![]() ![]() Where the normal catch is 1 ton a day, for seven days straight she hauled in 5 tons each day. Not only was Greenlaw one of an infintessimally small number of women swordfishing, but she was the most successful captain of all time. This was Linda's strength, this finding the schools of swordfish. The electronics, depth sounders, radar and the like are not just for navigation but crucial in working out where the fish are. ![]() As well as directing the crew, a hard-drinking group of macho men, maintaining the boat, it's structure, mechanics and electronics. Then there is the killing of the swordfish when hauled in, gutting and icing them. The hooks are so big they could rip right through a man's palm if the spool should run on. It is an extremely physical job, setting hooks and squid bait, on spooled longlines that run for miles and rip your fingers. ![]() An aside - there are very few countries and vessels in the world where a woman would have the opportunity to swordfish let alone be a captain. So I could not just see but feel what a difficult position they were in. It prevented us going into Fernando do Noronha, our next stop, we couldn set a course for the archipelago at all. It wasn't a 'perfect storm' but it was still rough, with huge seas and a constant exhausting beating against the wind. It had a lot of impact on me because I have been in a small boat, a 34' catamaran in a 4 day storm out in the Atlantic before Brazil. I didn't see the film so I came fresh to the book. ![]()
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