 ALL ABOARD — Fishing and cruising off northern Moçambique — by Sheena Carnie
FLOATING on my back in the warm, turquoise ocean surrounding Matemo Island off the northern Moçambique coast, I wondered if life could get any better than this.
Our party of five, hosted by Rani Resorts, had landed in the town of Pemba on the Moçambique mainland the day before, and had been whisked straight aboard Broadbill, a 42ft Africat catamaran, based in Pemba. The plan was for us to experience life and fishing aboard Broadbill, most specifically fishing out at the legendary St Lazarus Bank.
Once aboard Broadbill we headed out to sea, trolling a variety of lures behind the boat. The boat is beautifully fitted out, with three very comfortable cabins and small en-suite bathrooms, a comfortable saloon and back deck for relaxing on, and the fishing deck where all the action takes place. Space is of course limited, but it doesn’t take long to adjust to life on the high seas.
We weren’t far out of Pemba when the first rod sounded and Nicolaas Louw, Rani Resorts’ fishing and diving consultant, hooked and landed a yellowfin tuna which we kept for dinner. Not long afterwards, Raymond Preston from the Sunday Times was into the first of many rainbow runners, enough to whet our appetite for the days ahead.
Shortly before sunset we anchored near the small island of Quisiva, one of eleven island which form part of the Quirimbas National Park. There we were able to have a swim off the boat in 27°C water, and relax and enjoy fresh sushi in the form of Nic’s yellowfin.
Broadbill is skippered by Captain Andre Hanekom, co-owner of the craft. His son, Andre junior, and his daughter, Annette, crew the craft with him. Andre junior is a very confident deckhand, taking control of the fishing deck, while Capt Andre skippers from the top deck. Annette is a gracious hostess and catering manager, crafting unbelievable meals in Broadbill’s galley, even as the craft rocks upon the swells.
Andre and Broadbill are more than qualified to target marlin in the area, but as that’s fairly target-specific fishing, Andre finds that his clients are often more interested in the sustained action offered by targeting yellowfin and dogtooth tuna and the other gamefish that frequent the area. We were about to find out what all the fuss was about ...
Read the full story in the January/February 2010 issue of SKI-BOAT.
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