Oh Joy, The Kayaker!

February 16, 2010 - Tapah, Perak (by Arnold Js Loh).  Time to go catch a ration of fresh fish for the larder. So I loaded the kayak and went off to First Lake. I maneuvered a canal and reached Second Lake. There, I found another maze of canals and I found Third Lake! (Only those who kayak regularly in our group will know the references of First Lake, Second Lake, etc.)

This time, I used the Malibu Kayaks Pro2-Tandem. The cool thing about this kayak is the center hatch. It’s water tight. And you can even store your sleeping bag inside for extended travels. But for me, I open it and leave the hatch in the pickup truck. Then I have a hole in the kayak where I securely put my tackle box, and any fish I want to keep, I just throw it into the hole.

Not very good fishing. Heavy rain has the water level up by over a foot from last week. I did have one take. A strong toman whacked my redhead Rapala Skitter Pop. One yank and the line broke. Sigh….another lure bites the dust.

Arriving at Third Lake was exciting for me. This lake has quite a lot of jelawat (sultan fish). Can’t wait to bring my kayaking fly buddies to come and try the fish.

Then I got hungry. Only had a glass of Nescafe and biscuits for breakfast. And I forgot to bring lunch.

So what to do? Luckily, I spied a large patch of lotus. Ah…..free lunch.

When you read enough about nutrition, you’ll know that seeds are great food. High in energy, zero trans fat, easily digestible and full of good quality minerals and vitamins.

This lotus leaf is big! Nearly 2ft in diameter.

I must collect some next time. There are very good for a wide variety of cooking techniques. Steamed fish, rice, chicken taste well when wrapped in lotus leaf.

I rowed right into the lotus patch. And started picking young lotus seed pods. Never take the big ones, the seeds tends to be rather bitter, unless you are in the mood for bittersweet. Nonetheless, the fatter, green pods are still quite edible in spite of the bittersweet tang.

In a short while, lunch is served.

A bunch of lotus seed pods, with the MalibuKayaks Pro2Tandem, the lotus patch and Third Lake in the background.

Eating the lotus seeds is easy. Peel off the thick pod to get the green baubles out. Peel off the green skin. Eat the little white seeds. The sweetest seeds are those with a bit of lavender purple on the tip. Brownish colour tip will tend to taste bitter.

Note the little lavender purple tip of the seed. Sweet and refreshing taste, they give.

I sat in the middle of the lotus patch, happily popping one lotus seed after another into my mouth. It’s a warm, happy feeling to dine on Mother Nature’s wild offerings while sitting on a kayak. And with no one else around within 100 acres, one will discover one’s nobility.

It’s like this. When one is satisfied with a simply nutritious meal provided by Nature. When one is using a craft propel not by automation but only by one’s will and way. When one is cut off temporarily from society like this. One learns the meaning of composure and keeping a level set of shoulders, and being true to oneself.

I’ll not trick you. There are dangers. My kayak buddies often chide me for being alone in such wild places. But it’s addictive. There are moments of insight found in solitude in the wild that can never be found anywhere and anytime else.

I even had entertainment during lunch! Haruan and maybe toman were coming up for air, making their unique gulping sounds.

No chance of hauling them out of the lotus patch, though. I ruefully mused that I would need a rod made of 100% pure fiberglass, and braided line of at least 50lb test in order to yank them out among the tough, spindly lotus stems.

Lunch done, I rowed on and explored Third Lake. The windblown lake made it hard to spot fish. But at one corner, when the wind died down for a few precious minutes, I saw movement: toman fries!

Adrenalin coursed through me as I paddled stealthily to the spot. Closer, I realised they were juvenile tomans. Their parents were no longer looking after them. If they were small fries instead, I at least had the chance to catch a good-size toman for the home freezer.

Out of boredom I cast at them. As usual, all 200 over of juvenile tomans tried to eat the lure at once, resulting in a boiling frenzy. One of them inevitably caught the treble hook. I reeled the lure back to free the fish.

Not bad. Over 11 inches long. I sampled fried juvenile toman nearly 10 years ago, out of curiosity. Quite good eating. Fine flesh.

Then I remembered that my family needs fish. And these juveniles were ideal for making fried fish so crispy, that you could chew the bones.

So I caught 19 of them for the house.

Some of the 19 juvenile tomans I caught. Used a variety of lures. They will attack anything that moves so just have to choose smallish lures to easily set the hook.

The easiest way to dress them is to cut off all the fins and the tail, and also the head. There is so very little flesh in the head so it’s a waste of time and energy frying the head too.

Dressed, frozen, and thawing.

A fine and productive day it was. Such are the pleasant joys of a kayaker.