Dear Reader,

This week was a great success. After one or two failed attempts, a little bit of last-minute fixes, and a great deal of determination, the canoe worked.

Lukka and I were able to make our way to the reef, it was a bit away from my hut, but it was worth it when I paddled past the village and that carpenter. I was again back at sea, and there was nothing they could do to stop me.

It had been so long that I forgot how the wind felt on your face, not the breeze from when you are on shore, but when you are sailing or rowing against the wind. The feel of the ebb and flow of the churning waters below, everything that makes the sea so different from merely a body of water.

Of course, I made sure to give Lukka a little pat every now and again on her oblong head. The big baby had taken to latching onto the underside of the canoe, using it as her own personal transport. Sometimes, I even caught her arms whipping out every now and then, just another snack on the go.

Her occasional antics had the trip passing by much faster, time just seemed to zip by. The reef was further to the north of the island, an hour from the village. There were many shipwrecks in the area, a remnant of those attempting to evade storms further out at sea. It was not difficult to notice the reefs below, the water was normally crystal clear, but that was only in serene and calm weather. During the storms, the waters would become murky, churning maelstroms that hid the dangers from view.

Now, I will mention that the canoe was not that large and may have been less stable than a larger fishing boat. Better than a raft I can say, but it would serve its purpose. There was plenty of room, just open space and some blocks of wood left to act as benches for people to sit. For now, Lukka and I used it as a place to store our catch.

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Strangely enough, Lukka and I were the only ones out there that day. I tied the canoe to a rocky outcrop and proceeded to dive into the reef, with Lukka by my side. It had been a while since the last time I had gone fishing in such a manner, and it had showed. I could barely hold my breath for forty seconds, a far cry from the one and a half minutes I used to do.

Luckily, I had Lukka with me, she would drag me alongside with her as we glided through the water. Darting along the rocks we were able to capture many fishes, mainly thanks to Lukka’s speed and whiplike arms.

You might ask, how I managed to stay down long enough to accomplish that? Well, Lukka seems aware of our needs to breathe, I never even had to motion to her to take me to surface. She always knew, not once did I come close to danger.

I could not begin to tell you of the wide variety of creatures present, those predators of lesser size preyed upon the tiniest of fish. It was a mosaic of colors, of all kinds, dull greys to the brightest orange. Lukka made sure to always get her fill, she had a particular tendency for the giant clams. Wedging her arms between the closed lips and prying them open to get at the meaty insides, which she was then forced to protect from competitors.

We had a massive haul, dozens of fishes, large and small, in addition to pearls and some silver coins Lukka picked up while scouring the seabed. This would be considered a success, and it was, but Lukka and I were bound to finish all of this by tomorrow. After all, Lukka seemed to have multiple stomachs, she could put away so much food.

It was a productive week; I have had plenty of time to spend with Lukka and now there is plenty of food. I gave most of it to Lukka as she was hungry but kept a few choice fish for myself to place on the drying rack. With the coins and pearls gathered from this expedition, I should have no issue purchasing grains and fruit from the village.

I may even decide to take my canoe and travel south, the stretch of coast there, just south of the mountains hosts the provincial capital of the island. Next week or the week after may be a good time to trade some of these pearls, I have heard that the continuing conflict has resulted in an increase in the price of such products.

Well, look forward to the next writing, I do not know how things might turn out, but I am certain it will be entertaining. Once again, I have not had one of those nightmares. I am doing better now; in case you care to know.

Good day to you stranger.