Gone Fishing
The next day the fishermen return. All five of them, without their evacuated friend. “Thanks so much for your help yesterday. Do you want to join us for fishing?” they ask. We don’t hesitate for a second and jump onto their boat. At 25 knots we race to a shallow stretch of ocean. There, they stop the boat and hand us fishing rods to hold. After some instructions, we soon catch one blue cod after another. This local cod species is indeed a bit blueish. We catch large specimens, without bycatch. Also, our new friends adhere to the minimum size and maximum quota, as blue cod populations are managed by the authorities.
The fishermen know each other well and have been doing this for many years, they tell us. Back at their cabin it turns out that they are exceptionally well equipped: we see heaps of gas bottles, jerry cans, and freezers, powered by solar panels they brought with them. Ivar gets a lesson in filleting cod on a table on the beach. Using cookware that rivals a restaurant’s, the fish is then smoked, baked, or deep-fried to make fresh fish & chips. We have never eaten such tasty fish in all its preparations. The fishermen’s hospitality overwhelms us, too. At the end of an unforgettable day, they take us back to Luci. “Well, we saw a lot of fish today, and a lot of beer, too”, Ivar smiles when we are back on board. “But still no kiwis.”