With Yale Party Off Cape Brett

Northern Advocate, 15 March 1948, Page 2

With Yale Party Off Cape Brett

(By D. R. Purser)

OTEHEI BAY, Sat. (Sp.).—This story is being written on the Yale Research Expedition’s 51ft Manana IJL, about three miles out from Cape Brett. It deals with the catching of three striped marlin swordfish which are now lying in the big cockpit of the launch. They were caught within 31- hours by the leader of the expedition, Mr Wendell W. Anderson, and his 24-year-old son, John W. Anderson 11. • Embedded firmly in the stern of the Manana 111. is another tip of a marlin’s bill—the third such battle scar received in the past three weeks.

The big launch is now :-iding the swells, her bow pointed towards Piercy Island. Three kahawai baits are out.

firmly, leaned over the counter to secure the fish. The infuriated marlin made a wild flurry, driving forward at tremendous speed towards the stern of the launch. There was a sudden sharp thud as its bill was driven deep into the Ifjin planking. “That’s another one in,’’ observed Captain Bill, quite calmly, as he held tight to the stout rope which was fixed to the gaff. In a flash he reached down and grabbed the fish’s bill with his free hand and, with the assistance of George, lifted the marlin’s head above the water.

The weather is not fine, but the sea is fairly smooth, with a northeasterly breeze just lifting the tops of the waves and leaving them flecked with brief crests erf pure white. We left the snug and beautiful Otehei IJay at about 9.30 this morning, making short work of the initial stages of the trip. With the two 165-h.p. Diesels*running smoothly, the Manana 111 put her stern down and her bow into the air at 16 knots.

Speed was slackened as Albert Passage was left astern. The two 50ft outriggers were ready and two kahawai baits were trolled from them, w'ith a third bait close astern. FIRST STRIKE

Quickly a rope was tied around the bill, and, with the combined efforts of three men, the wildly thrashing fish was hauled partly on to the counter A few blows from a useful club quietened him. Then he was dragged into the cockpit, where he lay quite still. PERFECT SPECIMEN Here was a perfect specimen of the prince, of all fighting fish, with symmetry and speed in every line. His colour was an almost indescribable blue, graduating gently to dark violet on his back. Sixteen colour bars of brilliant blue marked his side. The great crescent-shaped tail, blue and shining, was still, and, almost imperceptibly, the glorious hues faded into dullness as the fish expired. Three-quarters of an hour later John Anderson, from the flying bridge, spotted half a dozen mutton birds circling excitedly to the north-east, about 509 yards away.' The motors roared and the Manana 111 surged forward for a few moments, then she lost speed, down to trolling pace.

At precisely 11.13 a.m. the first strike of the day was taken. We were about two chains east of Piercy Island* when Captain Bill Fagan alert at the controls on the flying bridge, sang out: “Watch it—No. 2!”

For a brief instant a fin appeared behind the bait from the starboard rigger. Then followed a great splash and the whirring of the big reel as the line was torn from it.

Mr Anderson was in the fighting chair in an instant.. He let the fish go for about 100 yards and then struck. The line slackened suddenly and disappointment was general. The fish had not felt the hook. Twenty minutes later, just north of the famous hole through the rock, a fin was seen, but the fish did not rise.

Then the Manana turned towards the open sea and we went out about three miles across a strong rip tide, where the waves fought and jostled with each other in a steep chop. Anything could happen. A few minutes later, Mrs Anderson, who was seated in the control cabin amidships, called out. She had seen a fin to port. CHARACTERISTIC FIN A minute later the characteristic : dorsal fin of a striped marlin showed up a chain away. It .disappeared. All eyes were on the baits, particularly No. 1, the port outrigger. Suddenly the great fin and tail were right behind the bait. The head of the fish could be seen as he rushed in. Away went the line from the outrigger clip, and the swordfish ripped off 100 yards in a matter of seconds. Mr Anderson, who was in the chair, let the fish go on with his run and then struck hard, five times. The reel whined again as the big fish sped off, taking another long run. The line swept in an arc to port and the head of the striped marlin showed above the waves. He’ shook himself, his jaws wide open. Then down into the depths he streaked. The big laminated rod bent dangerously as Mr Anderson applied the pressure and pumped his fish towards the Manana. He gained line steadily, losing it only in short bursts as the fish got its head and turned away. But. it was tiring quickly, and eight minutes after the strike had been taken, George Dean, expert Negro boatman, had the steel leader in his hand. Captain Bill left the controls for a minute and, with the big gaff grasped

All eyes were on the outrigger baits when, from right under the 'counter, the unmistakeable fin of a marlin appeared. He turned in behind the close bait, perhaps 25ft from the launch and directly astern. Hungrily he seized the kahawai between his jaws and sped off. John Anderson was in the chair in a flash, the other two lines were brought in speedily and the marlin sped off on the surface. SPECTACULAR FIGHT About 80 yards away he broke the surface in a welter of spray leaping high out of the water. Eleven consecutive leaps he made, with barely a second between any two of them. He •seemed to bounce off the wave tops, tearing out the line, making the big reel whirr as he sped away. Every line of his powerful, graceful shape could be seen as he shot out of the water, shaking his head in a vain attempt to free himself. Then he sounded and John was able to gain back some line before the fish surfaced again to jump clear twice. Down again he went, taking line at a high speed. Away to starboard the line curved, then more was reeled back again. Gradually the fish was worked closer to the boat and 10 minutes after the strike he re-appeared above the waves in a half-hearted broach. He seemed tired. The rod bent down as the fish bored deep. Then he changed his course, shooting to -the surface barely two chains -from the Manana’s counter.

He burst through the waves for his 14th and 15th jumps, so close that every detail could be seen.

NEW LEASE OF LIFE With a new lease of life the big fish streaked away again to jump 150 yards off, swinging around to port. So the fight went on, and by 2 p.m. the fish was deep down, showing no further signs of tiring. Hard work brought him up to the surface' again and his blue shape was seen under the waves. The leader came in sight and then disappeared as the fish plunged off again. Three more perfect leaps he made, 50 yards from the launch. Then he was brought closer and the leader showed again. Eight times the wire trace was almost within grasp and eight times the tiring fish surged away v/ith it.

At 2.17 n.m. the leader was up again and George leaned out to grasp it with his gloved hands. The fish struggled wildly, but the boatman, well practised at his task, held on grimly. The gaff was wielded by Captain Bill an,d, in a trice, the fish was beaten. He was hauled aboard, dead. He had fought his last battle, and, in doing so. had been beaten only after a stern fight which occupied 50 minutes and in which he had made 21 jumps.

In the excitement of the encounter, two other striped marlin had been seen cruising near the launch, and a further strike was expected as soon as the baits were out again. The wait was not a long one, as two fins were seen to the east at 2.53 p.m. One swordfish struck hard at No. 2 bait but, after two great leaps, he threw the hook. SECOND “BIRD HUNCH” At 4 p.m. John Anderson had his second “bird hunch." He spotted mutton birds sweeping in close circles to the north. The Manana 111 was there in a few minutes, and at 4. p.m. the bait from the starboard outrigger was snapped up. Slowly the line was peeled from the reel. The expedition's leader was fishing. Cautiously he let the fish run slowly, waiting his chance to strike. The line .slackened. Captain Bill -opened a throttle and the launch surged forward. The line tightened and Mr Andersoh struck hard three times, hooking the marlin. The fish was not a spectacular fighter. He showed his head and wide-open mouth on the surface 100 yards astern and then bored deep down to fight it out. Short swift runs he made, but he tired perceptibly and in 11 minutes the leader appeared. T?ie negro boatman seizjd it, Captain Bill came down to gaff the fish. A brief struggle followed and, at 4.19 p.m., the third fish was in the cockpit. Nov/ we are heading back to Otehei Bay. We have just passed Bird Rock. No more fins have been seen, but we have taken five strikes and have three fish aboard, which is a fair average.

Weighed in at Otehei Bay later, Mr Anderson’s fish tipped the scales at 217 ahd 2391 b respectively, his son's fish weighing 2271 b.