Squiddy's revenge
Ticketeeboo
Sue & Alan
Thu 16 Jan 2014 14:19
a & Ray's Grandson Andrew, when he was on their sailing yacht in days gone by!). Ray fetched the lump hammer (my killing weapon) as well lifejackets and head-torch. I got the gaff-hook ready. Then it was let games begin so we started the tug-of-war. Slowly, slowly squiddy + a n other attached came closer and closer. In the moonlight the silver flickering demon was now within touching distance. After several fumbled attempts to spear it with the gaff-hook, with one hand hanging on for fear of going in the drink, the 3 feet long deemon of the angry lookin' kind (with big fanged teeth) was brought out of the water, by hook and by crook, and onto our aft deck. Then with one swift motion the lump hammer landed on it's forehead. Both eyes 'popped' but it's still alive. Another thump or two released squiddy and the deemon was done (well & truely done-in!). Ray says "Look at it's teeth! Do you think we can eat it?" I says "I'm pretty certain I think we probably can but for now we will leave
it 'ere and I'll deal with it after my SSB call". It is now beheaded, de-tailed, de-gutted (and I can tell yeah it had a lot of guts all along the underside of it's 3 ft length) de-scaled, sliced, filleted & in the freezer. It's a white-meat fish with pointed head, big fanged teeth, silvery coloured and quite skinny - or it was when it was still in one piece with squiddy in its grasp.
Never caught one of these before. Thinks it could be a barracuda? (or was!). Anyway, all settled down again and squiddy's looking very pleased with itself. As the saying goes "Never judge a squiddy by the state of it's undercarriage!"
It's 2230 Zulu time (not that there's any Zulu's around these parts) 0030 UT. It's a beautiful full moon glistening the sea, which seems able to retain it's ability to cause us to swing side-to-side incessantly. We might only be doing between 4 & 5 kn most of the time and we might be lurching side to side like an intoxicated jelly ............ but we are sailing and will likely be like this for next couple of days as we continue to head towards Barbados to pick up two beauties!
Since day break we have done 2 x loads of washing. Good eh? All imitating flags which un-coded says "Chinese Laundry - Keep Your Distance" just in case we come across another vessel somewhere? There ain't none anywhere to be seen for ages (again). I've asked Ray "Come on Ray, give us something inspirational?" to which he replied "I 'aven't got any" with a hint of a Wearside accent. (I must warn you, Sandra............ in the last couple of weeks Ray has been coming out with the odd expression, which is easily picked-out as part of 'is roots! I'm not sure why this is. Maybe it's 'cause I'm draggin him into a Scouse accent and this is effectin' 'im a bit? Warra yeah fink?
In last 24 hours we have shortened our distance towards Barbados by 116 NM so Barbados is now 631 NM away and we have logged 119 Nm through the water. All of which is pretty good considering we have only donkeduslittlus for 5 hours and therefore sailed along (at the speed of a turtle swiming even faster than us) for 19 hours. Now, the good news is ............ our windies are likely to increase from now on and those fangled windies commonly known as Trade Winds are gonna become prevalent again....... yippee! Ray says "I can not stand another night in light airs and sloppy seas like last night. I wake up aching from the sudden movements!" I assume he is talking about the swelley seas we've been having so I just nod and agree 'cause he knows there is no mutual sympathy to be had when it comes to me trying different sail configurations during my night watches!!!!
On a final note........ tis blog is goin' out on time today ('opefully!)
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Ticketeeboo MMSI 235071989 Callsign 2CED3, Ham = m0hng
At 16/01/2014 06:35 (utc) our position was 15°47.67'N 048°34.33'W
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