Off Shore Angler

 Islamorada is known as the deep sea fishing capital of the world.  At the very end of our 3 week stint, the wind finally calmed down enough to allow us another new adventure!  I had a new hat, ( my "old friend" of 25 years was lost last weekend), and my Sea-Bands.

 Jennifer had found AC a beautiful shirt patterned with swordfish at the thrift shop the other day.  "I hope I don't catch one that big!" he laughed.  Jennifer herself had taken an anti-nausea pill.  We were ready! 

After some instruction on how to handle our fishing rods, we were off, heading toward the Gulf Stream, a couple of miles offshore.  That's where the fish were supposed to be.
 

As soon as the boat stopped we untied the rods that had been coralled at the railing, and attached strips of squid to the two hooks. Reserved spots were at the stern, where the wake of the boat churned up the  fish, while the rest of us lined ourselves up on the sides.
  Jennifer was the first to catch a fish, earning us the code name of "shaved nose" for our fish. All the fish were put into a bucket of ice and identified by special markings like 3 slashes, or a gash on the throat. Later, on the wharf, the two young men in charge called out the codes, and we claimed our fish.
Terry and I fished patiently.  It took me awhile to figure out the reel, and I kept releasing my thumb at the wrong time, much to Terry's annoyance.  He was the one who got the line straight again.  At one point my line seemed stuck on the ocean floor.  One of the young men in charge took my rod.  "You have a fish, Dear", he said patronizingly, and handed me the back the rod. 

 Bracing myself against the side of the boat, I reeled it in. It was one of several White Grunts our group caught.

Finally we sat down, but the horizon kept going up and down.  These were two to three foot swells, the waves seeming to go in no particular direction. Terry tied up his rod and said, "I should've put on those Sea-bands earlier.  His nausea subsided after a while, but Jennifer leaned over the railing at one point, as did the young man to my right. 

  The young men quickly filleted the fish and the four of us took home enough fish to feed a small crowd. Terry fried them up, and we had an impromptu feast.