January 14, 2010.

Happy Birthday to my brother Mike!

After turning in at 2030 we both got a great night’s sleep. We were anxious to get the fishing season into full swing. The water is a little chilly at 76 degrees, but the lobsters aren’t going to jump in the boat by themselves, are they?

We spent about 6 hours in the water. We were able to take a pair of lobster, a Grouper and a 4 ½ pound Margate. There was an entire school of Margate doing circles around a small patch or coral. There were 4 or 5 big ones among the other smaller fish, plus a single 3 foot Barracuda on the coral as well. I tried to wait the Barracuda out, but an opportunity to shoot one of the larger Margates presented itself. As soon as I speared him he went into his death throws and the Barracuda immediately came for him. The fish was flailing all over, I was trying to keep him away from the Cuda’ whose interest was “peaked” to say the least. I pulled the Margate to the surface and waved Christy over. She came blasting up in the dink which drove the Barracuda off. I handed the Margate up to her and switched spears. The Barracuda was now on high alert and more than a bit curious so I had to leave that patch of coral behind without an attempt at another Margate. It was still a great day!