36 years ago on our first trip to Christmas Island many of us had our first experience with "Sashimi".


When we came back from fishing the first day we gathered under a large thatched roof over a huge concrete slab for drinks, etc.

They had huge metal baking sheet full off cold raw Yellowfin Tuna "bars" caught that day.

They had soy sauce and wasabi so it was the first time for many of us from America.

One day we had tons of cold "seared Tuna" which was completely addictive.

We also had raw Wahoo and some other raw fish as well.


Part of the experience of going to Christmas Island beside the great fishing is the people and they culture.


The last night they use to have a big cultural party, with native dancing and singing.



I went there 13 times and highly advise that you put it on your bucket list.


If you girlfriend or wife is the least bit outdoorsy I would take her along.

May wife Marilyn went 3 times and loved wading on the endless white sand flats teaming with all kinds of life.

She landed as many as 30 Bonefish in one day and her biggest was around 10 pounds which she said her

and her guide chased for almost a mile.


Over all my trips there I took lots of friends including my dad, my brother Dick, my uncle Tom, Don Rotsma, Chris Pasley, etc.

My father was in the US Navy during World War II and was an aircraft mechanic. He was stationed near Christmas on Palmyra.


We had lots of native friends who we took gifts to when we returned every year.

We brought CB Units (Citizen Band radios) which they used as communications system around the remote island.

They liked Polarized sunglasses, nylon shorts, sandals, sports shoes and knives.

We also brought them some old Singer sewing machines because they made their own clothes.

Alan Barnard and I bought a kerosene 2 burner stove for a friend whole only had coconut husks for cooking fuel.

John Sullivan brought tons of baseball equipment on this return trip after finding out they really needed some.


A group of dentist from Seattle Washington would come ever year for two weeks to work on the natives teeth.

This was organized by the Catholic priest on the island and they went surfing, diving and fishing too.


The British tested the Hydrogen Bomb near Christmas Island in the 1950s.

Christmas Island was the staging area and they is a lot of rusty relics there and much history.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Grapple


There is some kind of radar/communications station on Christmas Island staffed by TRW employees.