Two Days, Four Marlin

I had a going-away party in Naha to attend on Sunday night and planned to renew my visa on Monday. But as with any plans, they will be broken in case of a marlin fishing opportunity.  As will my rescheduled plans to go to Naha on Monday morning when the captain decides to go two days in a row. I'm getting dangerously close to losing my visa (I think it expires Wednesday) and going to jail, but the new plan is to go in tomorrow.

Yesterday we have five hits and landed two fish.  This video shows a rare - and especially awesome, considering the time gap between the two events - double hit.  Unfortunately one marlin got off, as usually happens.  It would've been fun if he hadn't, though, since I was the only spare body on board (so I'd have to handline the fish in and spear him).  The fish were running in different directions, too, so the chances of landing them both would have been good.

[note how busy I am]

This video is of bringing the fish into the boat:

[the colors on my camera are still whacked out - still don't know why]

This first fish was 37kg.  I caught one later on (30 minutes fight time) that was 60kg (132lbs.).

[mine is on the left - my fourth marlin, 60kg]

Today we went out with the captain, me, and two girls.  We were 2/3 of the way through the first fish when Yukibo (captain) was teaching the other girl how to drive the boat.  He showed her how to put the engines in gear and go quickly forward.  This tightened the line and freaked the marlin out.  He started jumping and threw the hook.  Miki, who was fighting the fish, was none too happy about wasting all the effort she'd put in.

But she got the next fish, which took her an hour (and completely wore her out) and weighed in at 98kg (216lbs.).  For the first time I got the job of handlining the fish in for the last 5m.  It's dangerous, but also exhilirating, just you versus the marlin with no mechanical advantage during the most dangerous part of the fight.  I have to bring the marlin up and turn him on his side so the spearer can spear him through the gills.

[mine is in front - my fifth marlin, 45kg]

I got the last fish - 45kg (99lbs.) (about 20 minute fight).  It was notable because Miki and I traded places at the end so I could take the more manly duties of handlining or spearing.  As soon as Miki got in the fighting chair the fish took off and started jumping.  At one point he got mixed up and swam towards the boat, jumping en route.  He missed jumping into the boat by just 10 feet!  And I got it all on video, but the videos are really long so I need to learn to cut them down..

Time to go get my visa renewed..