Niue

When we arrived in Charlestown Bay, we met Glen. He is a fisherman. That morning he was busy selling his tuna at the end of the pier. Sensing our interest in his work, he kindly explained to us how he prepares and cleans his fish and also his fishing techniques. He also showed us the boat he built himself. He suggested to us to come aboard Niue later on and we could go fishing together. Surprised by his kindness and his proposal, we were a little wary, as we thought that sometimes when people are too kind, they inevitably want something in return... At the end of the day we saw Glen arriving with a friend. To our great surprise, Na l went onboard alone with the fishermen. I think that the attraction of the motorboat has overcome his reluctance to change and to the unexpected. Camille, Patrice and I boarded our dinghy, fishing rods in hand. We left, dragging our lures and headed further south, towards the other side of the island. A first, then a second catch for Glen! Ouch! Patrice didn’t want to come back empty-handed! As Glen explained to us, we were looking for the birds that eat the small fish, because the bigger ones will be underneath them. Our eyes scan the surface of the water. Our efforts were rewarded, and we caught three beautiful fish! In addition to this great fishing, we were able to enjoy the colors of a magnificent sunset. We only kept one fish. The rest was to be for them. We introduced them to Martinique-style punch. This is the kind of encounter that we enjoy: unlikely but so wonderful. Glen came back the next day to bring us some conch (lambis) and offered to show us his future project: the opening of a restaurant with his partner. We visited his building site the next morning. He is very skilled with his hands and the result is very beautiful and modern. If you pass by and are looking for a restaurant, don’t hesitate. It is on the right at the crossroads just after the fruit and vegetable market.