Our second deckie in Vanuatu is Charlie Tui otherwise known in these parts as Marlin Charlie. Charlie is a Captain here in Vanuatu and achieved fame with his capture of the 1st grander Blue Marlin taken in these waters. Charlie was driving Shogun in Pango Bird in October 2000 when he hooked up to a 1,097lb fish. A 2hr fight saw the fish to the boat, but a fish this size was beyond the capabilities of Charlie’s deckie. Charlie took over as wireman and completed the capture. This fish is the current All-Tackle Record for Vanuatu and the biggest Blue Marlin ever taken in the South-West Pacific.

Charlie comes from Tahal Nesa village on Paama Island (Central Vanuatu). We pulled in to Charlie’s village and donated a soccer ball to the locals – receiving some beautiful sweet grapefruit and coconuts in return.