Just like Christmas

Our dear sportfishing friend Daniel brought these colorful gifts to Alex. Japanese and French handcrafted jigs and stickbates. Happy times, now we just need to get out fishing some more. As soon as we're back from Europe we will get out on the water for real. Been unfortunately laying low with that these past months due to work and other missions and events, we're missing the sea tremendously. 

One of those jacks

Well I don't know what it is but Alex sure got some kind of fish voodoo going on here. For me it is pretty normal that we have new fish to eat every week but when I hear other sailors saying they rarely get anything on their hook I kind of understand that it is a rare talent we got here in my sport fisherman. And to be able to get all those fish from our mini dinghy with a tiny jig rod like this, that's obviously quite unique. Alex has a couple of very large and expensive rods and reels which normally are used trolling behind the boat, but this crevalle jack was caught with only the smallest and cheapest rod we have here onboard while cruising around in the dinghy. I don't know too much about these stuff but this is what Alex used for this fish:

Rod: Kali embat 150, spinning reel: Mitchell elx 300R, line: Berkley Trilene 0,20 mm, lure: X-rap from Rapala.

Food on the hook

Did I tell you my man is the best fisherman in the world? Because he is. I will never have to worry that we might have to starve the day when we run out of money, loose our boat and get washed up on a deserted island somewhere far far away. At least we will have plenty of fish to eat.

Sail fish on the hook

We are in St Barts to refuel before we head over to St Martin. Alex caught this 1,85 m long sailfish just outside here on the coast, what a beauty.

Off the hook

It's not everyday you have to collect a fishing lure from the spinning wind generator while underway. A large barracuda made sure to get released by jumping around and desperately pulling the line several times. His last jump was so powerful that the whole line snapped off and got tangled in the AeroGen. That fish was just not meant to get caught.. /T

Last nights catch

And indeed also last nights dinner.. Sunset and sunrise are the best times of the day to get fish, as I've learnt from my fisherman. Yesterday Alex caught three barracudas in the short period of 40 minutes. The two first ones were too big and I asked him to let them go (greater risk of having to encounter ciguatera, remember?), while the last one was this tiny little baby barracuda, perfect in size for a dinner for us two. Was delicious with garlic and coriander gravy served with oven roasted potatoes. Sorry no picture taken of the meal as the light went out of this place. Here's instead one barracuda meal I made one summer in Sardinia, Italy, if you remember? /T

By the way, we have just edited "our route" post, check it out here.

One of those weekends

Here's one of my new friends. I was lucky enough to meet a guy the other week who offered me the opportunity to ride his racehorse whenever I wanted to, for no cost, just because he doesn't have enough time for it himself. Now "my" horse had just lost one of his shoes so there was no riding opportunity this time, but at least I got introduced to the horses at the ranch and hopefully the farrier will have the new shoes fixed soon after the holidays so I can get back to the stable and get out riding in just a few days. I haven't been in the saddle since I was in Bahrain last time, and that must have been at least two years ago now. Can't wait to get out in the woods with big red, as is the throughbred racehorse's name (it is not the horse in this pic though, will introduce you to him a bit later).

Well hello there beautiful.

Alex saved me from my ambitious three course dinner plans and said he was dying for some hamburgers, thanks for that! It's too hot to cook here anyway! 

So we went to one favorite hangout where the best fast food, ice-cream and drinks are served by some locals.

On the morning after we left for yet another dinghy excursion. The inflatable dinghy is our everyday vehicle, just like a car or a bike is on land, and we love packing it full with snorkeling and diving equipment, freshly made picnic, fishing rods and some books to read under an umbrella and get out to one of the vast amount of beaches, the beautiful bays and exploring new areas of the islands. 

We found a deserted little spot in Rendevouz Bay where we made a fire and ate hot dogs for lunch.

Went for a walk in the woods.

And by the beach...

Beautiful surroundings.

And warm water.

Alex was fishing from the dinghy on the way home, he got something....

Something BIG!

A huge tarpon!!!

This particular sort of fish is known for its fight and for the show he puts up when being caught and he was literally pulling us and our little dinghy all around the bay. The rod Alex got this beast with was the lightest of all the rods we have here onboard, quite impressive. Would have been nice to catch the tarpon but on the other hand it felt almost better when he finally released himself from the hook and could get back to the sea where he belongs. But wow what an impressive fish, I've never seen them before.

We went to buy some ice-cream. Here with a delicious orange sorbet.

There has been a fishing tournament going on during the weekend and we went to English Harbor to attend the price giving ceremony and to have a look at the big stuff they caught for the day. Here a big wahoo.

Same equipment as Alex has. Shimano Tiagras all around.

More wahoos waiting to get weighted.

Fish for sale.

It was a great festive feeling in English Harbor. Kids playing.

While the women were drinking cocktails.

Sexy Carib girls promoting Carib beer.

Done with fishing for today.

How cute.

I wonder how many years it took to save to that length?

People gathered to get a glimpse of the beast of the day.

Crazy huge.

A 464 lbs marlin fish. (210 kg!)

Mmmm popcorn...

I have said it before, and I'll say it again: Antigua is Amazing with a capital A. Best place with the greatest variety we've experienced so far in the Caribbean islands. We have everything we need here in terms of climate, the beautiful nature, the people are great and easy to connect with, the waters are fantastic, there is good infrastructure, the place offers easy sailing distance to many other lovely places and countries and it seems like there will be no problem at all to find things to do around here. 

One important part of this world tour journey we've embarked on, is to one day perhaps be able to figure out where to settle with that little house we have planned to build for ourselves, and Antigua has climbed right up to number one on the list of places we've seen since we left our home in Barcelona for eight months ago. So who knows what will happen after this world tour, maybe it is in Antigua we will get our very own land-based home. A place on a cliff where we will have our serene vacation spot where we'll be staying in between our travels of the ocean. A place where we will be able to unload all those treasures we've collected on our travels, and maybe it is here we one day will set up that intimate restaurant in connection to our own garden that we have in mind? Who knows? All we know for now is that we love Antigua and the only thing wrong with this place is that it is very far away from our families and friends with no easy and direct flight connections to any of our homes in Europe. I guess our search for the perfect place to buy land will continue for a couple of years to come, but until we found something better, Antigua will stay right there at the top. Competing with our beloved Mediterranean of course. /T

Fish of the day

We let him swim back into the sea though. Not too interested in eating too big predators from these waters. It's a big tuna we want! Long time since we had some proper home made sushi now. I know that many have asked about how I prepare sushi on the boat and I promise to show it to you next time my man catch a tunny. We'll have plenty of time to fish now in the next couple of weeks when cruising between these lovely islands.

Ginger and wasabi are purchased, now it's only a tuna that's missing! /T