“It was scary – we knew people may be interested in exploring Singapore’s seas, just not enough to be sure that we could do well,” Nurhuda said. “But we had the support of our family and we were really passionate, so we decided to just go for it.”
After acquiring the boat, they would take it out often to get used to driving around the north-eastern and north-western islands – Pulau Sarimbun, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong, and Coney Island. To crowdsource feedback, close friends and family were treated to casual island tours.
Nurhuda’s relatives share their stories about the islands, from where different groups of Orang Laut used to live, to where traditional fishing spots were located. The couple picked up tips passed down through the generations on how to identify the best weather and tidal conditions for a successful catch.
“Many of our family members were excited for us,” Nurhuda said. “My mum was worried about the stability of our business at first, but after seeing how confident we were while sailing the boat and sharing the stories about the islands, she got excited, too.
“She felt happy that we had started a sea-related business, as it was close to our heritage.”
A year later, in 2022, Get Hooked SG was officially in operation.
“When my family goes fishing, the first one who’d catch a fish would shout, ‘Hooked up!’ and then the next would go ‘Double hooked up!’ and then ‘Triple hooked up!’ and so on,” Nurhuda explained. “That’s where ‘Get Hooked’ came from.”