What an incredible day...

What an incredible fish...

Ryley has already told the story well -- for my part, there was one singular experienceI will never forget: harpooning that fish...

You have to understand how nervous I was getting ready to harpoon her... First, I've never harpooned a fish IN MY LIFE. Second, I had made the harpoon myself only a week before--in preparation for the trip--so it's not exactly tried and true... As Ryley worked the fish up I cleated off the far end of the harpoon line, tied on a buoy, and re-checked the knots on everything ... Next I double checked the anatomy on the fish we had in the box to be 100% sure I knew where the stomach was so I was sure not to hit it... Okay I'm ready...

Then we get color on the fish... It's kind of on its side at first... The shape even reminds me of a shark with a white belly. Then it rolls flat -- holy cow -- it's HUGE. "That's no moon, it's a space station" goes through my head... Okay, we're close... Think it through -- right hand on top, drive straight down I tell myself... Ryley reminds me I have to go through the WHOLE fish, and I wonder for a moment -- did I make the metal shaft long enough to go through this giant fish? Can't fix that now, so forget it. Just swing hard.

The fish is surprisingly docile at the surface... Good god it's a beast. We're about 10 seconds away from my shot... It's turning towards me.. I'm really nervous... Don't blow it. Don't hit the spine. Don't hit the stomach. Swing hard...

Five seconds to go... "POON IT BRIAN!!! POON IT!" comes blasting over the VHF... It's Anthony/Mad Money on the boat next to us who's watching this all in his binoculars. I want to scream "Shut the F#@!@# UP DUDE!"... 2 seconds... 1 seconds...

I raise up and swing HARD... I'm surprised at how quickly and easily it goes.... Down -- then Up... Fish hesitates for a moment then EXPLODES and sounds.. Buoy goes under like the first buoy in Jaws as he dives... Rope spooling out through my hand until he takes all of it and pulls tight against the cleat... And stays tight...

Holy cow, I think I did it... We start celebrating about a half minute later when the buoy surfaces, reminds me of Jaws again and I grin... Wow.

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I should add that I've been thinking a lot about how lucky we are, and specifically how lucky I am. I know enough to know that we were recipients of a great gift... There are many who've worked these banks for more hours, more days, more years than us. Tonight I tip my cap to all of you -- for while we learned some of your lessons, that is not why we caught the fish. It was necessary, but not the reason.

We caught the fish because we are lucky son's of bitches... And we know it.