Thursday 14^th May - As of midnight day-21 we were at position 8:46.16S 130:44.63W

Woo Whoo I caught a massive Wahoo. And all this time I was talking up the Tuna’s I had pulled in 2 days prior. What was I thinking compared to this giant those pair of tuna could never of taken down this big bad boy. It would have been a suicide mission.

As I have said before the sound of that spool screaming at you is an awesome sound one that every person once in their life should experience. This day was no different however after my morning look around and dropping over the fishing line I went back to bed. Dad who will only rise if the boat is on fire did not even stir that was until about 45 minutes after the line went in. In a docile state of mind I realized it was going off with the ferocity of a wounded bull. Out I sprang to hit the drag across which I thought may just buy me some time but it did nothing, next I turned it up to strike, full and again nothing, I then manually turned up the drag setting dial as hard as I could, full well knowing I was in serious danger of snapping the line. Luckily I had replaced it 3 days out on this passage and with a new 50 pound breaking strain and there was now plenty in the water so I was OK. This did not stop the line from emptying off the spool, I had to stop the boat, diving forward I let loose the spinnaker sheet and hauled down the sock over the huge sail, then firing up the engine I put the boat into reverse. Shuddering under such adverse action still nothing and time was a wasting, I begun to fight, it was a different fight to normal as this big bad boy had not dived for the safe depths of the endless ocean instead he took off along the surface and after a few jerks at him he turned just enough for me to begin to wind in. After about 10 minutes I was exhausted, winding and winding and winding, still he seemed so far away. Finally this big bad fish effortlessly swam up to the back of the boat. Wow I thought how the hell am I going to get that in? At no stage did I think what a beautiful fish so big and peaceful I should let him go, oh no I thought switch on the freezer and I will eat you up.

I somehow found the strength to haul it in on board, mind you even with the endorphins pumping round my body I was barely strong enough to get him up and after 3 attempts a small hernia and a little huffing and puffing I managed to heave it on board as both I and fish collapsed together.

I just stood there for a while looking in amazement of what had just happened, this fish was so big that it could not fit across the back of the boat, it was so big that I was not strong enough to lift it for the usual trophy poses shot and instead I had to sling a rope and pulley from the gantry just to get it off the ground. It weighed a lot, I say at least 50 pound proberly more, it measured 152 Centimeters, so 5 foot. It had a lovely set of sharp teeth and a fishy odor.

I had no idea where to start with this beast, so I went down stairs made a coffee and read the cruiser bible ‘The Cruisers Handbook of Fishing’ While I regained my composure. It told me everything I needed to know, a sharp knife and a little patience and I would have the best meat the sea can offer. Whaoo is a delicious white flesh that is my favorite all round fish as it is a plentiful provider, a great fighter and great tasting what more does one want. I firstly took off the head, this is done by cutting up through the gill plates and then snapping the head back until you break the back bone. This was a straddling exercise. Lucky fish. After a quick kiss off it went apart from the prize pieces for soup. Next I cut the tail off, I have been keeping and drying the tails of the bigger fish I catch nothing weird or fetish like it is just they can not lie to your fellow cruisers about your catch. Naturally every one gets a little carried away with their fishing tails after 4 weeks at sea. Even me. I still could not quite get the fish on the back deck but I could make do. After sharpening my knife so sharp it would make a surgeons eyes water I split the giant in two. Straight down the middle which for a wahoo is amazingly easy and does not waste a tinchy bit of meat. Next the carcass and frame were removed and carefully trimmed and set aside to make soup. The chest cavity was cut away, de-slimed, for anyone who does not know de-sliming is the removal of the stomach lining, and then trimmed and de-skinned and set aside for steaming. This is great meat to make fish patties with, infact it is a weird meat in texture and taste and if you were not told you may even mistake it for a succulent piece of white pork meat. Finally this left me with two massive bits of meat that I de-skinned and cut up in to the appropriate sizes and all were put in to zip lock bags to be frozen. I have almost filled a 40 Liter freezer with fish.

PS: I am full

Day 294

Destination – Marquesas Passage Day 21

Traveling Direction – West

Average Speed – 5.3

Total distance – 96 Nautical Miles

Travel Time – 24h