Day 13 Fish caught +

Dorado for lunch?
Our position - N10º25’ X W122º43 in NE wind with 8 to 10 foot following sea.
Fishing - We trail two fishing lines behind the boat during the day. One is the line from a fishing pole set in a holder on the starboard stern (the back of the boat). The other is a short piece of fishing line (the static line) with a bungi cord shock absorber that is tied off to a cleat on the port side of the transom (the vertical part of the back of the boat)
Today we actually caught not just one but two fish. The first was a small dorado (mahi mahi) that Mark reeled in with the pole. After it was landed, Andy noticed that we had been towing a fish on the static line. This one was a small skipjack that we releases.
We filleted the dorado and had a nice sashimi snack.
See the photo page “finally a fish” for more pictures.
Seasickness - When we left Punta de Mita on the 8th, I put a scopolamine patch behind my ear. They are supposed to last three days so by the 12th, I removed it and I was fine until Monday the 19th. That is when the big waves started (see Big waves photo page). These are 8 to 10 foot waves that throw the boat in a fairly violent figure 8. Cooking is really tough and just being below trying to do anything causes dizziness and nausea in Mark, Andy and me. No one has chummed yet but we tend to sit in the cockpit looking pale and not saying anything. I would be pleased to see calmer seas.
Oh, that sail.. Late in the day, we called Golden Lion to see how they were doing since they are the closest boat to us and are probably experiencing the same sea. They are also smaller than Southern Star being only 30 feet long. To our surprise, we found they were flying their main, staysail and a storm jib. The seemed like a lot of sail since we only had the main up and had it reefed as well. After a bit of conversation, we realized that their reason for putting out the staysail was to control the rocking of the boat. Quickly thereafter, we did the same and found at least partial relief from the rocking motion. Whew!!!
Notes on sails for those interested. Southern Star has one mast to which is attached the mainsail. A cable called the forestay is connected between the top of the mast and the bow (the very front of the boat). This cable helps to hold up the mast but also holds the luff (front edge) of the jib sail. Between the mast and the forestay is a second stay that goes between a point near the top of the mast and the deck a few feet back from the bow. This stay holds an additional sail called the staysail. It does little to propel the boat but if erected, it acts as a damper when the boat rolls and reduces the roll.