09:53:69S

132:07:78W

 Check this out Dudes !

At long last a catch after nearly 3000 miles,  4 lost lures and 2 bitten lines…..the biggest fish any of us have ever seen not in an aquarium. 

Harry was just about to wind in the line after another fruitless day, Ali mooching about the cockpit the rest of us below busy.  I have never seen Harry run so fast and get  the spinnaker down, with such Herculean strength,. It took a while to slowly reel it in, the excitement of not knowing what was on the end. Then we saw a huge open mouth with big teeth splashing towards us. Ali was on the gaff leaning over the side, me holding his shorts which wouldn't have made an iota of difference had he gone over, then we had to spray cheap rum into his gills to deaden him before the landing, though I dropped the rum, had to grab the next best thing which was - eeeeeeeks - Andrew's 23 yr old precious stuff.  Once on the stern we just gaped at this huge barracuda  with its fierce electric blue head and rows of teeth.  He measured 4ft 4" and weighed a lot, any ideas from our fisherman friends ?  So its fish tonight and forever. 

We should be seeing the islands the day after tomorrow which is about time. We're pretty tired with the rocking and rolling. I am covered in bruises I try to hold on but things just happen, the worst one was landing on the poo bag hook by the loo.  We're keeping up in the front of the fleet, some poor devils are 1000 miles behind us, nightmare.

Alpharatz sent us some terrific pictures of Hebe on the start of the last leg from Las Perlas to Galapagos, see below

Hebe flying her long skirt.

We took a picture of them, our arch rivals, just ahead as usual…..

Beautiful old Swan,  she's always faster than us but gives us a lot of fun chasing.  Note all the fishing rods they have five and always catch fish.

Harry's on dinner we're all looking forward to Barracuda Harry Style,. He's preparing another fancier green and pink lure because he really wants to catch a yellow fin tuna. Ali and I tried some of the barracuda raw on the deck it was tasty, a bit chewy but nothing like tuna sashimi.  

From the Hebe fish and chip shop,   Copy that, Roger Roger, over and out.

wash day !