It was another great day for us traveling up in flat calm weather thoroughly enjoying the ride. We have definitely paid some dues on a number of northerly runs this season so I suppose we earned this one. Less any obstacles in the form of contrary weather or current we are lined up to make our 0800 arrival in San Diego on Tuesday the 22nd. For anyone interested in seeing a fantastic catch of giant yellowfin tuna, or if you would like to take a look at Royal Star, Tuesday would be a great time to come down to Fisherman's Landing. If the kids are out of school haul them along as well as the sheer proportions of these fish is something they won't see too often.

Normally I would have more to say but the serenity of this ocean, with the brilliance of a million stars reflecting on the glassy surface like Christmas lights, has my thinking at bay. About fishing anyway. Right now it is near impossible to not grasp and be intensely grateful for the good fortune all of us out here realize. Nothing cements the fact like one of these surreal transits.

For today's photo I thought I'd share something a little different. Many times I have been asked the question of how we get these big fish into the fish holds. Today's sequence features Captain Sean Bickel providing a perfect demo. This RSW tank was nearing capacity so it actually took three of us as we called in the "beef" utilizing crewman Blake Wasano's superhuman strength to get things moving. In the end however it was simply a matter of finding the right angle. When we did Robbie Mc Adam's 364 slid right in. We even got a few more in after this.

One note of interest in the photos is the seawater in and flooding out of the tank after being displaced by the giant tuna. Notice how clean the water in the tank is while being near full of fish. This is how it is supposed to look if one expects to achieve a premium quality product after seven days. The blood and slime must be thoroughly washed from every fish before they are deposited. Otherwise the RSW becomes something else that no one in their right mind would want to eat a fish coming out of after five to seven days. This shot is an excellent example of the care, professionalism, and standards we employ in the handling of our angler's superb product. Look for tomorrow's final report and photos before we sign off for the Christmas break.

Tim

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