Big Fish

(The other fisherman with Lopini who caught this monster fish!)

I was in class two weeks ago when one of the local fisherman, Lopini, ran up to the school asking me if I could possibly take a picture of a fish he just caught. Luckily, I really wasn't really doing much at the time and heck, why not?

It was not until I made it out to the beach and realized how massive this fish was! Lopini had caught a huge billfish that morning with another fellow. The entire village was super excited with this catch and everyone came to wharf in order to see it for their own eyes. This fish was a monster! It really looked like it could eat three or four of my little primary school students. Everyone took turns with the camera and the fish. I was the photographer and it was very amusing to see each person pose next to the fish.

Lopini took the fish to the market to be sold. It ended up to be 151.7 kg or about 300+ pounds! Surely, he made bank that day. I still cannot imagine how this fish was swimming just around my village. The sea is starting to become really active with these bigger animals coming out lately. Just a couple of weeks ago, a pair of dolphins swam next to our boat from Neiafu to Matamaka. It was very much a scene from movies, but it actually happened in real life. They were jumping and enjoyed all the attention from the people on the boat. In addition, I also a huge turtle one time. It was the same size as the boat I rode! Man, I cannot even imagine when the humpback whales are back in town. The next few months are going to be very exciting! I will try my best to have my camera with me when whale season begins.

(Lopini on the far left with his mother Vahena, neighbor Una, fiefakau Eisi, and baby William)