Aden day 12
St Barbara's Web Diary
Peter & Sue Goldsmith
Sun 2 Mar 2008 09:03
12.00 2nd March
Yesterday we reported the arrival of fish unexpectedly and today we can
report the departure in a simnilar manner. More later because it was an
eventful day.
We left Uligam as a convoy of 3 boats and a few days ago we were joined by
friends of Quickstep on a boat called Tacks. However we found that Tacks
was rather slow and had no lightweight sails to help them when there was
little wind. They did not appear to be in any hurry. The stains of keeping
such a disparate group together proved too much and ourselves and Albert II
moved on ahead. Not easy but we were very relieved.
We agreed to travel in convoy as this area is deemed to be the most
dangerous in terms of piracy and also is used a people smuggling route
between Somalia and Yemen. We have been filing daily reports to UK forces
base in Dubai and as a result we were overflown yesterday by a reconnasiance
aircraft. Just keeping an eye on us, and very reassuring. Today we are
through the area in question and now only 2 days from Aden.
So having waved to the aircraft our fishing line suddenly ran hard and on
the end a fine tuna. Not large but plenty for us at 2 kilos. Back out went
the line and in a few moments a second came over the side. In a matter of 15
minutes we had landed 4 tuna. Certainly a record for St Barbara.
Sam had them despatched and gutted in no time. The cockpit looked like a
bloodbath. Cleaned up and then we closed in on Albert II and over to them
in a plastic bag went a ready prepared tuna.
So we had delightful yellowfin last night in a first rate curry and just
finished an early lunch of tuna sashimi and rice wrapped in seaweed (thanks
to Pete & Val). Outstanding.
Quite an eventful 24 hours and a most respectable 144 miles covered too. All
we are missing is wind.