Tony Buzolich
02-20-2017, 01:10 PM
Last week Jim May and I took off for Christmas Island again and along with any new trip there is adventure and lots of new experiences to recount. This trip was no exception with many new species caught and sites along the way.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202017/1%20IMG_3556_01_zps6uv38pnd.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202017/1%20IMG_3556_01_zps6uv38pnd.jpg.html)
We left Sacramento on Monday 2/6/2017 with our first stop being Honolulu for a short lay over before going on to Christmas Island the next day. As our plane was approaching Honolulu for landing, the seat belt lights came on and the caption says we're experiencing some turbulence and we'll have to make another try at coming in. Yes, we're bouncing around in our seats a lot. Two more failed attempts and the captain comes on again and says we're going to have to land in Maui till these headwinds calm down on Oahu. So we get to Maui still bouncing around, and we get another wave off before making it on our second attempt. Uugh, I'm not a good flyer even when it's smooth. After sitting for almost two hours the captain comes on again and says we've re-fueled and we're going to make another attempt at getting to Honolulu. Finally, after a few more bumps and bounces we arrive.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202017/2%20IMG_3553_01_zpsshv1skwb.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202017/2%20IMG_3553_01_zpsshv1skwb.jpg.html)
The next day we board Air Fiji for our final leg of the trip and arrive at Christmas Is. and all is good. We meet our guides and the rest of our fishing partners for the week and head to our lodge at Crystal Beach. Having been here last year things feel comfortable and we settle in getting ready for fishing the next day.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202017/3%20IMG_3610_01_zpsprcl7jgw.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202017/3%20IMG_3610_01_zpsprcl7jgw.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202017/4%2020170208_070213_01_zpsdncfnl1z.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202017/4%2020170208_070213_01_zpsdncfnl1z.jpg.html)
In the morning we hit the flats with Mike our guide for the day and take several bones and small GT's, along with several blue fin trevally. We move the boat to another flat but as we get off we begin to sink in soft sand and mud. A few steps and I'm stuck crotch deep, uugh. Thankfully Mike is a big guy and pulls me out as we decide to try a different flat. A short boat ride and we're again on hard sand with lots more bones showing as the tide rises. Jim and I are both hooking up almost as if we were taking turns. Both of us had quickly taken 6 or 8 fish each when a school of mullet exploded a few yards from us being chased by a large GT. A few quick casts in deeper water proved worthless as the Gt had scared off everything, including the bones.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202017/5%20IMG_3569_01_zpsrxaul68b.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202017/5%20IMG_3569_01_zpsrxaul68b.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202017/6%20IMG_3574_01_zps63wcxmiw.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202017/6%20IMG_3574_01_zps63wcxmiw.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202017/7%20IMG_3576_01_zpsfighej0i.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202017/7%20IMG_3576_01_zpsfighej0i.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202017/8%20IMG_0599_01_zpsqcoatyf3.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202017/8%20IMG_0599_01_zpsqcoatyf3.jpg.html)
That night back at the lodge we're served large platters of fresh tuna shashimi with fried breadfruit and cold beer as appetizers. Sitting outside telling stories about the day we all gaze at the stars and the amazing Southern Cross we can't see very often from the states. Like the Big Dipper and the North star are here, the Southern Cross is a bright constellation of the southern hemisphere.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202017/10%20%2020170213_184549_01_zpszetsgagx.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202017/10%20%2020170213_184549_01_zpszetsgagx.jpg.html)
continued. . .
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202017/1%20IMG_3556_01_zps6uv38pnd.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202017/1%20IMG_3556_01_zps6uv38pnd.jpg.html)
We left Sacramento on Monday 2/6/2017 with our first stop being Honolulu for a short lay over before going on to Christmas Island the next day. As our plane was approaching Honolulu for landing, the seat belt lights came on and the caption says we're experiencing some turbulence and we'll have to make another try at coming in. Yes, we're bouncing around in our seats a lot. Two more failed attempts and the captain comes on again and says we're going to have to land in Maui till these headwinds calm down on Oahu. So we get to Maui still bouncing around, and we get another wave off before making it on our second attempt. Uugh, I'm not a good flyer even when it's smooth. After sitting for almost two hours the captain comes on again and says we've re-fueled and we're going to make another attempt at getting to Honolulu. Finally, after a few more bumps and bounces we arrive.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202017/2%20IMG_3553_01_zpsshv1skwb.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202017/2%20IMG_3553_01_zpsshv1skwb.jpg.html)
The next day we board Air Fiji for our final leg of the trip and arrive at Christmas Is. and all is good. We meet our guides and the rest of our fishing partners for the week and head to our lodge at Crystal Beach. Having been here last year things feel comfortable and we settle in getting ready for fishing the next day.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202017/3%20IMG_3610_01_zpsprcl7jgw.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202017/3%20IMG_3610_01_zpsprcl7jgw.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202017/4%2020170208_070213_01_zpsdncfnl1z.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202017/4%2020170208_070213_01_zpsdncfnl1z.jpg.html)
In the morning we hit the flats with Mike our guide for the day and take several bones and small GT's, along with several blue fin trevally. We move the boat to another flat but as we get off we begin to sink in soft sand and mud. A few steps and I'm stuck crotch deep, uugh. Thankfully Mike is a big guy and pulls me out as we decide to try a different flat. A short boat ride and we're again on hard sand with lots more bones showing as the tide rises. Jim and I are both hooking up almost as if we were taking turns. Both of us had quickly taken 6 or 8 fish each when a school of mullet exploded a few yards from us being chased by a large GT. A few quick casts in deeper water proved worthless as the Gt had scared off everything, including the bones.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202017/5%20IMG_3569_01_zpsrxaul68b.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202017/5%20IMG_3569_01_zpsrxaul68b.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202017/6%20IMG_3574_01_zps63wcxmiw.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202017/6%20IMG_3574_01_zps63wcxmiw.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202017/7%20IMG_3576_01_zpsfighej0i.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202017/7%20IMG_3576_01_zpsfighej0i.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202017/8%20IMG_0599_01_zpsqcoatyf3.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202017/8%20IMG_0599_01_zpsqcoatyf3.jpg.html)
That night back at the lodge we're served large platters of fresh tuna shashimi with fried breadfruit and cold beer as appetizers. Sitting outside telling stories about the day we all gaze at the stars and the amazing Southern Cross we can't see very often from the states. Like the Big Dipper and the North star are here, the Southern Cross is a bright constellation of the southern hemisphere.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/Christmas%20Island%202017/10%20%2020170213_184549_01_zpszetsgagx.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/Christmas%20Island%202017/10%20%2020170213_184549_01_zpszetsgagx.jpg.html)
continued. . .