One of the hardest parts about leaving the Northern Territory in Australia and heading overseas to work for a few years, aside from leaving behind many mates, was selling the Barra Boat and knowing that I was heading to a place with no Barramundi – Samoa. However it didn’t take long for me to realize that the absence of Barramundi would be well covered by the presence of Yellowfin Tuna, Mahi-Mahi and all manner of Billfish. As luck would have it, before leaving Australia I was introduced by a good mate, to the world of kayak fishing, and the start of a new adventure.
Before departing Australia I purchased the Hobie Mirage Adventure Island Tandem from Sunstate Hobie (www.sunstatehobie.com.au) on the Sunshine Coast. On the way through Victoria I dropped into Scot Lovig Hobie (www.slhobie.com.au) on the Mornington Peninsula and made some final equipment purchases. Samoa has never seen a Hobie Mirage Adventure Island Tandem, and already it has attracted lots of positive attention in a country where the outrigger canoe was invented long before the Hobie Mirage Adventure Island Tandem was ever dreamed about.
After importing and installing a Lowrance 385G Fish Finder/GPS combo hooked up to a sealed 12V rechargeable battery, the kayak was christened in the spirit of my old Barra Boat and named “The ofFISHal Angler”. In my limited spare time, the goal over the next few years is to explore uncharted waters, fish side by side with the locals in their traditional outriggers, and ultimately, land a big Yellowfin Tuna, Mahi-Mahi or if I’m lucky, a Marlin from the Hobie Mirage Adventure Island Tandem.
Each trip I carry a JVC HD video camera, and the vessel is fitted with 2 x Contour HD video cameras – one mounted on the starboard aka (structure joining the outrigger to the main hull), and another mounted as a headcam on my Hobie Kayak Baseball Cap. The 2 x Contour HD video cameras are also equipped with underwater casings and this will enable some great underwater footage of the kayak, fish and any diving or snorkeling adventures.
As these adventures take place, I will continue to Blog on www.fishingcharerbase.com through a series of short YouTube movies. Some of the YouTubes will be specifically aimed at kayak enthusiasts in a more ‘how to’ manner, for example, ‘How to install a Lowrance 385G Fish Finder/GPS combo, transducer and mounting bracket’ and ‘How to make a garage ceiling pulley storage system for the Hobie Mirage Adventure Island Tandem’. These YouTubes won’t all be about fishing, rather, they will take you on my Hobie Mirage Adventure Island Tandem journey…wherever that may take us.
Cheers for now,
Andy
(aka “The ofFISHal Angler”)
Episode 4:
Episode 3:
Episode 2:
Episode 1: