Team Swordfish .. the log . the end

Pilar · 09-22-2003, 10:56 AM

I'll just type in the entries in my log that I made on the trip. Team Swordfish feel free to embellish or elaborate.

Wednesday 9/17/2003

The blank page! Arrived in Newport at 2030 and had to call home to finish some business for work. The crew as of tonight is ...
Bruce Marler - Popeye, The skipper
Jim Crotts - Skein, 1st Mate
Rod Lee - Corrirod, Fisher
Dean Reynolds - Aquaholic, Fisher
John Wells - Pilar, The Gimp

Jen (Ocean Blue) decided to listen to her 'little voice' and stay home. The forecast is not ideal but so far the wind is calm and the sea at last light is smooth with a westerly swell. Jim met me at the parking lot with a wheelchair and I moved onto the boat with too much gear and way too much food and drink. It seems the team is intent on fishing not eating!

We bunked after 2300 and much joking and comraderie. My leg is ok but the right one is not happy about taking all the load.

Thursday 9/18/2003

I woke at 0500 ... 2" too long for my bunk and got a kink in my back. For a short time I was the only one awake and I made coffee. We stowed gear and made ready for sea. You cannot assume that the polarity or magnitude of the gravity all land dwelling creatures take for granted will remain constant. Gravity is variable at sea and things fly or fall that normally sit still. Jim went up the dock for a shower and it was a good idea so I went after he did. 6 bits gets you a 5 minute hot shower and adding the extra 2 bits for more time before the 5 minutes is up shuts off the hot water. Don't ask me how I know this. We hit the fuel dock for Ice and diesel at 0730. All they had was thirty (7)# bags for 210 pounds. We also unloaded the icemaker in the fuel shack for 10 or 12 more buckets of cracked ice in the carking station. All told we took all of their ice. Popeye has added 2 fuel bladders on the forecastle and we filled those also with 100 gallons of fuel.

0830 Underway and head out of Yaquina bay with 'Perfect Storm' soundtrack blaring. It was a moment. We cruised at about 13 kts and then slowed to 11 headed west for the 2 mile deep water.

1215 1st fish on .. Big longfin that hit a 10" Zukers Marlin jig in purple/black. BLITZ is in our wake and soon passes us on the port side.

1230 Jim gets his first standup longfin on a green/white hootchie. The $2 TUNA! lure invented by 'Puffin', thanks Jon. I managed to get this on video and it was hilarious watching Jim trying to whip the 35# TUNA! and commenting on "They never built a salmon that fought this hard". He was sweating and it took about a week to get the fish to the boat. I did notice a grin or perhaps a grimace on Jim's face. I doubt he will ever think about TUNA! the same way again.

1300 Dean gets his first standup longfin. Rod backs away from any standup rod with a fish on it. It could be that he is the only one of us with any sense. Blitz reports 3 fish in the boat by VHF. They are ahead of us somewhere. The sea is up now at 3' sea and 5' swell, wind out of the south at 15 to 20 kts and we are 38 miles out now.

1400 FISH ON! Big albacore, hi 20's and low 30's and coming in pretty fast now. The boat is going on to the west but we keep hitting fish one after another. The handlines are not working but the standup rods fished way back are going off pretty steady. Green watermelon cedar plug is the hot lure.

1800 The sea is up quite a bit now and Popeye is conferring via VHF with Albacore Tuna Captain about changing the float plan. ATC is heading back in as the 'Blitz' is plugged with TUNA! and Popeye is going to shut down and drift for the night. We are about 75 NM out and well past the continental shelf. Popeye, Corrirod and Skein deploy the rocker stoppers and they make a marked difference in the rolling of the boat. We try these off the stern first but they interfere with the fishing lines. So they move them amidships. The rocker stoppers turn the boat downwind a few degrees but we are still beam to the swell. Corrirod, Aqua-holic and Popeye man the 1st watch and fish for swords with drifted dead bait. Corrirod is also jigging for squid. I turn in for a nap at 2100 on the couch in the salon. It is the only place that is long enough so that I can get the pressure off the damn cast so my leg won't go numb while I am sleeping.

Friday 9/19/2003

0000 I awoke for midwatch (0000 to 0400 or 0000 to 0600 or 0000 to ????) with Skein. It has been 18 years since I stood the midwatch but I remember the drill after standing the watch several hundred times in the Navy. Splash some water on your face, find the coffee and something to eat and stumble off to your watchstation. We have little to do but fish and watch the radar screen for approaching ships. Our mates are depending on us to keep them safe while they sleep. Rod is pretty excited about the giant squid and he should tell that story as I would just give it to you 2nd or 3rd hand. Basically he caught a giant squid on very light tackle and almost got spooled. Rod? C'mon man give, I was sleeping then so it's on you.

After Jim and I get our legs and I drink some coffee we discuss the happenings and the standing orders with the 1st watch section. This is known as watch turnover and the practice is repeated on ships at sea every 4 or 6 hours, all over the world. The oncoming watchstanders get a briefing about the conditions, the orders and any events scheduled to occur during the next watch. Popeye is concerned about some commercial traffic and it goes by about 2 miles away with no action by the crew. We were not so formal about turnover but the tradition was explained to Rod by me. The last thing a watchstander hears before going off to his bunk is "I relieve you sir" which he answers with "I stand relieved". In this way the responsibility is passed from one crewman to the other in the time honored fashion. The standing orders are to monitor the horizon for lights and the radar for blips and to wake the skipper for any that approach within 3 miles. The tired 1st watch turns in.

Jim and I set about keeping busy and fishing as we waited the hours of the night. The sea is quieter now and the water and sky are black as a coal sack. The only sound is the thrumming of the "submarine repellent" diesel generator buzzing away below decks. We reeled up the lines that were still out and found stripped hooks. The prerigged bait supply is limited and I set out to make more rigs with what we have at hand. Rod caught 3 squid, 2 small and 1 huge. Jim used the lighted squid jig and soon another squid is coming to the boat. More like sea monster. It is huffing and puffing and squirting water 6 feet in the air. We manage to get it on the swim step and it is a hellish sight. The body is 6" through, bright red and 3 feet long. The business end is a mass of waving tentacles and a snapping black beak as big as a parrots beak. Colors flash across the body and the squids sucks air instead of water and makes loud sucking and farting noises. It is a freak show and we are completely amazed by the sight. Not knowing what else to do, we put the squid in the carking station with the tuna. We let out the jig again and just put it in the rod holder. Time and time again the rod buckles and the squid pull line off the reel. It is hard to believe that they can pull so hard or be so plentiful. I try a rig for swordfishing that is very like the rig I use for oversize sturgeon. This consists of a section of heavy line with swivels at each end for a sliding sinker and a section of heavy leader with a bait on it. The sliding weight section is joined to the mainline with a big snap (250# sanpo) swivel and a cyalume light stick is snapped on there as well. This rig is quite hard to deploy and then there is the issue of setting the depth. We finally figure out to peel off 5 or 6 fathoms before throwing the rig in, then counting off the remaining line by armlengths until 20 fathoms is in the water. Often as we deploy the line is goes slack, despite the 20 oz weight and minimal drift. We realize later that the squid are picking up the bait as soon as it sinks and the line slacks while they swim with the bait, eating it. The squid devour the prerigged squid baits and we have to make more.

0300 Another ship approaches us but passes 3 miles away. It is so black that all you can see are the lights, no wake, nothing but black and lights. We continue to fish and catch 3 or 4 giant squid on our sword gear. I tried several depths down to 250 feet but the squid are there within minutes everytime. Jim is pretty quiet but says to me at one point "Jimmy likes it". He said he felt like Spencer Tracy and we agree that fishing at night is pretty cool.

0430 Popeye is up and at it for another day. The boat is drifting about 0.6 kts due east and we are heading straight for the seamount 61 degrees. I used a whole spanish mackeral because we are bait challenged and figure 100 fathoms is deep enough to keep the squid off the bait. We also used a giant squid for bait after threading it with a harpoon. It got hammered by sharks. The mackeral finally got some action and I fed the bite for a minute or so before setting the hook on nothing. The bites continued and after a while I reeled up just a head dangling off the hook by the lip. The Cyalume sticks were clearly visible in the black water down to 140 feet or more. That one must have been a shark. We caught several shark that let go at the boat and one blue shark we landed and released. The sea is calming all night and our first night on big blue is very good.

0600 The watch is relieved and I nap for 2 hours on the sofa.

0800 I wake and the team is on deck fishing handlines for TUNA! at first light. We pass the TUNA! we caught the previous day up topside in a bucket and fill the tote with TUNA! and Giant Squid. Corrirod retuns from topside and expresses concern about the ice supply. We begin to find freezer space to make more and fill the little standup freezer in the pilot house with gallon ziplock bags. We do not have but two 5 gallon bucket blocks and a 10 pound tray from the icemaker to chill any TUNA! we catch today. The free ice we can find barely covers the bottom of the now empty carking station. The sea is calmer than last night and the captain decides to run at 11kts for the seamount 136 NM out. It is only 80 NM from our current position. We are 15 NM from '61 degrees'. We drifted a long ways during the night.

1100 We slow to fish Marlin gear on standup rods over TUNA! handlines. We are in 64.5 degree water and 50 NM from our goal.

1115 Fish on! Tuna on a black/green jet head lure that 'Puffin's crew' bought from Bob's sporting goods in LA over the phone. It is a P-Nut and the first of several caught on Friday. We find schools of fish boiling and drive on westward. It takes all day. The ocean is building swells and the wave sets are confused and changing patterns every few minutes. Popeye said that he saw every kind of wave pattern he has ever seen during that transit westward.

1900 The sun begins to slide into the sea and the light show began. Up on the bridge Corrirod put on the soundtrack from the 'Perfect storm' again and we watched the sun set as we approached our goal surrounded by splintered walls of water 10, 12 and even 14 feet high and it stunned me to silence to feel like a speck on the deep blue sea. The orange fire beamed through a gap in the purple cloud banks and touched the ocean at the horizon and a little west of there it burned a bright crimson where the sun dissapeared for the night. We took pictures and video but I doubt if it even comes close.

1930 We arrive on the Seamount. The crew is weary and we begin to realize the magnitude of the voyage and the distance from home. The waves are huge 10 feet and better with an occasional 14 or 16 footer that rolls the boat 30 degrees or more. She quickly snaps upright and we drive on. The TUNA! gear is hauled and stowed and we make preparations to troll for swords. The gear is a glow in the dark plug that resembles a large squid. The other line is for the remaining bait Squid that Popeye brought for the journey. We confer and the sea state has limited us to trolling. It is just too big to try and drift. Popeye feels that it would be unsafe so we will troll at the waypoint and then turn home and troll as we go. The water here is 9700 feet deep and the depth on the seamount is 7500 feet deep. Popeye was looking tired earlier in the day but is full of life now as he comes back to the cockpit and rigs the swordgear and downriggers. This is the first time on our voyage that our captain has actually fished for more than a minute or two and the excitement is contagious. Aquaholic, Popeye, Skein and Corrirod get the gear rigged and deployed, I watch from inside the cabin to stay off my leg which hurts like hell.

2000 The lines trip off the downriggers repeatedly and I think our old sea monster friends are back at it again. The sunset has hit a chord in me and I sit down in the salon to think about it .. the crew is working the gear and fishing, the captain is happy having reached his goal. I am weary to the bone and leg hurting I laid down on the couch to sleep before the midwatch ...

Saturday 9/20/2003

0000 Rod came down to wake me but I had already stirred and made a trip to the head. For any of you that have not used the head on a rolling boat it can be quite the adventure. The crews head on Julie Rose III is a little bit bigger than a phone booth with a sink and shower as well as the head. On the sub the head was a little smaller than a phone booth and you had to remove your britches, open the door and carefully back yourself in. The crew's head on the swordboat was big enough to allow you to do that inside the compartment. Anyway you get slammed against the walls and aiming takes on a whole new dimension. I had some challenges with only one solid leg to stand on but somehow it all worked out. I made some coffee and stood watch with Aquaholic. I went up to the pilot house to find Dean staring intently at the radar scope. The boat was on a course 108 degrees and running at idle or about 3.5 kts. I was surprised by this but trusted my captain and knew he had reasons for what he was doing. Our course home should have been 80 degrees but the boat was set on a generally easterly course that gave a smooth ride. He did this so we could get some sleep and so that the boat could run on autopilot without a lot of help from the crew. Fishing was out and the team had given up on trolling for swords after multiple trips off the down rigger and no hook ups. We were left with the watch and avoiding traffic. Skein, Rod and Popeye were sleeping and we decided to let Jim sleep because last I checked he was real tired. I made some sandwiches and grabbed some of Julie's snickerdoodle cookies. BTW, Julie, you make some good cookies! thank you.

0100 I went up to the bridge to be a lookout and Dean (Aquaholic) stayed in the pilot house to watch the radar. It was cold up top side and this gave me an edge on staying awake. We were 100+ NM from the beach running at night in pitch black, overcast conditions. At 4 kts any collision would mar the hull but not in almost any circumstance breach it. I looked long and hard and could not see anything. There was no traffic on the radar. At night your eyes will see things that are not there. Several times I 'saw' lights for a second or two and then nothing. I have stood lookout for a living and know about the tricks your eyes will play on you in the dark. Dean reported no contact on the scope.

0200 It got cold so I came down to the pilot house to keep Dean company. The waves were pretty big and you could see surface clutter on the radar. This would appear as a momentary echo or green spot that would dissappear after a second or two. Strong coffee and conversation kept us awake.

0230 Back up topside for some more cold air and to stay awake.

0250 Light on the horizon, due north of our position and moving. It soon became two or even three lights that appeared to be above the horizon a good distance. The scope showed nothing on the 12 mile scale.

0255 A blip appears on the scope bearing 345 degrees. We are on heading 108 and the blip is to our north and on an apparant course of 180. I marked a point on the screen and timed the blip for a track, bearing and apparent speed.

0315 The blip has moved 4NM and the speed is estimated to be 12 kts. His track intersects ours but he is still 6 NM out. I can see a green light, the white mast light and a white light on the bow. Based on that I predict that his track will be between us and the bank and he will pass within 2 NM.

0325 The ship changes course to about 230 and I watch as the green light goes out and the red one swings into view. This is a grain carrier or oiler and the nav (red/green) lights are on the bridge wings of the house which is on the back 1/3 of the ship. He is 4NM away and all you can see are the lights. It is clear to me that we have been spotted, the ship has turned to the west to avoid us as we continue to the east at 4 kts.

0330 It is clear by now that we need to wake Popeye per his standing orders but before we can do that the skipper wakes and comes to the pilot house. We explain the situation and he thinks about it for a moment.

0345 Popeye comes to a course of 70 and runs up to 10 kts to get us clear. The ship looms on the horizon and then fades astern.

0400 Popeye takes the con and we sail on towards the beach. Sometime later I lay down and sleep till well after light. The boat is charging towards the beach at about 11 kts. We are still 60 or 70 NM from home.

The rest of the day we spend finding our gear and passing the time with story telling and some limited cleanup.

1230 I get a cell phone signal and call Ocean Blue to meet us at the dock, our ETA is 1500. We listen to the VHF on scanner, to the USCG activity and the 57 foot yacht who tries every bar on the coast looking for a restriction of 57 foot or better so he can get across the bar. The restriction is pretty much 16 foot but he does not understand that this means that 16 foot and better can cross not 16 foot and less. He grumbles about having to run to San Francisco to find an open harbor. Popeye finds this very amusing. We do too and several times the master of the 57 footer is asking for an explanation of the bar restriction.

1500 We return to 'C' dock and all breathe a weary and collective sigh of relief. Ocean Blue comes to the dock soon after and we clean fish and tell stories till dusk.

~The End~

[ 10-02-2003, 06:59 AM: Message edited by: Pilar ]

jocose · 09-22-2003, 12:26 PM

ive never met you 5 adventurers but if you dont mind i would like to elevate you all to hero status as far as i am concerned.. right next to batman, wonderwoman, superman and lewis and clark.... do you guys look good in tights and cape? and can you jump off of tall buildings and run faster than amtrak? reading along since last wed anxiously awaiting chapter two... jocose

skein · 09-22-2003, 12:32 PM

Well, okay, jocose, but Rod gets to be WonderWoman. And me in tights would make those giant squid seem downright attractive. Cute even. :shocked:

Pilar gets to be Captain Marvel, thowing off the crutch and bellowing "Shaazzzammmm!"

Hey, Aquaholic, who do you want to be? :grin:

Skein

OceanBlue · 09-22-2003, 12:33 PM

09-22-2003, 12:38 PM

:smile:

Aqua-Holic · 09-22-2003, 12:42 PM

I'm not going there skein.....rodger as wonderwoman..........hmmmmmmmm

jocose · 09-22-2003, 12:43 PM

my parents had a beach house in rockaway oregon so i grew up fishing in tillamook bay and often times a few miles out... fishermen have always been heros of mine tights or not.. i still fish there frequently but my 17` yacht restricts me to the gentlier side of the jetties.. so instead ill read your sea story and dream of days to come. thanks joco
p.s. clark of lewis and clark didnt look too good in tights either..

Aqua-Holic · 09-22-2003, 12:49 PM

posted 09-22-2003 11:31 AM

"ALL HANDS ON DECK........WE BE SWORDFISHING"........The Captain growled.

As I posted Aug 28th..."What a trip!"

Thanks to the Captain for making me a part of it and thanks to the crew for sharing the experience. Also a word of gratitude to the mates of the Captain and crew for being supportive and helping with the preparation (food and snacks).

It was a pleasure to meet and share the adventure with some of the long time "Salty Dogs"....Skein, Pilar and Corrirod and after returning to port... Deepseadiver and OceanBlue.
There is an obvious compassion by all concerned for the sea,boating,fishing,and the safety and well being of the ship....her Captain and crew.

Aside from the trip itself........a couple firsts for me were landing a tuna on a standup rod and attempting to gaff a squid in the dark not knowing what part to gaff

Some things I learned from the crew (or not) were:
Pilar: Just how many lines in combination (rod and handline) can you tow behind a 47ft motor yacht...50?...100?
Rodger: Just how far back should a rod go?...maybe we need bigger reels..
Skein: How many days does it take to land a 35lb tuna on a standup?

Thanks to all the Ifish members for their thoughts and concerns and again thankyou Popeye for the opportunity to be part of your adventure.

Dean

Posts: 92 | From: Sweet Home,Or | Registered: May 2003

Miss B Haven · 09-22-2003, 01:34 PM

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] Waiting for chapter three!

OceanBlue · 09-22-2003, 02:07 PM

*sigh*

Please sir, may I have another? [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

Pilar · 09-22-2003, 03:05 PM

Dean, most any boat can fish (2) 40' divers (YoZuri 9.0), (2) 100' handlines and (2) or (3) rods. If you do not like untangling or you cannot control your rate of turn, fish 2 handlines and 1 rod and be happy.

BTW Julie Rose III can fish 5 handlines and 3 rods pretty easy, Don't ask me how I know this.

Miss B Haven · 09-22-2003, 03:15 PM

Thanks John- when's the next trip so we can get "book two" ?

Looking forward to seeing you and some more of the crew at a meeting or 3 this fall/winter. Got a story or two that you can hear "offline" as well. [img]graemlins/eek13.gif[/img]

Thanks again for the great retelling, I felt like I was there :smile:

jocose · 09-22-2003, 03:16 PM

i knew this story sounded familar... in the end dont they capture a russian nuclear submarine and crew? thanks sir for a delightful read.. joco

8knots · 09-22-2003, 03:52 PM

Really an enjoyable read. Thanks for sharing it. I take my boat out at night in order to get to the fishing grounds early and I have taken it overnight to and from Vancouver Island, a 21 to 23 hour run. It is a great experience, but it is taxing as you are always monitoring ship traffic and your boat's systems. And that is with good weather, not the bigger stuff you guys encountered. Kudos for a great trip. Oh yeah, you might consider swallowing your pride and peeing like a girl, sure save on clean up!

Pilar · 09-22-2003, 03:52 PM

Mel, I think most anyone who has a radar and room for a crew of 3 or 4 could do swordfishing. The Giant Squid were just out from the continental slope and may even be closer to the beach.

Based on nothing more than intuition, I believe the big secret is that you will find the Humboldt squid and the big fish that feed on them not 136 NM from the beach but anywhere in >1000 ft of water near structure. Any of the seamounts along the edge of the shelf fit this criteria and most are within 30 miles of the beach on the North coast. And within 50 miles further south.

Obviously anyone doing an overnighter out there has to think it through. It's a big ocean and there are many things to think about when you spend the night. You must be visible to the ships. You must maintain a vigilant watch.

Sea Jypzee · 09-22-2003, 04:55 PM

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

Was a great read John, and I want to thank you for taking the time to put it to words. I am anxious to one day/night make a voyage out for an extended trip. Perhaps one day/night next season when I have the fuel capacity increased on the Sea Jypzee. I have the radar and other equipment already, just need the fuel capacity now.

Again, thanks for taking the time to write this up. I look forward to the first TA meeting soon.

fishisabonus · 09-22-2003, 05:21 PM

Nothing like big blue to get the blood pumping! Sounds like a great trip! Thanks for sharing!

Waiting for the next episode!

Flathead · 09-22-2003, 05:23 PM

Congratulations on a great adventure and a safe return. I couldn't wait to get home each day to hear the latest. Thanks guys, for taking us along for the ride here on the .net. Looking forward to hearing more about your adventure! Skein, the pictures are great.

4 REEL · 09-22-2003, 07:43 PM

WOW.... John you have done Hemingway proud. Bruce you have done the nautical world more than you can belive. What an adventure!

John

Bait O' Eggs · 09-22-2003, 07:47 PM

Thanks for taking the time to type the story up so the rest of us could live vicariosly.

Big TULE · 09-22-2003, 07:51 PM

I am very envious of you sword boat crew, i miss my nights at sea, but in about a year and a half i will be back at it. I love the deck log John, it was great, and the memories of the mid watch, or the balls to 4. I wish i had the opportunity to be out there but no dice for me, still just a pup to the big boys, although i have spent my time crossing the ocean, it was in a ship 453 feet long... Good luck and i hope the leg gets better. And i will see ya at one of the TA meetings. Maybe next summer will not be as hectic or as bad as this one and i will finally get to catch a longfin.

09-22-2003, 08:18 PM

Pilar,
We've been fishing 7 handlines and two or three rods off of Minaki. It takes a lot of team work to keep the gear fishing.

[ 09-23-2003, 08:16 AM: Message edited by: Keta ]

graybeard · 09-22-2003, 09:48 PM

[img]graemlins/lurk.gif[/img]

Thank you Team Swordfish. I've been following this saga, it's good stuff.

gb

Miss B Haven · 09-22-2003, 11:06 PM

Oh man... later???? This is like only reading the first book in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Come on Pilar... we want it all, NOW! :grin:

OceanBlue · 09-22-2003, 11:10 PM

Patience Mel - you couldn't handle it all at once.

Besides, GET BACK TO WORK! :tongue:

Sea Jypzee · 09-22-2003, 11:13 PM

I could handle it all at once. Tell ME. I promise I won't pass it on.

Great so far though. [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/lurk.gif[/img]

09-22-2003, 11:13 PM

Nancy,
I have several plastic 55ga drums we can rig up for long range fuel tanks :grin:

[ 09-22-2003, 12:14 PM: Message edited by: Keta ]

OceanBlue · 09-22-2003, 11:15 PM

Nancy, I'm on pins and needles, too. I had several opportunities to peek at the log, but didn't do it. I have bits and pieces of the story, but I'm waiting for it to all unfold in chron order... just like the rest of you!

Sea Jypzee · 09-22-2003, 11:23 PM

Keta - Woo woo!! Lets go. We could make a barge to carry them on, and just refuel out offshore. As we empty them out we can just cut them loose and pick'em up on the way back in.

Jen - Ok ok. I agree, it's fun waiting for the story to unfold.

Birdnest · 09-22-2003, 11:57 PM

[img]graemlins/lurk.gif[/img]

kamloops · 09-23-2003, 07:10 AM

Keta,

Don't forget the other two handlines off the outriggers and your Marlin Lure on the rod.
We have had up to 13 lines in the water at one time.
I question the ability of the Minaki to catch
a proportionate amount of Tuna with these extra lines. This year with the quality of the Tunas,
size and weight, it's not quantity but quality of the fish.
In years past with the usual/normal peanut and larger size school fish it may pay off, but not this year.
Think we'll need to target peanuts next year to see if the extra lines pay-off.

09-23-2003, 07:17 AM

blubeast · 09-23-2003, 07:35 AM

Thank you Pilar for sharing your journal so skillfully. Made for some great reading and gave a good sence of what it was like to be there... sounds like a truly amazing trip.

Thanks for taking the time to craft the tale.

WaterDog · 09-23-2003, 08:56 AM

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

Now I want to see the movie. :grin:

Thanks to doing what some of us can only dream. [img]graemlins/hearton.gif[/img]

Reef Diver · 09-23-2003, 09:10 AM

I had the great opportunity to meet the now Famous Super Hero's of the Team Swordfish Crew
after they reached Port on Saturday. Popeye, Pilar, Skein, Aquaholic and Corrirod were all busy carking and sharing stories of the adventure. All had that tired look due to lack of sleep but excited to be back after the awesome adventure. Popeye was the winner of the tired look contest. He kindly explained that he had only got 4 hours sleep in the last 3 days.

It was a pleasure to meet OceanBlue and DipSeaDiver that were there to share in the aftermath on the adventure. OceanBlue good luck on your Scuba diving
classes, your in good hands with Kujo. When you get certified let me know and I'll take you to some "secret" diving locations. Pilar you'll have to show me the trick on
how to eat a scallop under water. Let the feast begin!

Skein...is that a pet Sea lion of yours? You had a very unique way of feeding the big beast?! I dont think there was enough room on the dock for all of
us while you feed your pet!

Pilar...thanks for taking the time to share some of the adventure with me! The Cactus plant juice was as smooth as it gets...and sharing some of the your
smoked Tuna!

If there is any way I can get on the list, for the next crew of the ultimate adventure, just to swab the decks let me know.

Great to meet you all.
Reef Diver

OceanBlue · 09-23-2003, 09:28 AM

Reef Diver - Yer on! I should be finished up and all certified (or is that certifiable? :grin: ) in about 6 weeks.

09-23-2003, 09:44 AM

OB,
I got certified in the mid 60's. Been "certifiable" for a few years longer :grin:
I haven't been in the water since the cancer and don't now if I can do it. :depressed:

skein · 09-23-2003, 10:11 AM

Reef Diver,

It was good to meet you and your wife. Thanks for bringing Sadie as well, since I was suffering from puppy withdrawals, having had to leave my lab, Mattie, behind. :depressed:

One of the reasons we chose the boat we did was because we thought it would make a decent dive boat. I have a plan to build removeable dividers that will hold up to eight dive tanks in a half-tote. I think I can handle up to four divers for some close-in 2-tank dives. Port Orford comes to mind.

Having said that, I am no dive boat skipper, and wouldn't try it without an experienced bubble-watcher to mentor me. I also need some other equipment, like a good dive ladder for the swim step. We do have a 12 foot inflatable that could be towed out to a dive site and used as well.

As we get more comfortable with the boat we will pursue that a little more. Stay tuned!

Skein

09-23-2003, 10:15 AM

Skein,
Good diving north of Brokings too.

Want to do a winter dive trip to the Ketchikan Area? Clear water + more abs and scalops than you what to do with. Water runs about 42-46 degrees, air 15-55 degrees.

BUGLEMAN · 09-23-2003, 10:41 AM

Thanks for taking the time to put your adventure down in writing for us. I hope somehow the swords can be patterned or at least found.

Reef Diver · 09-23-2003, 10:56 AM

Skein,
I'm learning something new everyday.

I didn't know you were a Scuba diver too....you do it all?! One of my favorite places to dive is the Port Orford area. We spent the first part of September for a week playing there. If you don't mind the Sea Lions buzzing by to see what your doing in their environment its awesome diving and fishing! But wait....you are a Sea Lion tamer...I've seen you in action! You should feel right at home! :grin: I'll be glad to show you some of the "Secret Hot Spots" for diving in P.O. Lori and Sadie wanted me to say it was very nice visiting with DipSeaDiver and you. Sadie has more slurrpy's if needed.
OceanBlue look what you've stirred up now we'll have to get a crew together and go diving. Lori has been diving for about 10 years now and welcomes all the female camaraderie she can get.
I don't understand?

:smile:
Keta...I meet you after we got blown in from that Tuna trip about a month ago at Depoe Bay carking station. You gave me a taste of your canned Tuna...Ummm Ummm! Diving is like riding a bike just get back on!
There is good places to dive up and down the coast like Depo Bay, Newport, Coos Bay, Port Orford, Bandon, Gold beach and etc.

Reef Diver

09-23-2003, 11:05 PM

I've lost some of my stamina and streingth as well as gaining 30+ pounds.

puffins crew · 09-24-2003, 03:16 PM

WTG Team Swordfish!!

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

All great adventures have a beginning, middle, and a summary of events.

I have been blessed. Popeye and crew,

Many thanks!!

Pilar, I am proud to know you, bro. Thanks.

Peace, Tom