It was 8pm on a torrential night. We were tucked up aboard Confederate listening to the rain drumming on the decks and surrounding sea. A knock rang through the hull, the boating equivalent to your doorbell ringing. We poked our head out the mosquito-net-covered companionway to see two Manyano Bay locals who we’d met earlier that day. Thomas and Florence spoke as they bailed water out of their dugout canoe. They looked like they’d already been swimming but informed us that they were on the way out to dive for crayfish and wondered if we’d like some.
A torch battery was the agreed trading price. We invited them aboard, forcing tea and biscuits into them and lending a jacket to Florence before they took off. She was wet through but would be waiting in the dugout canoe spotting for Thomas for the next 4 hours, committed to the crayfish hunt.
At about midnight another knock rippled through the hull. The dugout was back, along with 5 crayfish, and about 20 small reef fish. We gratefully accepted the crayfish, and told Florence and Thomas to cook up the fish themselves. It’s always a good night when you get a midnight delivery of crayfish. Thanks Manyano Bay!
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