Many boat duties are divided into blue or boy jobs or girl or pink jobs. The division of jobs is not on purpose but basically boils down to task that need to be done. Sara was woke by Wade to assume her watch in the middle of the night but he sadly raised his finger that was punctured by a spiny lobster hunted in Penrhyn. The finger had started to get better, but after an eventfully day of fishing he was in serious pain. Wade’s left middle finger was twice the size and so Sara sleepy eyed noticed the finger had an infection below the surface. We spent the next hour irrigating the wound and soaking in hot water with a little salt and he started on antibiotics. Wade woke feeling much better and his finger is doing much better, but that left Sara to live a day in Wade’s shoes.
As Sara would not allow his finger to get wet or dirty Sara began with filling the diesel tank. We’ve been motoring for almost two days and the tank read around 1/4 tank. Sounds easy enough, only open up an aft compartment and lift out one 6 and one 8 gallon diesel jug then lift and pour into a tiny gas tank hole. Ha! This aft compartment is piled full of stuff and the jugs are on the bottom. The Baha filter/funnel used to filter the fuel being poured into our tank also was on the bottom and the center filter piece of it just happened to fall out and fall even lower. With a grin Wade suggested climbing in the compartment to retrieve the filter that fell almost to the bottom. Successfully we refuel and everything stowed again with no concerns. Sara’s arms a little weak from lifting the jugs.
As we were finishing up our audio book we let out some fishing lures and agreed if we fish then Sara would reel the fish in and then because the fish might be unsanitary for Wade’s finger, Sara was going to learn how to filet her first fish. The reel clacked alarming us there was a fish on the line and we slowed the boat then Sara began reeling in a Skip Jack Tuna. The catch was on our smallest reel and so she struggled hard to bring in it closer to the boat. We have decided that the fat Skip Jack’s are not tasty and this was our biggest Skip Jack yet, so Wade grabbed the hook with his good hand and released the fish at the back of the boat. We let out the lines again and then after we were just finishing up dinner the same small pole clacked. We slowed the boat and it was the same drill; however, this time the line kept going out fast. Sara worked as hard as she could and the line would only run out and not come in. Wade helped out by putting the boat in reverse and created just enough slack to let her reel in some of the line. After 20 minutes working this fish, we both paused as the fish jumped out of water and started to dance. It was unbelievable as if it was in slow motion. Sara saw yellow and swore it was a yellow fin and Wade said no way, and said it was a Marlin. Sara kept working the fish and kept the line taught as much as possible. Within 50 yards from the back of the boat we thought we were there and the fish was coming in and poof it was gone. Sara pulled in the line as fast as possible and kept praying please still be on the line. Sadly the fish was indeed gone. 🙁 She literally handed the pole over to Wade and went to the cabin and started doing dishes from dinner. Wade will say she did well, but what a fish. Sara can’t wait for Wade’s hand to be better because her arms are sore, haha.
Our position this noon was 14 degrees 20′ S and 152 degrees 19′ W and our speed was 5.5 knots with 135 miles to go to Bora Bora. The seas are pretty much flat calm with no wind and thus we continue to motor.
Cheers,
Wade and Sara
