08/04/2007, Penrhyn Atoll, Northern Cook Islands
The never-ending search for bonefish nirvana was dealt a setback today. Although I had great expectations, eight hours on the flats produced no fish to the hand and only a half dozen or so to the eye. Either I am losing my ability to spot fish or they are not around. Maybe a combination of both. The moon is waning so perhaps that will have some effect and bring them back up on the flats. Regardless, the scenery is beautiful and the wading good exercise. I will rest the waters tomorrow and turn my attention back to boat projects. We will see how the weather is on Monday.
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08/03/2007, Penrhyn Atoll, Northern Cook Islands
The big excitement in Penrhyn today was the arrival of a small French Navy boat on a goodwill tour through the Pacific islands. The whole town was out to see them come in to the harbor. That's about all I have to report for now. The weather has been very nice, not too hot except for a few hours in the afternoon. I've been working on boat projects so that tomorrow I can go bonefishing without a guilty conscience.
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08/02/2007, Penrhyn Atoll, Northern Cook Islands
The wind was calm today making it an ideal time to cast a fly to some bonefish. The only thing missing was the bonefish. One of Mike's guides and I spent most of the day hunting for fish on sand flats at the far end of the atoll. We spotted perhaps a dozen bones but I managed to hook only one which quickly broke the line. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed walking the flats and taking in the incredible scenery. Tomorrow will be a day off from fishing and a resumption of boat projects.
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08/01/2007, Penrhyn Atoll, Northern Cook Islands
This morning Mike politely asked if I would mind rescheduling today's bonefishing because of his preoccupation with harvesting pearls from some 800 oysters. His guides were also tied up with this activity. Although I was anxious to fish, and not allowed by local law to fish by myself, I acquiesced and decided to learn all I wanted to know about pearl farming. This was not difficult, not because there is not great deal to know in this rather technically complex and high risk type of venture, but because of my lack of interest. In fact I was more interested in knowing how the oyster meat would taste if properly prepared.
All the pearls harvested were of rather low value, as expected, because of conditions present when the oysters were seeded. This was actually part of the process of shutting down the farm. Mike reports having spent millions of dollars over the past 10 years with only marginal success in the business. Farms throughout the Cook Islands are closing. It seems only the Tahitians are sufficiently organized, technically advanced and financed to have a prosperous industry.
Tomorrow I hope to bonefish.
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07/31/2007, Penrhyn Atoll, Northern Cook Islands
This morning on the tidal flood I weighed anchor and was escorted through the pass and into the lagoon where Sand Dollar was tied to a mooring buoy near Mike's pearl farm/fishing lodge. We then went into the village for a short tour and to the airport to meet the incoming flight which had two passengers arriving and four leaving. The entire village was there as is the custom. It is the social event of the week complete with prayer service and some short speeches by local dignitaries. The flights come only once every week or two. This is quite a sight but similar to what I have seen in other remote islands in the Bahamas and at Christmas Island in the Pacific.
The afternoon was spent fly fishing for bonefish with a local guide hired through Mike. We each hooked several impressive fish on some of the most beautiful bonefish flats I had ever seen. The fish are not abundant nor are they easy to fool but they are of very good average size and strong fighters. Tomorrow Mike and I will fish some different water.
There are no guests at the fishing lodge at present. It is actually Mike's pearl farm which is being closed down because of poor business conditions in the industry. Over a bottle of wine and a home-cooked dinner I learned a fair bit about the trials and tribulations of the black pearl business in the Pacific.
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07/30/2007, Penrhyn Atoll, Northern Cook Islands
Sand Dollar dropped the hook just outside the entrance to the lagoon of Penrhyn Atoll at 11 AM this morning after completing the 598 mile passage in five days. The wind perked up this morning to 22 knots accompanied by rough seas. This, along with a strong out flowing current because of heavy surf pumping water over the perimeter reef, prevented me from attempting to transit the pass into the lagoon. On arrival I was met by pearl farmer and fly fishing lodge operator Mike Grubnau in a small boat and he suggested I anchor and wait for better conditions. I asked him if this weather was normal and he said "it has been terrible the past two weeks." Mike, his wife Lillian and I have been communicating by email for the past several weeks. They know I am keen to do some bonefishing.
I am happy to sit here and wait. I could use the rest and relaxation, but not for too long.
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