Fishing has been a bit slow. They have been to sea for 2days now and have caught 150 fish.....BIG fish!

Had a good day today...96 fish and good sized ones! Steady fishing all day, which makes it easier especially when fishing in poor weather like we are at the moment. I can honestly say, I have never fished in a swell as big as this, it's got to be 4 metres plus at times, we frequently are losing sight of the horizon and other boats. Diffcult to maintain towing speed of 6 knots, because one second you are going up hill the next down hill! Tom.

Ok tuna blog fans not such a good day on Sunday only 31 fish, put a lot of that down to the weather and swell. Have had to up the line strength due to the swell parting off the fish...just too upsetting! Had an electrical problem yesterday morning....a quick call to shaun had the problem sorted fortunately! On a lighter note Dickie cooked up a lovely joint of pork....a real lift for everyone at the end of the day! Tom

Hard going with weather and that! Had 80 fish....mostly in the morning weather got horrible in late afternoon! The Charisma had similar fishing 30 miles east of us. All systems are go...that's about all folks, apart from wishing my mum a very Happy Birthday on Sunday (one of the crew thought you only looked about 60 mum), and plently to eat and drink...be merry at the Navy Inn in Penzance from me and the guys! Tom

We're now southwest Ireland on the great Atlantic tuna seas! Fishing is ok...lovely big fish! Plently of Spanish boats around for us to shadow quietly! Fishing went very quiet lunch time onwards even with our Spanish friends, but picked up a little towards the evening. The Charisma is here to the south east of us.

We reached the Atlantic tuna grounds at 3am this morning and started to fish at 5:45am.....getting 15 in the first hour or so. I had the last watch and by watching the radar closely I came across a large group of Spanish tuna boats 25 or so with some French pair trawlers. Weather is good at the moment, but forecast is lousey for the next couple of days, just have to get on with it.It's all systems go at the moment, got to go now to get on with it .

We had 45 large ones today!

The Charisma will be going to sea either tonight or tomorrow.

The goood ship 'Nova Spero' is back on the ocean waves again under a different command, as Shaun is in the Canaries with his family having a well earned break.

My name is Tom McClure, the relief skipper and the best looking blogger the boat has ever had! As Shaun mentioned in his final blog, I have done several seasons catching tuna before so it's not completely new to me. I'm really looking forward to it all, there is nothing more exciting then catching a tuna....such a magnificent fish! We have a new cunning and devious secret weapon, so we are hoping to catch as many as Shaun did! I own a 38ft trawler called 'Harvest Reaper', which has been left in the very good hands of Phil Roach, the relief skipper and my right-hand man, dickie couldn't ask for a better pair. Just hope they get some sea time in with all this horrible August weather we have had. Anyway thats enough blog, its all systems go and I'm off for a bowl of muesli. All the best Tom. 

We are on the way. The wind has backed southerly and Gervasio is telling us there is poor weather until next Wednesday so a few days in I reckon. I expect Taranteeno is chomping at the bit. We had a crap day yesterday.......10 fish.......sounded similar with Walshie and Gervasio.....gotta take the rough with the smooth. Will be in Newlyn by teatime with 1260 fish and I'm off on my hols....will take-up the reins again on 2nd September so adios and hasta la vista. CAPITANO

Weather has improved slightly.....W-NW 5 to 7 but still a big ground swell. Last day tomorrow, going home tomorrow night. Can't wait to see Jax and the kids.....off on our hols next week for a fortnight......normally can't afford a holiday but we one it in a spot-the-ball competition.....nice to be blessed by Lady Luck sometimes but fishing has slackened-off a bit, me, Jon and Gervasio have gone our seperate ways searching for the little bambinos. We ended up with 74 fish 

14 August. This is it, the last day. We are towing north to shorten the distance for steaming home. When you are the skipper/owner of a 20m boat like the Nova Spero you maintain it yourself. She needs constant attention so you aint got much time.....it's in tomorrow, land fish, a nights sleep, down to the boat on Saturday to get her ready for the next trip as i will not be here. Due to insurance reasons a chap called Tom McClure will be skippering her next trip and he will be in the wheelhouse running the show up there....radars, plotters, echo sounders, sonars.....navigating and communicating. Quincy will be running the deck, Ian will be running the engines, machinery and fuel transfer pumping systems, good old Dicki will be running the fishroom.......I'm just trying togive you an insight into what goes on. Its not just a case of throwing lines over the side and pulling them in, everything has to run smoothly and sometomes it does and sometimes it doesn't. Tom's a gent...a real nice fella....nothing is too much trouble for him. He has done a trip here before so it will not be unfamilair surroundings for him.

Anyhow, we've got a trip......1250 fish on board at the moment. Hoping for another 50 fish today but I think that its wishful thinking as we are towing north. RGDS, CAPITANO  

Latest landings information is that Nova Spero will be landing Friday evening with 1300 to 1400 fish. Charisma will be landing Saturday with 1000 fish