Wow, from having a fairly non eventful few days we have had excitement overload today!
It started off grey and overcast again after a miserable night with lots of rain but not a lot of wind. All the covers were up over the cockpit but even these weren't enough to keep whoever was on watch dry as the rain came in almost horizontal. I for one was wondering what on earth I was doing sitting in the dark, in the rain, at 4am in the middle of the Atlantic! As always things look much better in the daylight especially once the wind and our speed started to pick up again. Talking to the other yachts in our radio net group this morning it seems most of them experienced similar conditions so we aren't alone.
The real excitement started after lunch, we had been fishing since mid morning but only managed to catch several clumps of the weed which has been floating past the boat in increasing quantities for the last few days, but what we really wanted was a tuna. Graham had been almost green with jealousy when Regis from Chiscos announced that they caught one yesterday. When he had almost reached the desperate state of thinking of calling up Chiscos for fishing tips the line suddenly started running and the contest was on! To the shouts of 'It's something big!' Dad and I furled the headsail to slow the boat and got our landing gear ready. As it was reeled in it became obvious it wasn't a tuna or another Mahi Mahi but something else, when we saw the stripes, pointy nose and teeth we realised we'd got ourselves a barracuda! This caused some concern as they can be viscous little buggers so we made sure it was well anaesthetised before it got pulled into the cockpit. (I should perhaps let you know our GA tips for fish, someone told Dad that gin squirted into the gills was a good idea - not sure where it came from but it does seem to work and the fish have a happy passing....) So we landed the thing which was 11lb and ensures good eating for another couple of days.
Then as if this wasn't enough the wildlife really started coming as we spotted 2 whales off our starboard beam. One swam alongside only about 12-15m away from the boat. We think they were minkies but aren't 100% sure, whatever they were it was really exciting. Only 5 minutes after the whales a pod of dolphins came our way but seemed on a mission as they headed straight past our stern in one tight group, it obviously wasn't playtime for them today.
So all in all a very good day, to be finished of by fish pie: fantastic!!
Love to all from Nyda
Rosie x
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