Anse Amyot - Toau Atoll
CuriousOyster
Steve & Trish Brown
Thu 13 May 2010 01:39
With a huge southern ocean storm pushing north as far as 20 degrees south,
with wind speeds up to 50 knots predicted in the centre and 35 knots at its
northern extremity we have sadly had to leave Fakarava early to ensure we
are out of its large open lagoon and into a safe anchorage.
We have come 30nm north west to Toau, a small but beautiful atoll and are
now fastened to the supply ship mooring buoy in Anse Amyot. This is a small
bite in the coral reef in the north west corner with good shelter from all
sides. The water is crystal clear and full of fish.
My reputation as the worst fisherman in the world remains untarnished having
tried my luck one more time on the passage over. Having dived through the
north pass three times I knew the pass and fringing reefs were teeming with
fish and the journey along Toau's north east shoreline would be full of
pelagic fish attracted to the atoll wall by the reef fish.
Having trailed the line for 30 minutes or so I was shocked to see that we
had hooked something big....... a large brown Booby! This young seabird
managed to get airborne with our squid lure in its mouth and was frantically
flying towards the boat shaking its head (wouldn't you?). I reeled in the
line until the bird was just a few feet behind the boat and then managed to
lift it into Tricia's towel protected arms. Fortunately the lure had gone
through the fleshy part of its bottom beak and we were able to remove the
hook without doing too much damage. It then showed its gratitude by biting
Trish a couple of times in a delicate but fleshy part of her anatomy (a pink
Booby!). Quickly released it few off irate but unharmed.
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