Tag: tofo

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Spending time with Captain Duarte Rato

Spending time with Captain Duarte Rato

Tofo has of recent been playing host to Dario, Duarte jnr and Greta – the enthusiastic young family of Captain Duarte Rato, along with Duarte, as they spend some quality time together. Each season he does up at Bazaruto, off Vilancoulos, Duarte leaves the archipilego where he has been coaching the marlin there for decades, to visit Tofo for a week.
We have been bumping into them all over town and the beach, culminating in a visit at their cabin, during feeding time in the early evening.
“He only eats fish! Give him anything else and he just looks at it?!”, exclaims Duarte as he finely chops up a juicy chunk of couta fillet.
Greta is preparing the meal of healthy beans and local vegetables. The couta fillet is to flavour it all with fresh fish. Dario who is almost one, and Duarte jnr, 3, encourage her eagerly.
Soon we’re able to talk lures, and I show him through the original Mydo range, and then the new stuff. Out of the blue, Duarte drops the biggest marketing bombshell I have ever dreamed of.
” Hey I got my first billfish on a Mydo…a sailfish, when I was 16.”
I nearly fainted as the enormity of his statement set in. Africa’s most successful marlin fishermen got his first billfish on a Mydo #2 Baitswimmer.
I piled more lures into his lucky packet. All the Baitswimmer range up to the 4.5 weighing in at a healthy 222g – gets big baits down real deep. The Luck Shots for high speed deep trolling and jigging or even just drifting. The 2 sizes in the Luck Shot Mini, for casting and cranking. And then the newly developed (from the original Mydo spoons), the SS Spoon range. For casting, cranking and jigging.

I give a lot of lures out in this way, and there are just a few things that with Duarte, I am sure of. First, I will get the photos. And second…he will use every last one of them.
Obrigado Amigo!

Getting big baits down deep for big fish. Start posted for what comes up on the end of the line when captain Duarte Rato reports back.

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Shipspotting with AIS

Shipspotting with AIS

If you are smart enough to run a smart phone, then you just can’t be dumb enough to get bored…ever again.

Take this ship for example…

Just buzz on over to marinetraffic.com, zone in on your carpark, and see the names and even missions, of all those hunks of metal cruising the horizons. Even yachts!

You may get bored after a while and have to switch on over to some other entertainment stream, but you will definitely find your self loading up all this cool ship data again and again – especially in that carpark with an afternoon onshore and a quart in your hand.

Even some some ski-boats are equipped with AIS transponders, but for the most part, its mainly large vessels travelling trade routes that use the system to obviously avoid collisions. There is the pirate drawback, but you can turn the transponder off of you like, but for the most part it AIS has become a valuable all-round source of cool data.

Wikipedia is gonna be much better at explaining it than me, this morning…

“The Automatic Identification System (AIS) is an automatic tracking system used on ships and by vessel traffic services (VTS) for identifying and locating vessels by electronically exchanging data with other nearby ships…”

Check out the full story right here…https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_Identification_System

Marine Traffic (http://marinetraffic.com) even have a really cool App that you can get for free from the Play Store or equivalent, on your phone. Or just access through a browser – any browser will do!

 

Big news today is the launch of Offshore Africa Port St. Johns’ Web 3.0 website. Rob Nettleton and co’s IN YOUR FACE photography will get you checking that your wetsuit is hanging nicely, and ready for next year.

Click on over to http://offshoreafricaportstjohns.com and look around, like and share…

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Fun at Fatimas Backpackers in Tofo

Fun at Fatimas Backpackers in Tofo

Crab at Praia do TLooking over the surf launch towards Praia do Tofo and Casa Agodoal from Fatima's backpackers in Tofo

 
Fatima’s is where it all begins for backpackers and travellers in Tofo. The lavish setting, on a dune overlooking Praia do Tofo to the south, and Ponta da Barra to the north, is startling.

The ocean out front is idyllic for swimmers and surfers alike – and the inviting blue waters of the Mozambican current can easily be accessed via one of the many dive, ocean safari or fishing operators here.

More fun can be had on the Inhambane Bay where, aboard an ancient but sturdy and reliable dhow, you can island hop by sail all day. Ihla do Porcos, Panzy Island, Survivor Island, Secret Beach and Linga Linga are some of the favourite stops. Seafood by arrangement and a cooler box full of refreshments is mandatory. As is your camera, bathing outfit, suncreme, a hat and water!

Accomodation at Fatima’s has steadily been upgraded – year after year. You can still camp however, but get into one of the front casita’s overlooking the beach and you will never feel like leaving.

Fatima’s is the first and oldest backpacker organisation in Mozambique, and has a bus service daily running between here and Fatima’s Nest in Maputo. So easy – although the bus ride needs some planning for, it takes a good 8 hours to make the journey, including stops at some interesting roadhouse type places.

Fatima staff are well presented and eager to serve – be it something from the experienced and well run kitchen crew, an ice cold 2M (local delicious beer) from the bar or a group excursion to the islands (ask for Ruben).

For more information check out http://www.mozambiquebackpackers.com/

 

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The most dangerous cops in the world

The most dangerous cops in the world

Are those that are in it for the money. And here in good old Mozam, that’s how it all works. Not to say that everyone in the force in 3rd world fascist Mozam is corrupt. But just get on the wrong side of our boys in grey or green or blue or purple, and see what happens.
A few examples…
All of a sudden, without warning, the main road into the market and the beach area at Praia do Tofo, became a one way – out. And so, trusting their GPS’s or experience of coming to Tofo before, many an unsuspecting tourist or expat came off their ultra long journey – only to be stopped by police, for coming down the centuries old main drag – the wrong way. So the force approach with a certain amount of  vehemence at the outset (the aggression comes later). The fine is nominal, usually starting at about 10 000 Mets (R3500), and if you keep your wits about you and play along, you can get away with 1000 mets or so. Straight into the pockets of the diligent law enforcers. But if you argue without serious substance behind your argument…it’s a short walk to Casa de Branco (Jail), until you pay. Try it.

Continue reading The most dangerous cops in the world

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Netted Whale Shark: Oh so that’s what’s been happening…Duh?

Netted Whale Shark: Oh so that’s what’s been happening…? Duh?

This jaw dropping image was sourced by Carlos Carvalhos, evergreen conservationist and activist from Maputo…Carlos has been crusading for marine wild life in Mozambique and Southern African waters for years, and his work will be published in thesardine.co.za as often as possible, in the future…Carlos has been patrolling the waters of Southern Mozambique – through it all.

So, since I started working in the Inhambane waters, 7 years back…I would say the decline in whale shark encounters I have had, has been about 90%. I mean, this whole last trip myself and Roosta just did, for 12 days, Ponto D’ Ouro to Pomene, and we never saw one!

Sure they used to disappear back in those early years, for months at a time – but always came back with at least a few shows of strength…I once counted 70 whale sharks around my boat, off Praia da Rocha. 70!

So while the world watches TV and is focused on this Pistorius clown and Rhino’s…quietly, someone has been simply removing our whale sharks. And whatever else can be removed, out over the horizon or in the dark of night.

I have to align with Mr. Carlos Carvalhos, conservation activist and journalist in Maputo, when he asks – “What is being done by the plentiful NGO’s and conservation associations, littered around Mozambique and Southern Africa in general”.

I have never seen them intervene, or bring any of this slaughter to attention. It’s usually just covered up and forgotten. Granted, there are many individuals out there in the field, totally committed to the conservation of these animals, but the bureaucratic organisations with all the required resources and budget…do very little at all, except give lectures and drive around spotting the last of the marine life, just as it just disappears beneath the waves forever.

Whose role is it then, to intervene? Someone with all the required resources and mandates? Someone who signed up for the job?

Many thanks to Carlos Carvalhos. Follow him on MOZ INFO by clicking here…

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