Here’s how to kill an afternoon after the morning dives, tell Bill you want to go catch fish. The flagship dive boat, Popou, was quickly converted into a private charter fishing boat and parked on the dock awaiting anglers. Bill captained the boat, Detlef set up the gear and Derek was in charge of having the fun. This is a few hour troll right out front in blue water. 6 rods and 2 hand lines pulled a school of rubber skirts through the water as we rounded the island. It wasn’t ten minutes into things when a decent wahoo volunteered to be dinner. It doesn’t matter who you are, reeling in a game fish puts anybody in a good mood and Derek certainly wasn’t an exception. Fishing is no different than the diving, it’s a totally hands-free activity. All you do is show up to the boat dock and it’s all waiting for you. Once the reel starts singing, whoever’s turn it is to have the fun gets to step up and fight the fish. The second coolest part about the fishing trip is that the catch is served up all-you-can-eat style for whoever you want. Starting with sashimi, then onto the sautéed vegetables and rice. This fish disappeared in about an hour over all the trimmings and some strong cocktails up at the Crow’s Nest. Derek is here on is second trip, the first one was all business. He’s a Seventh Fleet Diving and Salvage Officer stationed in Singapore with the Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit and the USNS Safeguard. He and his team were responsible for the January 2012 salvage and recovery of Cecilia a wreck on the Pacific side reef. In town this time with his family for Manta Ray Bay good times, which included the diving, the home brew beer and some fishing. Derek and his team are part of some colorful history here at the resort, on the Mnuw and out on the reef. The aftermath of some Navy partying and an addition to the dive lifestyle decor found in the Nautical bar lounge, Mobile Salvage Unit One has their own shrine on the Mnuw. This is Bill’s way of saying thank you for being a great guy, coming back to the resort and being part of local history. Derek brings good energy with him wherever he goes and is a real comedian on the channel bottom. Derek’s salvage team had themselves a real party on the Mnuw after their operation was complete and it is still one of the most colorful stories here. One of the nights, the dive crew got deep into the brew and started jumping off the bow of the Mnuw with less and less clothes as the night went on. On a follow up the next day, Derek being the officer in charge came to apologize on behalf of the unit. Nobody really cared but the military, but now there’s an awesome story and a solid relationship with good people. The funny part is, when asked for names of who was over-partying, Joce had them all remembered, no need to check bar tabs or receipts and scratch heads, the personal attention of the staff had em all by heart… they almost got away with it. That’s Cecilia, lifted, floated and set down on the point by U.S. Navy Mobile Salvage partiers. Hooyah.