Tribewanted: Vorovoro

Tribe,

Wanted to give the tribe a heads-up and get some feedback regarding an extension of a “chief” project from June 2007.
The long and short is that I promised Tui Mali, Marau, Api, etc.. last year that I’d help them initiate a low impact, sustainable freediving industry focusing on pelagic gamefish (rather than their subsistence reef fishery.)

The first step in that, of course, is finding gamefish – while no one can dive the reef better than the Mali/Kia guys, bluewater hunting is something they’ve never done. But there are thousands of freedivers around the world who pay big $$$ every year to travel all around the south pacific looking for dogtooth tuna, big walu, yellowfin, etc…

Two friends of mine from Hawai’i (also experienced free divers) are going to Vorovoro to help and share in the costs, as we’ll be leasing our own boat, paying wages to Marau/Api and others who captain for us, and donating a GPS to Mali so they can better guide future divers to bluewater fish.

Hopefully the results are that, in the not too distant future, I can organize groups between 2 and 4 divers (and hopefully their families) to go to Vorovoro, the divers can be guided to bluewater fish by Marau/Api/Lai/JoneRob, and the families can enjoy the tribewanted experience. that’s the goal, its the best way that I can give back to Mali, as I strongly care to do.

One of the world’s foremost divers has donated several of his books on Bluewater hunting and Freediving to assist (a picture is worth a thousand words…) Check out http://www.freedive.net

Assuming we find some fish, I know a couple of interested divers who are keen to go to Fiji, dive and experience Mali’s inimitable culture.

If you’re gonna be on Vorovoro between May 1 – May 25 I’ll be seeing you =)

Aloha,
Ryan