Anaa Atoll to Me…
I am curious by nature and always have been. Curiosity has driven my decisions, both for better and worse, on food, friendships, art, sport antics, technology and most definitely on travel. We reside on this massive ball of land and water with nearly infinite opportunities to explore it and it is all I want to do.
Through my travels, I have cultivated a deep desire to meet new people, see how they live day to day and what challenges they face as humans and a culture. I tend to return home to be confused at how our society operates and where we place our values because they often do not align with those I have recently returned from.
It is therefore I naturally ended up at Anaa Atoll in French Polynesia. A location almost entirely off everyone in the world’s radar for fly fishing. An island heavily restricted as far as land ownership by anyone other than those indigenous to it or who have married into the native community. A place where there are virtually no amenities for tourists and with only one flight a week, with about 30 passengers on it. None of which besides us toting anything resembling fly fishing equipment. In fact, more often than not we are the only tourists on the island during the time we are there. Just the way I like it!
Enter Indifly Foundation into my world around 7 years ago, and I was immediately intrigued. At that point in time, Anaa was coming around as the second destination Indifly had assisted in establishing, and it was spoken well of from a couple industry friends.
Indifly identifies small indigenous cultures with fisheries that could potentially support a sustainable, eco fly fishing operations. With extensive due diligence on interest from the community, support in training those necessary to run operations and of course continued support in advertising to help bring anglers to them.
People travel the world for a myriad of reasons. Mine fall into a number of different buckets, some obvious and others possibly not so much.
Obvious would be the fly fishing aspect of a South Pacific island. GT, bonefish, trigger, Bohar Snapper and Bluefin Trevally top the list of species to target here. With some effort there are likely others but for 90% of anglers this should suffice for a week. Rods from 8-12wt, lines mostly floating and so on. Some tan Gotcha’s and a few brush flies and you are in good shape, tippet too of course.
People are such a close second that much of the time, they might actually be the first reason I choose to travel somewhere. I end up in the far corners of the planet most often because of a relationship I already have with someone in that part of the world. Personal connections are so important in this sport, in our lives, and in our world period. They are why we do so much of what we do every day. Fly fishing travel is and should be no different.
These relationships make even a new place feel more comfortable. A thin layer of commonality with the location or people can assist in taking away early anxiety in adventure travel.
A French speaking country with few of them speaking English can be difficult to manage but making the effort to try goes so far, particularly with those on Anaa. They are quite curious of you too. Delighted to see and meet new people, hear about your life, see pictures of your home and family and more than anything full of pride of their history and culture. Eager to share the same with you, to find common ground on which to forge a bond. One that may lead you back more often than you may have arrived thinking was possible.
Of course being a small island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, their food is that of the sea. Fish is predominant and often served how they themselves would enjoy it. This may mean trying new things and barring allergy considerations you should. Parrotfish Sashimi is fabulous.
Family style meals mean you are a part of the literal family. While setting the table Flo may ask you to lead Grace at dinner. After desert and some partially understood conversations, you help with dishes. A big smile with a “bon nuit” and it is difficult if not impossible not to become attached to this place.
For those who know me, getting to the fishing last will not be a surprise. I mean come on, I host fly fishing adventures around the world, of course the fishing is going to be very good if not spectacular, duh. However, I always dive deeper on the locations I choose to go beyond the fishing. I want more from a trip if I am going to separate myself from my family and business for a lengthy period of time.
Of the 60 plus countries I have visited in the past 15-20 years, it is rare to find a place where each visit, you can see and fish new water for nearly the entire week. I believe it was my 4th trip down before I finally saw the same flat or stretch of the reef for a second time. Mostly because weather drove us there. Now, I ask Junior, son of head guide Rafael if we can go somewhere new and he always gladly obliges. I see different water every single time which is simply incredible on so many levels.
Lagoon flats, inner reef flats and the reef edge itself offer such a wealth of diversity in options, species and approach. Watch whales breach 50 yards off the edge while you are tied to a GT, eat fresh saltwater Escargots while waiting for a tide change, visit old churches in the far corner of the lagoon or enjoy fresh coconut water in the shade of a palm tree.
The final night, the guides, their partners and children come over and we have a huge meal. They all bring their ukelele’s and play music only the people of the island know. Singing passionately, they ask you to join even if only playing spoons in a beer bottle as an instrument but also more than happy to hand you their ukelele. Even if you are terrible as I might be, it doesn’t feel right to refuse. A round of kind laughter from everyone as you fumble through a song or two and you begin to feel it. You leave tomorrow and realize you don’t actually want to. Wishing your family was here to share in this experience, everyone stays up late because nobody wants this to fade, this is simply too joyous.
Maybe it is because I have been here as often as I have, we are friends now. We embrace, “la bise” and laugh aloud upon arrival and tear up, embrace harder and retain eye contact longer at departure, already anticipating the next visit.
I scheduled my first trip out there about 8 years ago and I try to return as often as possible. One of the very few locations in the world I choose to do so. Few are as impactful and authentic as this place.
Each visit I leave a little more attached to the island and the people I have become friends with. The guides, our hosts, chief of police and those who live between where we stay and the boat ramp. My heart aches each time I leave as a little piece of it stays there with them, my friends on Anaa.
