O for the Caribbean

How the pros do it in Grenada

When we left on this trip, I foresaw spending next to nothing on food. I envisioned becoming so proficient at fishing, I'd just casually drop my line into the water and 5 minutes later, a mahi or tuna would be on our grill. I even imagined doing knife tricks while cleaning the fish.........like at Benihana.

Chopchopchopchop........I could clean the fish and make the fillet into anything I want..........the shape of New Jersey..........a likeness of Aaron Rodgers...........bamm. Boaters would dinghy up to L'ORIENT just to watch me work my magic. I might throw them some scraps, if feeling charitable. Fish head, anyone ?

Sadly, things have turned out differently. I'm O for the Caribbean. A couple of root causes; I haven't fished much during passages (that's when you're in deep water and can catch bigger fish). Why? I'm still haunted by the memory of one of our crew slicing his wrist during our passage..........cleaning up fish guts and a good deal of human blood off the back of a heaving boat. That was special.

Another reason is lack of skill/knowledge. In talking to people around the bar, an informal poll of drunkards and sailing wastrels confirmed that mahi realize that there are no pink squids in the sea. No-one using this "sure-fire" lure had even had a nibble.

It's not that the fish aren't there, either. Earlier in our trip we happened to arrive at several ports just after this French catamaran. This boat was infested with small children, hangers-on, in-laws........a real zoo. The captain/dad certainly had his hands full just arriving in port with the proper number of people still on board. Yet, he also consistently arrived with fish..........even offering his extras to surrounding boats. My pride.......gulp........didn't allow me to take his charity. "No, Pierre.........we're having Beefaroni again".

Our upcoming passage to Bonaire is my chance at redemption. Almost 400 miles of open water. We'll be trailing two lines............I'll have my machete at the ready. Vengeance will be mine.