“Yeah scared – we know people might be interested in exploring Singapore’s waters, but not sure if it’s enough to be successful,” said Nurhuda. “But we had the support of our family and we were really enthusiastic, so we decided to keep going.”
After getting a boat, they often went to sea to get used to sailing around the islands in the northeast and northwest – Pulau Sarimbun, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong, and Pulau Coney. To gather input, they invited friends and family on a relaxing tour of the island.
Nurhuda’s relatives also shared stories about the islands, from where the Orang Laut groups lived to traditional fishing spots. The couple also learned various tips passed down from generation to generation on how to recognize the best weather and tidal conditions to get abundant catches.
“Many family members are enthusiastic about our business,” said Nurhuda. “At first my mother was worried about the stability of this business, but after seeing how confident we were when driving the boat and sharing stories about the islands, my mother became excited.”
“My mother is happy that we started a business related to the sea, because it is close to our cultural heritage.”
A year later, in 2022, Get Hooked SG officially operates.
“When my family fishes, the first person to catch a fish will shout, ‘Hooked up!’, and the next one will shout ‘Double hooked up!’, ‘Triple hooked up!’, and so on,” explained Nurhuda. “That’s where the name ‘Get Hooked’ came from.”
