Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Good stuff


 

This last week was full of good surprises.  We left Bahia Honda and sailed back to the surf camp with our friend, Skip, following behind in Java Moon. We had a few really mellow meals with him.  At one point, he and I went on a hike to find the top of the ridge.  At the beach we talked to some fishermen stretching their legs on land.  They gave us lots of information about the area and offered to give Skip 15 gallons of diesel fuel free of charge.  We chit-chatted a bit and then went on our hike.  When we came back, we talked a bit more and then off to our boats.  Skip dinghied over to their boats, and while waiting for one of the guys to siphon diesel out of their tanks, got a tour of their massive engine and saw a giant hold full of dorado worth a lot of dinero.  A short while after returning to his boat, the fishing boat, named Abraham I, pulled anchor and chugged over straight at Java Moon.  I watched and thought they were going to ram into her.  Oh me of little faith.  Actually, the captain eased Abraham I up next to Java Moon close enough for one of his crew to give Skip the largest front half of a red snapper I've ever seen.  It just barely fit into Skips 5 gallon bucket. 

 

I didn't know about the fish and so when Abraham I approached Nomad, Skip was yelling at me to get a bucket.  I grabbed our one gallon bucket and as the nose of the fishing boat swung next to our gunwales, I held it up.  The crew member picked up the other half of the red snapper and tried to shove it into my tiny blue bucket.  It wouldn't fit.  I ended up laying the back half of this huge fish crosswise across the top of my bucket. 

When Brian got back from surfing an hour later, he and Skip started butchering.  Skip brought over his vacuum sealer and we packaged fish for an hour and a half.  We ended up with about 25 pounds of delicious meat. 

 

Another surprise awaited Brian at the surf camp.  He went over last Monday to ask some questions about where to buy gasoline, etc.  Who should come around the corner, but Lars Bergstrom!  Lars is one of Brian's windsurfing buddies from the Hood River area.  Brian surfed with Lars a few times and then on Thursday, Lars came along on a short sailing afternoon.  He even did a little bit of conning for us, up our mast.  It was fun getting to know him and enjoy his excitement about our trip. 

 



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