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