Sunday at Sea and a beautiful one at that! The sun shines hot almost directly overhead as we gently sway side to side in the Pacific Ocean. Yesterday afternoon was rather exciting in the fishing department. Colin, of Nova Scotia, our avid fisherman sets four lines every morning in the hopes of catching a fresh fish. Yesterday his fishing reel buzzed out just as a second line came taut with a mahi-mahi – “fish on!” was called throughout the ship. Two fish on would have been the correct announcement.
Our cook Donald, of Grenada, arrived at the aloha deck. He is our fish whisperer, he knows how to reel in the fish without losing it, when to stop and hold the fish and how to properly use the gaff. A gaff is a large sharp hook attached to a bamboo pole that Donald uses to spear the fish in order to bring it up on deck, as the stern of the ship (the aloha deck where we fish) is quite high off the waterline. We require the use of the gaff to haul the fish on to the deck as pulling on the line to bring the fish up would be near impossible.
What’s different about fishing while underway on a square rigger rather than in a fishing vessel is that the fishermen here are not only fighting the fish but they’re also fighting the ship as it sails along. As we hauled in the Mahi-mahi, Colin was fighting to keep a rather large fish on his fishing line. After 40 minutes of him keeping the strain, Rune of Norway, came to relieve him. Shortly after, the Captain decided enough was enough and the call came to “rise tacks and sheets on the main” and to brace around the main yards. Once we hove to, Colin, Rune and Donald were able to haul up a 95 lb tuna! We couldn’t believe it. Today for lunch, Liz, Katie and Tyler made a delicious batch of ceviche from the fresh tuna.
This morning a few crew members diddled away at their personal projects while others enjoyed the lovely weather and read on deck. The Halloween festivities are starting to begin! Six-year-old ship’s boy Dawson and friends will be trick or treating throughout the ship… if they can make through the haunted house!
From: Vanuatu
Towards: Bali
Date: Sunday, Oct 28, 2018
Noon Position: 15°28.3′ S x 161°47.3′ E
Course + Speed: W by N 1/2 N
Wind direction + Force: SE by E + 3
Swell Height + Direction: 1m + SE
Weather: Bright, sunny, hot
Day’s Run: 93.5 nm
Passage Log: 94.6 nm
Distance to Port: 1255 nm (to Cape York)
Voyage: 10690.9 nm
Sails Set: All square sails, outer jib and inner jib, main topmast stays’l, main t’gallant stays’l, mizzen stays’l