Everything is on top of the world - got back ache, sore throat and stinking cold! You could say I'm not 100 percent, someone bought the lurgie aboard! On a good note weather is fine. We had 192 fish, and the blue marlin (that's what I reckon it is don't think it's a sail fish). We're fishing well but we could do better no smoothness with it still and I don't know how to make it easier without catching fish you've got to look at the lines and react to the situation and every secnd counts. Quite frustrating but practice and more practice should do it. There is about 60 or 70 pole boats with us at the moment. Right got to put lines out, I am crawling out of the wheelhouse.
We're running a bit late this morning, cause we caught ourselves a blue marlin. What a fight that was this morning, but yesterday was a fine day. Fishing was a little slow, we went for a look round. Had 107 fish for the day, but it was a good day weather wise - flat calm. Dolphins and whales were everywhere! Can't think of much to put at the minute, as still buzzing from catching the marlin, about a 70lb to 80lb fish! The tan is coming on well at the minute - it's bloody hot!
Weather is flat calm with an Alantic breeze. Whales, dolphins and tuna are jumping out the water. Feeling knackered already. We had 135 fish the counting department went screw wiff after 130, so I'd say that was about right. Yes there was a lot of naked bodies on the deck yesterday, of all shapes and sizes, and one of those had his kacks on his head, but I won't name the individual concerned, as we've all probably guessed who it is, I'll give you a clue, he's the driving force on the boat! Who wants to come on holiday when you can come and do this and get paid a bit of money as well. Life doesn't get any better. I think we're all realising how privileged we are to be able to do this, to fish this unspolit fishery, long may it continue. My memory bed was worth every penny. This morning Kesty, aka the druid, had to give me 5 shouts before I woke up. Dicky is wandering around like a wildlife naturalist, but without his butterfly net! I just hope he doesn't see a rare species and decides to chace it overboard. That's all from HMS Nova Spero!
Weather is fine, a gentle Alantic breeze blowing over the ocean and everyone here is happy. We had 140 fish all 6 kilo plus. Lost a few and we had to gaff a few, so if your fish has a few small holes in it, we had to do it to get them aboard, and if it looks like a pin cushion then Kesty caught it, only joking! We all got tango-d today, a hot day in the Bay of Biscay! John was here with us, but has gone down towards the Spanish fleet to the south of us. We're staying put for another day and go on from there. Dolphins and whales where out today sunning themselves on the surface, if your reading this Mr Del Monte, we have got 260 fish for the trip so far. All the best got to go catch some more fish.
Today we did a bit more fine tuning of the lines, learning a bit more everyday you can see them taking all the lures now and we had 120 for the day. Captain Edwards made a salad with a little tuna blood mixed in for a little favour. Weather is good. John is here alongside us. The Basque fleet are 70nm south of us at the moment.
Weather is south west 5 to 6. Not to bad and my memory matress for my bunk is even better, was dribbling away quite happily last night. At the moment we are 20nm abeam off the French coast and on our way to the Bay of Biscay. Made contact with Gervasio, he said no fish where we left last trip and their catching down Spain, so that's where we're going. I can see us going into Spain soon. Hoping for a bit of feedback from the chefs who bought the fish last trip soon, should be fishing first thing Saturday morning. On another note and might be to early to say, but you've now got to Cornish baots coming into Newlyn to land their fish and none of it is going onto the market, and I don't think a new market will solve this problem, bit what so I know I am just a simple fisherman.
Had a few days off but haven't had much time to relax, but I've got myself a memory mattress so you might not hear from me for a couple of days, if it's as good as they say it is. All the fish is sold, which is good. John is steaming to Newlyn at 18:00pm, to take ice and go sea. Hopefully we will be fishing Saturday, I'm going for an ice cream and some lunch now.
Got into Newlyn at 3.00am, to some good old Cornish weather i.e. pissing down with rain & blowing a hooley! I went home to my cabin and sparked the old rayburn up, so when I got home after landing I could have a bath, 'cos I was smelling rather mature after 10days at sea! It was good to see Richard from M&J and Mark from Falfish, showing some interest when we came into land, on our first trip. Once again shame we didn't have the same reponse and enthusiasum from our own merchants last year, but there you are thats enough of that, we've moved on! From what I gather from M&J their gamble of supporting us has paid off and they've sold 750 whole fish before we had got into the quay. For those who bought our Tuna, I hope you enjoy eating them, as much I enjoyed catching them. As each individual fish looks beautiful when pulled straight from the sea and each one is a challenge itself to bring aboard. I am coming into Newlyn Monday morning to do some running around and a bit of PR. Shaun is getting the boat ready for Tuesday. Jon is painting the bottom of his boat today and I think he is sailing on Wednesday or Thursaday, but you might have to bear with us, as the weather is crap this week, so there might be a bit of a delay. I be in touch live from the CFPO office, which I can assure you is better then Bay of Biscay, warmer and the company of the lovely Julia!
Finished fishing last night, weather is poor as - gale 8. No problem we have got 850 fish , a good start to the season. We got the weather on our stern quarter for our journey home, bloody good job or it would have been like being in a washing machine for 38 hours. We will be landing early Sunday morning, in Newlyn, where the Tuna will be going straight to the Falfish factory to be portioned up for you, the buyer. hope you enjoy for first bit of Tuna for the season. Hopefully I'll have a pint Sunday lunchtime. Should be going sea agin Tuesday.
Weather is piss poor - what happened to shorts and t-shirts? Tuna fishing windis all over the place, plently of rain. It was like being one of those cows you see in the field, sheltering against a hedge, that's what it was like! We still had 107 fish, the little darlings, but hard going. It's 5 o'clock and today is Friday our last day. Will be home Sunday to land, anyone who wants to buy any tuna will have to get it from M&J Seafoods and not from us. Have just put my head out of the window and it looks like a typical Cornish day - wind and rain! If anyone at my place is reading this, can you spark the rayburn up? So I can have a bath when I get gome, thanks likely. Quentin.
Weather is west north west and has been 6 to 8 all day. We ended up with 130 fish for the day. We're still catching ok, our Basque friend is towing towards the galican fleet, we're staying put to see what happens. Today the fish are here, but they aren't feeding well. On another note, our Commander Captain Edwards cooked 'duck a l'orange' or something like that last night, came on deck to empty fat out of the tray and dropped the duck on the deck, which had just been washed with bilgex! Let's say the duck had a tang to it, and it wasn't orange! got go put the lures out now.
Weather - not a very comfortable day! Wind has been veering round all day 7 to 8, but the sun as been out so not so bad. Had real grief today, working flying lines on poles today with wind and sea all over the place, but got there in the end with 130 tuna for the day! It's 03:30am feeling a bit tired now, is it Tuesday or Wednesday morning? Not sure but will give them all a shout in a minute to get the lines ready, as I had 40 first thing yesterday morning, the plan is to get a dinghy to row over to Gervasio to spend a day aboard him. That's all for now I'm having a mug of tea. Quentin.
