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Cleone - CLEONE Leg 22 Day 11 - The Fish Strike Back



Flying Fish; the SAS of the undersea world.
 
The Skipper knew it was only a matter of time.  The continuing carnage we have wrought amongst the Mahi Mahi population (and we had another this morning - we don't take prisoners on Cleone) was bound to cause a back-lash, even in the dog-eat-dog, chaotic world of Neptune's Kingdom.  The Administration is corrupt; assassination squads roam freely and beneath the surface of the sea there is a veritable cauldron of different factions, all preying on eachother and all of them, even the mightly whales, likely to become prey themselves of the greatest of all predators; man.  But occasionally, these disparate groups manage, either individually or collectively, to strike back.  And I am afraid last night it was our turn.  Naturally, tiny little desert outposts (as it were) like Cleone, boldly flying the Flag in the far-flung Outposts of the Empire are the most likely victims of these hit-and-run raids, and this proved to be the case last night.  On watch alone, Graham may have become a little complacent, his senses lulled by the full moon, starlit sky and pleasant following breeze.  Concentrating as he was on the shape of the sail, the sudden arrival of a flying fish on a suicide mission took him completely by surprise.  It came straight in over the starboard side and caught Graham squarely in a vital and very painful part of his anatomy.  His anguished cry brought the Skipper straight on deck, but there was nothing he could do for Graham (your going to die, Blue), who assumed that the Skipper would despatch the terrorist raider without mercy.  But the Skipper's professional days are over, and rather than bayonetting it, he delicately lifted the stranded flying fish from the sole of the cockpit and helped it back, startled but undamaged, to its element.  What a wuss (sp?).
 
We've knocked off another 140 miles or so over the last 24 hours, mostly in the right direction.  Realising that we should have done it hours ago, Graham and the Skipper gybed Cleone onto the Starboard tack shortly after coming on watch at midnight.  Since then, holiding the Rhumb Line course has been easier, and we are now making good progress and are about 240 miles from our destination.  All being well, we will arrive in the small hours of Friday morning, hopefully in time for some re-victualling and refuelling so we can get on with some sight-seeing over the week-end.
 
All well on board, and best wishes from
 
James, Graham, Jenni and Shayne
Yacht Cleone
18o40'S 002o46'W



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