Vagabonds in Madagascar. Part 2

[Vagabond]

Vagabonds in Madagascar Part 2

 

Mods, although much of the subject matter is about seafishing, in the interests of continuity, please let this remain here, at least for a while, until the freshwater regulars have read it.

 

Continuing from our adventures in the pirogue, next morning saw us cleaning up and completing the drying out process. Banknotes, stiff and gritty, stuffed back into pockets, binocular lenses carefully cleaned, wallet and shoes dried out in the hot sun, and the joys of reporting the accident to the local police.

 

Very fortunately, the local Chief of Police was an old school chum of Rija’s, so the whole affair was relaxed and expedited. Even so, it took just over two hours to complete all the necessary forms, attach our photographs, state on each form who our parents were, and stamp every form and copy thereof (with each of five different rubber stamps). It was all recorded in Malagasy, which no doubt will make the insurance company tick when we submit these documents in support of a claim on our household insurance.

 

Eventually got away at midday, to drive to Morondava. Stopped for a lunch of "wild pig" and rice – excellent, but of course the "wild pig" was one of the many feral introduced pigs that ran around most villages.

 

Reached the "Baobab Café" hotel at 6 pm. This was the best hotel of the entire trip. Cockroach-free rooms, working hot showers, a splendid vista from the dining area and an excellent chef. Crevette Bisque and Crevette in Oyster sauce for dinner.

 

The hotel was at the edge of town, and the dining area looked out across a river to an extensive mangrove patch. Lots of "seven-note whistlers" (whimbrels) were flying around the mangroves – the whimbrel is familiar in the UK as a migrating shorebird in spring and early autumn, but is a bird of the mangrove swamps of the Southern hemisphere during our winter. Native vessels such as the one pictured below, plied up and down the river.

 

 

 

Of more immediate interest, however, was this boat, Baobab Fish I, moored by the hotel jetty.

 

 

We had reached Morondava a day earlier than planned, so how better to spend it than a day’s big game fishing ? With my tacklebox at the bottom of the Tsiribihina river, this might be our only chance of fishing whilst in Madagascar.

 

Early next morning saw us outward bound for blue water before the sun rose. The marlin and sailfish season had passed, but there were plenty of other big predators out in the Mozambique Channel. It made sense to troll slightly slower (and therefore slightly deeper) than for billfish.

 

Two hours sailing to meet the blue water. We tossed for first strike, which I won. True to form, the first fish (mine) was a small black skipjack tuna, the second strike (Norma’s) a decent-sized wahoo.

 

 

　

 

"Here we go again" I thought – the best fish always take when its Norma’s turn on strike.

 

But the laws of probability were at last to even things up. My next strike produced a good, hard-fighting Giant Trevally, Norma’s next fish was a slightly smaller GT.

 

　

 

My third strike went off like the clappers, boring deep and fast, which had me thinking "tuna" – Phillip Wylie described a tuna’s first run as " going like a greased coffin down the stairways of hell". So it proved, not just a tuna, but a new tuna species for me. A Dogtoothed Tuna – you can see the dog-like teeth, and the other feature of dogtooth tunas, if you look carefully, the highly irregular lateral line.

 

I was more than pleased with that, the only other dogtoothed tuna I have ever seen was on a slab in the fish market at Grande Baie on Mauritius some years ago.

 

　

 

More fish followed, mostly wahoo, but a nice Great Barracuda for Norma.

 

　

 

The boat’s crew seemed pleased with what appeared to be a better total catch than usual. They kept us out for twelve hours, fishing hard for eight of them, and two hours each way to get there and back. Like most places in the Indian Ocean, all fish except billfish get taken in for market.

 

It had been a good day – plenty of fish, a new species for me, a nice gentle breeze about Force 2, and an excellent packed lunch of baguettes, cold chicken, eggs and mangoes.

 

We watched the disposal of the catch, some for the hotel, some for market, and the severed heads eagerly snapped up by the boat’s support staff. Not an ounce of food wasted.

 

Off to shower and change for dinner.

[Dales]

Another great report and some very nice fish

[Tigger]

I'm green with envy ! Wish I was there

[JV44]

What they said Steve.

[Steve Walker]

A turn for the better, looks like a great day's fishing!

[Wordbender]

Super stuff. More please.

[Dick Dastardly]

Brilliant!

[Bobj]

Keep 'em coming, and great photos, mate.

[Anderoo]

We are not worthy! Fantastic, as always. I'm very glad you're both OK too, after the ordeals in part 1.

[tiddlertamer]

Tip top stuff. What an adventure. Live life to the full!