Day 15
What is this fish? Looks like a grouper? Anyone know?
Well what a day, it's been quite a busy one - we have been in the company
of a tall ship heading to Grenada and several smaller yachts destined for
Martinique on a separate rally that left a few days before the ARC. It has
been nice to sight them ahead, fairly quickly overhaul them and speak to
some other yachts at sea. We have also gybed twice trying to make what we
can in the lighter wind conditions - we have been slightly slowed due to
nursing a sprained spinnaker pole fitting - but we are still on target for
our arrival estimates, with Em and Tony on course for victory in the sweep
stakes. For those watching the leader board, we have slipped from our 3rd
place on the water position, but don't despair as 2 of the yachts ahead need
to cross the line 24 hours ahead of us to beat us after handicap so we are
still in good shape and all is well.
Today's real highlight has been the fishing, which had been called off for a
couple of days due to too much floating seaweed which gets caught on the
lure. Today though, with a reduction in weed and boat speed we have had much
success. First we landed the modest little fella above, which does not
feature in any of our identification books, so we would like to know what it
is. Throughout the day we caught another 3 of a similar size which we
returned to the sea unharmed - and 2 large Dorado which are chilling nicely
in the fridge - this must surely be the most we have caught on a crossing,
we have lost count but many have been turned into a tasty meal and more are
waiting in the freezer - if you're joining on a Skyelark charter soon, you
can bet Dorado will be on the menu - and it's delicious.
We have though, decided enough is enough - no more small fry, we have sent
out our biggest and brightest lure MAVIS with a hook so large that only a
serious mouth would take it on, and we are sat, somewhat anxiously waiting
to see what it will deliver and hope that with all our practice we can rise
to the challenge of a heavy weight tuna. Time will tell.
Dan
Whats-this-fishy