So our arrival Friday the 23rd was a straight business affair as the catch that was maintained in superb condition, was professionally unloaded using the boom and winch to ease the premium, dressed carcasses into waiting, slush (seawater and ice) filled totes and carts to be sent to the processors of choice. We always do our best to produce a premium product, and succeed on every voyage to the best of our ability, but the combination of flat calm weather, smaller group of anglers, and steady, scratch pace of catching on this voyage made for the most perfect setting imaginable to produce the end quality of product we covet. A few anglers generously contributed a couple of fish for the boys to dress out, split up, and take home on Friday. As a result, I had the pleasure of enjoying a couple of fresh tuna meals over the weekend with my family and can report that I have never had better. Thanks for the much appreciated and enjoyed fish guys.

On another note, with the latest round of questions and controversy revolving around the scales used on board long range vessels and recognizing boat weights, we figured it best to weigh the 309 pound yellowfin, landed by Stas Vellonakis on day two of the voyage and stored for ten full days at sixteen degrees Fahrenheit in spray brine, to again ensure that our measuring is accurate and consistent with weights taken on land upon return. The result was not surprising when the monster yellowfin tuna was cranked up on the boat scale dockside - 309 pounds. When it was placed on the Fisherman's Canning certified floor scale at the top of the dock - 309 pounds. As I mentioned, to us this result was not surprising. Such results have been consistent since we began using the scale on board in 2004.

However, I am not in any way proposing that a weight of an extraordinary catch, such as a potential world record or any fish qualifying for any type of title, taken on board any vessel, be used without a corresponding weight taken on land for verification. This is appropriate and makes sense for many well founded, easy for all to understand reasons. I emphasized the point above simply to reassure the angling community that the weights taken and reported on board Royal Star can be confidently accepted as fact.

Today's photos feature master anglers Todd Phillips and Kevin Leong in action and victorious with their 267 and 247 pound trophies. As I mentioned last week I have many more photos to share and will be posting in upcoming days. Enjoy and look for more to come.

Tim Ekstrom

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