Nov 1 2017 Fish

Fish!
After numerous encounters between the fishing line and the propeller, it is time to redo it. I bought new 80 lb line in Nadi and still have one more cider plug. I have been using a much lighter line and smaller fur on the theory that I do not want to catch a big fist. Just one big enough for 2 people with maybe enough left for a sandwich the next day. Immediately when I unwrapped the fishing line it sprang out of the package and completely entangled itself. I spent almost 2 hours carefully untangling it, inch by inch like the little inchworm. I only had to cut it once. Finally it was all straightened out with the new lure on and I tossed it over. We usually do not catch anything but you never know. 
I had just said to Alan that if I caught anything I would chop it up and put it into the coconut that they had given up at Paradise and make kokoda when suddenly there was a sharp tug on the line and I looked back to see an enormous fish jump out of the water. Wow! It is too big! Alan immediately slowed the engine down and ran for the net. Thank heavens the sea is flat calm. After my first excitement, I decided to just let it tire itself out so we kicked the engine back up until we were going 5 kts again. It jumped several more times and each time I pulled the line in a little bit. Eventually I could see it swimming along side the boat. It was actually going as fast as we were. Time to bring it aboard. Engine in neutral, Alan is standing by with the net. I decided that if we lose it that is OK. It is really too big for us. I was using a plastic drop line and was not wearing gloves. That fish was heavy and at one point I thought the line was going to cut into my hands. We got it into the net once and it flipped out, but we got it in again and Alan hoisted it on board. I was beautiful, all green and gold with a sail fin on it’s back.
Now the messy part. I grabbed our last bottle of rum and tried to pour it into the gills. This is supposed to sedate it so you can cut off the head. Alan grabbed the winch handle and began banging it on the head. I got the knife that I keep in the fishing gear bag and began sawing away just behind the gills. Between the two of us we managed to subdue it. Time out, I had forgotten to take a picture and now it is all bloody. Actually there is blood all over everything. A thrashing fish can really make a mess. I hoisted up buckets of water and washed things as best as I could with a giant fish taking up most of the cockpit. When I finally hoisted it up for the photo I came up to my waist, which makes it almost 4’ long. Sadly, we forgot to weigh it.
Alan put Rhapsody back in gear and I began the messy job of cutting it into meal sized pieces. Our main consideration is the fact that we have no refrigeration. We have an ice box but the ice has long since melted and it is warm inside rather than cool. First I cut it in half so it would fit on the cutting board. Then I tried my best to cut off filets. Any extra chunks went into the coconut shell with the coconut meat. I dumped in lemon juice and more coconut cream and some green onion and cucumber and set t aside. For the back half of the fish, I decided on steaks but I could not manage to cut the spine. I finally had to take over the helm while Alan hit our biggest knife with rubber mallet and finally managed to break the spine. By the time this was all over the almost full moon had risen and we ate dinner on deck, fish steaks, green beans and boiled potatoes. It was wonderful and we were stuffed. After cleaning up the mess, I lay down for a nap before my watch. The kokoda will keep as well the rest of the fish. I had fried it all.