Happy New Year! It comes with good news from the fishing front as the boys on Royal Star are steadily scratching at quality tuna down below. It has been consistent albeit picky fishing for the bigger fish with the best of it coming their way today. Five good deuces, the best of which came in at 272, and another eighteen good ones were the sum total for the effort. Another five over the coveted mark have been part of the total score from the prior couple of days. In short, they are getting the job done with opportunity spreading well among anglers putting their time in at the rail - typical giant tuna fishing; put forth the effort and rewards will follow.

Now to address the notable void of reporting over the past six days: we are upgrading our equipment on board to send data more efficiently, new software was installed to accomplish the first stage of the changeover - it didn't work; and still doesn't. Additionally, the satellite signal down below on one of the systems we all use has been going haywire over the past month wreaking havoc with a number of our efforts to directly send reports. It has not affected the Iridium network, that is our chief method of data transmission, but that is also the system we attempted to upgrade. The long and short of it all is that we have been belly up on Royal Star since departure on the 26th. It will be rectified upon return.

From here forward reports will at least be updated from a home terminal as the on board information is relayed via sat phone. The guy who never rests or takes time off did exactly that over the past week. And, it was heavenly. Recharged and ready to go the daily narrative will re-commence as we begin the New Year brimming with optimism. We have much to be grateful for and more to motivate our incessant drive to advance. Meanwhile via Captain Brian Sims the weather is primo and the big fish are biting. They have a couple more shots before heading up the line tomorrow. He will report accordingly - as will I. Happy New Year again and Lets Go Fishing!


Tim Ekstrom