Closing The Line
 
                Digiboat's "Product Testing"
                  Simon Blundell
                  
Mon 17 Sep 2012 21:59
                  
                00:19.48S 
105:59.15E
18/9  
0540
The wind 
started dieing yesterday morning and had dropped and swung square by midday so 
just motoring from then on. As we are within a degree of the Equator I guess the 
doldrums are having their effect, although technically that's a mid ocean 
phenomenon as here there are nearby land masses with mountain ranges that have a 
greater influence on the wind.
After a day of 
no fish the previous day, yesterday was looking like a repeat and Tony was 
sinking into depression, despite his overwhelming, but mostly misplaced, 
optimism of the morning. But just after sunset, and just minutes from retrieving 
the lure for the night, we hooked up a nice little Spanish Mackerel. After 
decapitation and bleeding it turned dark, so gutted, wrapped and 
refrigerated, it's waiting for our preferred method of consuming to be decided 
today. If the wind continues to die as we approach the Equator there's a 
slight chance it could be barbequed (the BBQ on the aft deck can only be 
used in close to zero wind). Regardless, Tony is now holding his head high 
again, and Chris has had to hold off on dishing out further grief to him. 
Interestingly the rubber squid lure had had all the tenticles bitten off, and 
multiple teeth marsk around its "body". This confirms our suspicions that the 
previous (no-fish) day with the broken lure was due to it being bitten in 
half...

 This is the Mahi Mahi from a couple of 
days ago.
 (Postage-stamp size photo due to emailing via slow 
satellite phone connection)
Expecting to 
cross the Line around 10 am this morning, after King Neptune's visit to permit 
us into his Realm, we'll have the customary Rum and Coke from a teapot once our 
pollywog crew have transitioned to Shellbacks.
ETA at 
Raffles, Singapore looking to be tomorrow (Wed) 
morning.
SJB