s catch- I’ll post specifics later on this fish that almost wasn’t caught…
Tonight’s view of Kilauea in moonlight
July 27th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
I keep trying to catch a night with the winds blowing a different way so that the plume will at least not bend to the right as usual. But trade winds are trade winds, and they are just always there. Oh well- nice night for a walk along the rim of Halema`uma`u crater. While the lower extreme of Kilauea is burning houses, the chimney at the top keeps chugging away…
11:34pm and a full moon
I can still ride a bike!
July 18th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
Despite the presence of a cold, wet, and dreary day in Volcano (surprise!…) I somehow inspired myself to actually air up the tires in the trusty old Karate Monkey and hit the trail. Felt good. REAL good, and it’s a shame I let so much time go by without riding. It was the same old Crater Rim Trail jaunt, something I tend to get bored with quickly if I ride it too often, but- I really shouldn’t be allowed to complain about a 12 mile ride on the rim of an active volcano.
Karate Monkey peers into the void, Halema`uma`u Crater
Click map for ride details
I knew Drifting Family went to see Peter Pan at the Kilauea Military Camp theater, so I swung by and found them attempting a game of tennis after the show, which was good fun to watch for many reasons. By the time we were ready to go we realized we should just eat at the KMC cafeteria, which has decent food (cajun mahi mahi and all-you-can-eat salad bar) for little expense. By the time we were done with that, it was dark, and I conveniently accepted a ride back home.
Micronesian navigator Mau Piailug dead at 78
July 12th, 2010 § 2 Comments
I don’t really know that much about sailing yet, really, but I can recognize that the early voyages undertaken by early polynesians are nothing short of amazing. “We, the Navigators” is a bit of a tough read to slog through, but one name that sticks out in your mind as the most important link to that ancient legacy, is Mau Piailug, the navigator on board the first sail of Hokule`a in 1976. Largely through him, the art of sailing a simple, double-hulled canoe across a wide expanse of sea is not lost.
Bon voyage, Mau.
Honolulu Star-Advertiser article
Mau Piailug on the beach at Satawal, with a star compass in the sand (June 1983). Photo courtesy of the photographer, Steve Thomas.
A launch for lunch
July 5th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
Fours hours of paddling and nothing to show for it but a beautiful lunch spot. I’m the kind of guy who can’t complain about that kind of thing, so it’s all good. Paddled through two feeding Manta Rays that scared the shit out of me. When you see a three foot wide open mouth swimming at you, there is guaranteed to be a brief moment of sheer panic. Think shark, cause that’s what I did. Fortunately, panic quickly melts into sheer wonder at the awesomeness of the moment…
PB&J surfaces off the coast of Hilo
