July 15, 2010

Get me a fork

Oh the adventures we have at sea! The first couple of days of a voyage are always the hardest. We are all usually a bit tired and cranky. When things go wrong it is always exemplified when you are tired. Tempers rage and nastiness comes to the surface more easily. Thank goodness we all seem to forget and forgive quickly. The blogs you never hear about ;-)!

Last night was no exception to this rule. Graham and I had been grumbling at each other before he went off for his sleep. About an hour later I was down below turning on the kettle for my tea. I return up on deck and proceed to sit back in my spot and OMG.....huge flying fish next to me. I jumped a mile high. It is flitting and flailing. I hate that noise. Jumping and bouncing all over. I screamed and ran below......Well now I am totally screwed. I can't wake up Graham to save me, after yelling at him earlier. I decide to go and grab a bowl. I was thinking I might be able to put the bowl over top of it and then that was where my plan fell apart. Regardless, there was no way I could get close enough to get the bowl over it. Instead I snuck to the back room pass the sleeping captain and tapped on Alex's shoulder. "Wake up Alex. Wake up. There is a fish in the cockpit and I need your help!"

Back we both crept pass Graham around to the stairs. I gave Alex my headlamp and up he went. I stayed below. He looked and looked and ....no fish?? He started shaking out the pillows and blankets and passing them to me. Still nothing? At this point he thinks I was dreaming up the fish. I cautiously climb the stairs and tell him to take off the cockpit cushion. As he is doing this we spot the fish in the cubby and he begins to flap around madly again. On cue I scream and scare the crap out of Alex and run down below. OMG it was so funny. Poor Alex. He wasn't so much scared of the fish as he was of my reaction. Once he had gotten over his heart attack he yells down below....."Get me a fork"!

I was like...."Are you sure a fork is the best tool for this job??"...He said he didn't want to grab the flailing fish with his hands and wanted something to pierce it with. I recommended the gaf. He grabbed the gaf and proceed to get the fish behind the gils and fling it into the bowl. Just when I think the drama is over, he picks up the bowl to fling it to the sea and the fish jumps out onto deck! Oiy....Alex resorts to his hands and grabs the poor fish and sends it back to sea! My hero! He stayed up for a bit with me after that and we had a good laugh. I am so totally nervous now while I sit on my watch.....not of storms, high winds, big seas, other boats but of FLYING FISH!

PS....We are about 1 day from our destination of Rangiroa, Tuomotos. We are all finally feeling better. We had some crazy weather the other night and started wondering...."What the heck are we doing out here!". Luckily after 24 hours the weather passed and Mother Ocean has returned to her happy self. Thank goodness we all forget so quickly.

6 comments:

  1. ummm....
    why are you scared of fish?

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  2. Put some vodka (cheap stuff works) in a small spray bottle. Spray at the gills, and the fish will be subdued. Get several more flying fish, fry the little fillets, they're great for sandwiches.

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  3. So Earl wants to know if the Vodka is a marinade for the Flying fish fillets? Love this blog it is so funny, I can just see and hear you. Lucky you have Alex to save the day...What a hero!

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  4. The vodka, when an ever-so tiny amount is sprayed on the gills will kill the fish very effectively, so no more flopping around. Of course you could drink some, but not when you have to stand watch!

    Flying fish sandwiches are a favorite in Barbados & elsewhere. Before they're cleaned and cooked, flying fish are slippery, and have an offensive odor!

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  5. Ba ha ha haaaa. Get me a fork so I can stab it and set it free?? Too funny.

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  6. OMG your right Robb poor fish...and I wouldnt be wasting vodka on the fish thats for sure. Hey didnt you say in other bloggs that you get the tequila? Couldnt figure that one out either. This was a funny blogg and I could see julie running for dear life. Man that captain is a sound sleeper isnt he? If your screams didnt wake him up. To funny thanks for sharing.

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