The Anaa Report: First Look

Bluefin trevally.

Terangi, daughter of one of the guides and epic-level fish spotter.

Sometimes we travel places that are so big, so different, so amazing, they are hard to put into words. After all, how does one capture turquoise waters, vibrant fish, the laughter are we try to navigate a language barrier, the taste of fresh sea urchin pulled from the waters at your feet?

The past few weeks on the little French Polynesian atoll of Anaa with Costa del Mar and the IndiFly Foundation were incredible. The team, assembled from three continents, was fantastic, and the people of Anaa were hands-down the most welcoming I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet. We played sports, threw spears, fished, ate, and lived with the locals; there was a sense of whole-hearted welcome I’ve rarely felt elsewhere.

And the fishing. Blue-green flats extending far and wide, teeming with silvery bonefish and bold bluefin trevally, patrolled by bold blacktop sharks. Coral reefs opening up into the wide maw of the South Pacific, teeming with neon species I’d only seen in the pages of books. We waded miles and miles each day, at times fighting the sweep of the swell and other times floating along in calm, crystal waters up to our chests.

The photo edit is slowly beginning to come together, and I’ve yet to really sift through my notes from the trip. It was a lot of living in ten days, joined by one of the most awesome teams I’ve ever had a chance to work alongside. Huge thanks to Costa and IndiFly for having me along. Looking forward to the next one!