continued
14
This is where the `magic
starts!
ThisyearIhadtotimeeverything
right. My children were going to
join me and Ollie
was yet to arrive.
On the morning
of June 18th
and
with everyone
onboard Balancal,
we set off. Heavy
unseasonal rain
had diminished
my hopes and
e x p e c t a t i o n s .
I looked at the
dirty water and
turned to Ollie
with a frown, he
said "don't worry,
it may be a good
sign"
It was at this point
that Ollie told me he had cleared
it with Anibal our captain, that
he could wire his first Marlin if
we were to be lucky.
Ten minutes later I was below in
the galley when some almighty
foot stomping and shouting
came from the bridge. We had
raised a marlin which I had just
missed, `typical' I thought, so I
sat down to eat my lunch. Five
minutes later all hell broke loose
again as a bigger fish hooked
up. Like a well rehearsed play,
all actors took their place on the
stage. `This was it' I thought,
as I took my place in the chair.
Little did I know that my battle
had only just began.
The mid-day sun was on my
back and my body was slowly
weakening as the first rush of
adrenalin began to wear off.
With cameras clicking and
advice flying from crew
members Ollie, Mathew and
guest Jody, I cursed, toiled and
eventually came to realize that
this fish had strength I could not
have comprehended. I have to
admit that on more
than one occasion
whilst watching the
reel lose line I had
just fought so hard
to gain, I thought it
impossible to carry
on.
After approximately
fifty minutes we
eventually saw the size of the
fish for the first time as she
came up within 15 meters of the
boat. All I remember are some
choice words from behind me
as we all realized
just how big she
was.
Another 40
minutes later
Ollie was wiring
his first marlin
and I had been
told that my first
Atlantic Blue
Marlin was a
`grander', a fish
estimated to be
over 1000lbs.
Amid the back
slapping and
hand shaking I
paused to think ..
"NOW THAT
WAS MAGICAL"
Ian Alvey
FUNCHAL MARINA

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