JonDLundyn Parker bok 2 3/4
December 28th 2006 19:32
Striped Marlin hooked
Laura Ann dipped her bow in and out of the southeasterly swell in a most lady like manner. Being a largish 15 meter fishing boat she was handling the 3 meter waves quite easily, though the wind waves built up from the opposing north east would crash on her quarter and fling occasional spray over the decks. Rod Dunning owner skipper had her on autopilot integrated with her global positioning system to steam at three knots to her next position. As she was making way he and his son Randy were feeding out baited hooks on a long nylon line. Snapper was the fish they were after and after having already spent one night at sea they were planning for another three or four. No matter if they filled their fish holds or not they had to get their catch back in time for the Friday markets.
Large florescent lights lit the aft deck as they worked in unison. Randy’s mate and new crewman Doggy was breaking open cartons of frozen bait and hosing it down to quickly defrost it. As soon as it was defrosted enough it went into bins next to Randy and his dad to be skewered onto the laser sharpened steel hooks and lowered into the deep briny to tempt the red snapper to commit suicide. Doggy was a bit uncomfortable working on the huge deck in this swell. Not seasick just not comfortable with his surroundings. He had spent lots of time at sea but mostly in small half cabin fishing boats where there was always somewhere to lean on as wave crashed around. Laura Ann’s aft deck was as big as the pub dance floor and he was having trouble getting used to the motion. He did not complain though. He was happy to be out with his mate working.
Beats Working was hove to off the continental shelf. Well offshore and out of site of land. Her autopilot held her almost stationary into the wind with the sou east swell lifting her stern and dipping her bow to meet the current driven nor east wind waves. Not a terribly comfortable ride but all on board were asleep except for the deck hand Sonja whose turn it was to be on watch. It was easy enough to keep watch. The sixty-mile radar would pick up any large ships well in advance of any trouble and her eyes watched for running lights of any yachts or smaller boats that could escape radar detection. It was unusual for them to stay at sea for a night but the charterer had paid well and was keen on getting as much fishing time in as he could. Early starts and late finishes he reckoned for each day would give him the edge for the record marlin he was after. This was their first night at sea and they were fuelled and watered for at least three more.
Sonja put down the book she was reading and stuck her head out of the plastic clears that surrounded the fly bridge. She glanced around looking for telltale red, green and white lights that would indicate another vessel. Nothing to be seen, she swung out off the bridge and climbed the ladder to the next level which was a tower structure which also had a set of controls for the boat but another six meters higher. It was a vantagepoint for the skipper from where the boat could fight fish better. It also could give Sonja a better look at the horizon. Still nothing to be seen. She stretched and yawned and looked at her watch. She had another hour of her shift to go and then she could hand over to the skipper and curl up in her bunk. She heard the faint chatter of the radio and as she was bored she raced down to the fly bridge in time to switch her radio to the talk channel and listen to another ship.
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