Another day of travel in beautiful conditions finds us in a mood upbeat and jovial as the time and sea passes by in synchronized passivity. The contrast between this mode of cruising, and the opposite, is so stark that we rightly savor times like the present as a gift to be cherished. So cherish we did. Little projects were tended to, and a few odds and ends tidied up, but the majority of the day was passed in good conversation sharing wisdom, opinion, and plenty of b.s. to liven up the discourse. One can imagine the trajectory of conversation when twenty some odd fishermen/outdoorsmen, with nothing but time on hand to relax, sit, and yarn, are provided the ideal opportunity to do exactly that. It is both entertaining and educational; in approximately equal amounts.

A final day of riding, in continuing calm seas, promises plenty more of the above as we grind out the miles on course for home. I would confidently venture that by now, despite the overwhelming enjoyment of the experience, that everyone is ready. There is a certain magic to that element of a long range voyage itself. Something about passing significant time at sea sweetens the homecoming like none other. Perhaps the remoteness of our distant destinations, and the complete detachment from what is familiar instills the special yearning. Certainly the complete separation from our female counterparts provides a biological explanation for some of the anticipation. But overall there is more to it than meets the eye. There is a spell binding mystique to the sea inexplicable yet compelling. It compels us to go forth, and compels us to return; again in approximately equal amounts.

I could certainly excavate the depths of this topic far beyond the majority interest so I'll leave it at that. Needless to say there is an abundance of time while traveling to ponder far more that fishing. Photos today feature another long time long range veteran Mike Nagao with his 199, yes 199 on the boat scale, sliding over the rail. While I don't consider the triumph marginalized by the 199 pound weight of this beauty, it does raise the question I'll present to all. Would it have been better if it was 200 pounds? Or 201? I caught one about twenty years ago that weighed 299.6 pounds so the question to me does freight a personal element.

The second photo features Mike's robust 199 in the critical moments before Capt. Brett Rouintree and crewman Blake Wasano drove the gaffs home. It's a beautiful photo that does far more for the moment than my paltry effort with word. Look for tomorrow's final report.

Tim Ekstrom

Photo Here...
Photo Here...