and then there were fish!! updated with pics

Lynn & Mike ..around the world
Mike Drinkrow & Lynn v/d Hoven
Tue 12 Jun 2012 04:00
25:34.21N 111:09.17W
 
And then there were fish!  
    
We filled up with fuel in Escondido - and there was a dispute about the price. I went to the office to find out about the 12% surcharge on "dock diesel", but found the office closed for lunch. While I waited I got chatting to some locals and found out about a guy called Robert on a boat called Bad Company, who knew "everything about fishing in the area"
I eventually gave up on the office and sent Mike off to meet Robert on his boat - a magnificent 60foot Viking Sports fishing boat. Well what a good meeting that turned out to be!
 
Robert/ Roberto is a successful and generous Mexican/ American who LOVES fishing and has all the toys. He told Mike that the reason we were not catching fish, was that we did not have the right bait and were not fishing in the right place. He then invited us to use a mooring ball off his house at Punte Cosme and would give Mike some pointers. We followed him down there and after his crew tied us up, he invited us up to his home for tacos. What a place - perched on a hill surrounded by nothing but magnificent views of the mountains and sea. A large home, with 10 bedrooms, that is more like a guest house or small hotel - and he is building another one behind it. His plan is for a small development in the area with exclusive homes and a marina. We had a swim in the pool, a tour of the property and then enjoyed a casual dinner on the patio, prepared by the chef.  And then, Robert invited Mike and John to go fishing with him the next day .. they could not believe their luck!
 
 
 
The house at Cosme Point
 
That night a strong wind came up (gusting to 35knots) and as we were tied bow and stern to the buoys - the wrong way around - we had a very uncomfortable night with wind and waves bashing up our rear. Luckily this is only a night time wind phenomenon,  called a Corumel and so at 7am off the guys went to Bad Company for a day of fishing.
 
I am sure that John and Mike will tell all you "viskoppe" out there about all the details - but here is the summary. They headed off to the fishing grounds about 30nm away, in the deep water of the Sea of Cortez. This fishing boat has 2 x 2000hp engines, cruises at 30knots and has a top speed of 45knots!  The boat is fully equipped with lots of gear, including a tall spotting tower, 4 live bait wells (fish Jacuzzis) and 3 crew .... oh yes, and the chef!  When Mike and John returned that night they were exhausted, but could not stop smiling - both had caught a Marlin - John got a 50kg Striped Marlin, and Mike a 25kg White Marlin.
 
   
 
Bad Company - the boat!
 
The next day we said goodbye to Robert as he went off fishing again, and we relaxed on Time2. Then the staff from the house came down to us with their dinghy to tell us that Robert was on the VHF radio. We connected and he told Mike about a big school of Dorado that he had found and was marking it for us with a balloon. Amazing!!   He also gave us the co-ordinates and off we went, 28nm to a weigh-point in the middle of nowhere..this time at only 9 knots!  We spotted the yellow balloon right on the weigh-point and almost immediately we had a strike on two lines. The dorado were literally jumping out of the water!  That school had not moved in over 3 hours, swirling around under a  collection on sea grass. One bull they landed was well over a meter long and weighed 13.5kgs. Quite quickly the pantry was filled, the deck was covered in blood and the fish were getting smart. It was time to go, as we had to get to a safe anchorage as light was fading.
 
 
 
 
As we headed to Isla Monserrate we saw a marlin jumping repeatedly behind the boat, and although I could see that Mike was very tempted to turn around, we continued on our way.
 
What an amazing two days of fishing the guys have had - as a result of a chance meeting with a very generous guy!
 
We will only have satellite phone access for the next week, but will be on the marina in Las Paz on the 19th to pick up regular emails/ internet..