Fish tonight

Our first fish story!

After many failed attempts with most of our guests we finally have a success story for us and a sad story for the fish.

 We left Nassau today! I really don’t like to stay in one place that long especially when we are at a dock and have to pay to sit someplace. (stingy or frugal – you decide)

We decided to head north east to the Berry islands.  On the way from Nassau to Frazer cay we pass through wide open and deeeeep ocean. Here is where our story begins…

Ben was motoring today since we had little to no wind and I was working hard trying to write respond to the state’s bid for interpreter referral services in northern MN. We were on the ride of depth from 1000 feet going to 30 feet in a short distance.  I had enough of working. (My back can only take so much sitting at one time and 4 hours was a good stopping point to stretch plus I knew we would soon be at our mooring.)

I poked my head out into the cockpit and there was Ben reeling in the fishing pole and it was hard to do.  He had been watching many seaweeds pass and he was sure it was a big clump of seaweeds. During the day he had pulled in many weeds and this, he thought, would be no different. He pulled and pulled, then I asked if he wanted the motor slower and he nodded.  I slowed us down and looked back in time to see a big fish jump out of the water! I was not sure if it was a big fish just jumping or if it was a fish stuck on the end of Ben’s pole?? (actually my dad’s fishing pole – thanks dad – this lure we did not lose!)

My heart jumped to…  “yahoo! We will have fish tonight!!!” And Ben’s heart jumped to a mixture of excitement with sadness. Happy for being able to catch a fish and happy to eat such a delicacy. Sadness sprang up because that is just how Ben is… He is grateful for where his food comes from and he also knows the fish sacrificed his life for ours. Plus Ben and I have  been swimming around such beauty that the fish we see as a precious creation… yeah we are all a precious creation. This fish was so beautiful! So colorful! Bright green, yellow, brilliant blue back fin and shown like a happy mermaid. (that mermaid comment was for Mark’s benefit back home.)

Ahhh, but wait! Ben also had apprehension in his eyes… How do we get the fish out of the water? How do we cut up the fish? What if the fish flops all over the boat?...

Ben slowly reeled in the fish, which by the way was a dolfin or a Mahi-Mahi or some call it a Dorado – all the same fish – yummy and none-better says the fish guide book.

I went to get the gaff. I leaned over and tried to hook it’s gill while Ben calmly kept bringing the fish close to the boat. It took 5 or so times and finally I gaffed it in the gills.  Then we did what Kell Aschenbach(our previous owner told us to do).. we poured Kell’s aged vodka that he had special for the boat. We poured the vodka down the gills of the fish.  Ben poured as I held the gaffed fishes mouth wide open.  The fish stopped flopping and was pretty much dead.

Now what next? Cut it up! I sharpened the fillet knife. I had watched my dad clean fish all my childhood and I had cut fish with him… but it has been over 30 years since I cut a fish up but I was determined to do as best job as I could.

The kayak was upside down on the deck and Ben layed the fish down and together we started carving out the guts… then we cut it in half the fillet way.

During all of this ruckus, Lila was curious and waiting patiently for her turn.  She got to sniff the fish as it lay on the deck and after that she walked away but not far.  While carving out the fish she was happy to take a taste.  Ben gave her a little nibble and she gobbled it down like a hungry lion – gulp gulp gulp. We knew we had plenty to share. 

The fish measured 37 inches long from nose to tail! No clue as to the weight.

I took pictures of Ben with his first big big fish.!! I’m so proud. Most “men” would have stood there with a grin from ear to ear just teaming with testosterone – ya know the caveman syndrom – “Me Hunt --- You cook --- Rrrrr” but not Ben, I’m sure he would have shed a silent tear if time permitted but we had things to do and fish to cut up. He stood for his picture with a sad face holding up the fish.

And yes we had fish for dinner.  We shared our dinner with Lila. I think she was even more excited to have fresh fish for dinner than Ben and I! She was so appreciative that if she could talk she would have said, “thank you thank you thank you God for fish, yummm yummy in my tummy!”

I’m sure we have 2 or 3 more meals each left – unless Lila eats it all.  She could put on a few pounds. She has not gained back her skinniness from the beginning of the trip.

And there you have Pam’s version of the fish story… now if I could only get Ben to blog about it cuz he is the one that caught it… I was just a bystander – a help mate – an encourager etc…

Time to go to bed. More fish stories to come.

Peace Pam