Good sized flying fish found desiccated aboard in Suwarrow Cook Islands anchorage.

We’ve found flying fish aboard before. 

Heck, I’ve even gotten bopped in the head by them on night watch.  But the last one Wayne found aboard, leapt on deck when we were at anchor — in Suwarrow! And it was the biggest flying fish we’ve seen so far.

We know we’re not supposed to feed the fishies (and sharks) in Suwarrow’s anchorage.  But it hardly seems to count if what we’re tossing out is their natural fishy food.   Besides, this fish was in the water at Suwarrow until it hopped aboard.

There weren’t any blacktip sharks nosing about when we tossed the flying fish over. The sharks frequently cruised the anchorage  Even when we didn’t see them, washing a dish or two in our galley sink drew them instantly.  

Drew and Shelly of Firefly cleaning the tuna they caught on the “approved” fish cleaning area of Suwarrow, Cook Islands.

When Drew and Shelly of Firefly tooled Suwarrows anchorage in their dinghy with some tuna they caught on their way into Suwarrow, they were the veritable pied piper, a parade of blacktips trailed them.

Thus, camera at the ready, we waited with baited breath for the blacktip sharks to magically appear and snatch this tasty morsel.  

Instead, the flying fish just sank, completely unmolested.

Shine, a neighboring catamaran anchored in Suwarrow had exactly the same thing happen.

Go figure!  Picky sharks?!?

Maybe I needed to toss the Grey Poupon over along with the flying fish….

Next time, I’m keeping the flying fish for bait.  After all, we’re not fishing for sharks.

Suwarrow atoll, Cook Islands,  shore from Journey’s bow at dusk.

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