Sea Adventures Boats

Our boats

These are amongst the biggest on the Kenya Coast, comfortable, spacious, immaculately maintained and crewed by professionals.

Skipper's qualification

Pat & Simon are also holders of the "National Powerboat Certificate - Level 2" and RYA/DoT Small Craft Basic Sea Survival Certificate both issued by the Royal Yachting Association of the UK. Simon also holds a yachtmaster offshore certificate from the RYA.

Equipment

Tackle. Our boats are fully equipped with conventional big game trolling Shimano and Penn International rods/reels. Our 30lb - 80lb outfits are almost entirely Shimano Tiagra. In addition both boats carry heavy duty spinning outfits for popping and deep jigging.
Electronics. Both boats are fully equipped with VHF radio, GPS chart plotter and fish finder and the skippers / crews are fully conversant in their use. In addition Kamara II is equipped with a 24 mile radar. They are both equipped with marine toilet, galley, fridge/freezer, shower and even a barbecue.
Safety Equipment. Both boats are fitted with an 8-man offshore life raft and a full compliment of lifejackets. Kamara II is equipped to South African standards some of the most stringent in the World.

BROADBILL - 46-ft custom built sport fisher

She was re-engined in 2005 with New Holland 235-hp marine turbo diesels and ZF gearboxes that give her a top speed of around 20 knots. Broadbill was commissioned by Ted Holmes, the original owner, built by K-Boats Mombasa and launched in 1972. Immediately she demonstrated her fish raising abilities by being the top marlin boat in her first season.

She is still one of the most beautiful boats on the East African coast and has been maintained in an immaculate condition. Broadbill has a huge cockpit, plenty of shade and a high gunwale as well as a very comfortable and practical cabin. Broadbill can take up to 4 guests on fishing trips or live-aboard safaris with 2 comfortable sleeping berths in the fore cabin and in the saloon the dinette folds down to make a large double bed. There is a marine toilet and a safari shower can be set up on deck in the evenings.

Pat Hemphill

Pat Hemphill Before Independence Pat sold his farm at Mau Summit and moved to Shimoni to start the Pemba Channel Fishing Club. In 1963 he bought his first boat, White Otter and together they caught more than 1,000 marlin a feat that was commemorated by hugely talented local artist, Jenny Slater in a painting of White Otter fighting a marlin. In 1978 Pat bought Broadbill and she became an integral part of the Pemba Channel fleet.

Pat was co-author of the book "Crash Strike" along with the late Anthony Cullen.

Pat, now aged over 80 years old must be one of the oldest acting professional skippers anywhere in the world. He is truly the "Old Man of the Sea". With 48 years of invaluable experience Pat is ably assisted by Usama Nahodha who has worked on Broadbill since her launch in 1972. Usama is also a holder of the RYA/DoT Small Craft Basic Sea Survival Certificate. Suleiman Mchambi, the first mate joined the team in 1988 with Usama's son, Suleiman Usama joining in 2006, a very bright young man who is learning fast.

Pat has fished most of the East African coastline and been in to ports such as Kiunga and Chole Bay, Mafia as well as circumnavigating the island of Lamu in White Otter before the days of GPS and colour depth sounders. Between Pat and Broadbill they have accounted for many of Kenya's big fish as well as many Kenya and All Africa records.

Broadbill has taken 1,437 marlin as of April 2011 and has frequently been in the top three marlin boats in Kenya since her launch in 1972. She has recorded more than 50 marlin in a season no less than 9 times with a highest of 96 marlin in the 1998/99 season.

In March 2011 Pat became only the second skipper in Kenya to successfully catch a broadbill swordfish in daylight something that was previously unthinkable. This involves specialist equipment associated with deep drifting, a technique that has proved very successful off Florida. ( Read more .. )

#1 MARLIN BOAT IN EAST AFRICA SINCE 1992

Biggest marlin - 800 lb black marlin caught by Stuart Allison 1st Sept 1984;
Most marlin in one day - 7 on 15th Feb 1997 with the late Harry Dutfield;
Biggest shark - 984 lb tiger shark caught by Harry Parsons 6th March 1974
Biggest broadbill - 342 lb caught by Christo Wentzel on 8th March 2011.

KAMARA II- a 42ft Bill Edwards sport fisher

Designed by well known South African boat designer, the late Bill Edwards and built by Robert Newell in Gordon's Bay, South Africa. She was launched in late 2001 and joined our operation in April 2002. She is an amazing sea boat designed for the very rough conditions off the Cape.

Her twin Caterpillar 350 hp motors give her a top speed of 23 knots and this together with her large fuel capacity of 2,800 lt gives her a range of 1,000+ miles or 10-15 days fishing depending on speed. She has a wide beam, huge comfortable cockpit with plenty of shade and high gunwales for added crew and angler peace of mind. For those of you who are very tall and always banging your head on boats you needn't worry on Kamara II. Robert, the builder is 2 metres tall and having served in the South African Navy aboard submarines was tired of hitting his head so built this boat accordingly.

Kamara II has a large saloon with teak dinette, couch and a very practical galley that is very useful on safari. Below decks she has a v-berth up forward with separate toilet and shower cabins. Kamara II can easily sleep 4 persons and is ideal for extended fishing cruises and for tournaments anywhere in East Africa. She also has 33 ft Lee's outriggers that give her an awesome spread.

Simon Hemphill, PhD

Simon is a fisheries biologist by training having written his doctorate on yellowfin tuna ecology and fisheries under the expert guidance of Prof. Tony Pitcher. Simon has been fishing since he was old enough to hold a fishing rod and took his first charter out at the age of 14 yr with the late Paolo Gallmann on White Otter. He has been full time charter fishing in the Pemba Channel since July 1981. In 1992 he took charge of his first boat, Kamara built by Andy Stuart in Mombasa. Despite Kamara being one of the slowest boats in the charter fleet they were a very successful combination and top marlin boat/skipper in 2000/01 and 2001/02.

Simon is ably assisted by Hamisi Husein a 30 year partnership that has led to a great intuitive understanding between them. Hamisi is a great fisherman in his own right and has legendary eyesight that enable him to spot marlin fins far from the boat. Qualifications Simon holds a Yachtmaster Offshore from the Royal Yachting Association (RYA), a VHF operators licence, the RYA small vessel sea survival and is a RYA advanced powerboat instructor and first aid instructor. Simon is also fully certified to 40 nautical miles by the South African Maritime and Safety Authority (SAMSA). Simon has also been certified as an instructor by the South African Deep Sea Angling Association (SADSAA).

Conservation award

Simon has received the Captain's Award from The Billfish Foundation for the most striped marlin tagged in the Indian Ocean 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010. In addition in 2006 he received the same award for the most blue marlin tagged in the Indian Ocean.

KAMARA II performance

Biggest marlin - 586 lb blue marlin caught by Dennis Burnett on 1st October 1996 (Simon tagged & released one of a similar size two weeks later);
Most marlin in one day - 5;
Biggest striped marlin - 230 lb tagged by Brett Ager on 31st January 2011;
Biggest shark - 910½ lb caught by Dieter Buhler 9th December 1986;
Most marlin in a season - 104 in 1998/99;
More than 50 marlin in a season - 4;
Top marlin boat - 7 times in the past 12 years

Kamara II excels

Kamara II excelled in her first season by catching more than 3 times more marlin than any other boat in Kenya and continued this form by being the top marlin boat in 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06 and in 2006/07.

Her very first billfish was the very rare shortbill spearfish, a Kenya and All Africa record on 15 kg line caught by Dion Woodbourne in August 2002. Kamara II has caught all SIX species of billfish, a feat only accomplished by very few boats in the region that include Simon's first boat, Kamara. Simon is only one of three skippers to have caught more than 100 marlin in a season.

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Kenya charter fishing boats

Fishing the rips

The fleet