Spring and Squid. This year begins like most - a scramble to get everything ready. When the boat is tied up for over six months due to regulation and non-existent catch shares, that's my term for not enough shares to make going out fishing profitable, the crumbs doled out to the smaller inshore fleet while PEW rants about not enough fish. With fuel prices so high we're trying to fit the Richard & Arnold with sails and its not good for equipment to just sit around, rust never sleeps. After the haul- out at Taves, a re- mounting of another propeller and after the computer is fixed and rebooted, the Coast Guard Inspection, a repair of a leak in a hydraulic hose, a change of net reel motor and packing up for a season of fishing, after running around like a chicken without its head - the boat is fishing in Nantucket Sound. While I hold my breath hoping for a good season. The first couple of trips were not complete brokers, just enough to pay the fuel. As the squid make their way north, pushed by currents, warmed by the sun and encouraged by Mother Nature, I do my squid dance, say goodbye to my sweetheart and whisper prayers. Now we wait. It has only been a week. Its slow, but we are hopeful.
In the mean time I am finishing my next book. "The Fishermen's Ball". The story takes place in Provincetown in 1938, a murder mystery using the pre WWII years as back ground. Of coarse there is a fisherman, a young woman and lots of stories about the time and place. I even listen to Glenn Miller to put me in the mood. You just can't help tapping your toes along with the beat of 'He's the Last Word'.
Also to let everyone know - 'Nautical Twilight' is now a Kindle e-book. I'd add a hash tag, but I thought that hash was illegal.
