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Saturday, May 4, 2013

Assaulted! (Flying Fish Headbop)

Didn’t find this guy until the next day along our side gunnel.I thought he landed in our cockpit since that where
I was when he bopped me on the head.

Yes, fish do fly if they have wings.  Check out Wikepedia if you don’t believe me (click here).

Anyhow, I was minding my own business on my night watch between Puerto Rico and Great Inagua, South Bahama.  Dutifully, I was in the cockpit, reading by the light of my red headlamp to preserve my night vision and… BAM!

I got whacked on the top of my head.  I got a quick whiff of fishy scent, and searched the cockpit.  Nothing.  I gave up and decided I’d read in the salon, right next to the cockpit, and come out every 10-15 minutes for a thorough scan unless something amiss brought me up sooner.

I did find my head bopper the next day.  He was about 7” long.

I’ll continue to think twice about cockpit reading on nightwatch with a headlamp when we’re in flying fish territory, unless I finally take up fishing and want some bait fish.  I'll wear a hat though.

3 comments:

  1. Bait? Why not eat the buggers. Frenchman Jean Gau on Atom ate them all the time. Like herring or a sardine. I think he fried his in butter (just like a Frenchman!).

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  2. Perhaps with a little garlic in the butter also? "Yacht kill" sounds so much more sophisticated than "road kill". :) Ethereal

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  3. They were a bit desiccated by the time we found 'em. If anyone has any info on if they're ok to cook and eat that way I may well chance it (Wayne will not, I'm sure!).

    Ethereal - love the "yacht kill." Funny you mention that -- I've thought about doing a woodcut-like stencil of a flying fish and posting it somewhere on the hull for each one that lands on deck -- like the "kills" that get put on war planes. That would be 3 so far....

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