On leaving Milford Sound around 1200 hours we took a slow cruise out of the Milford Sounds noting the local seals basking in the sun. We then continued south to do some deep water fishing as some of the Sounds are protected by marine reserves. Marty and Geoff where pulling in blue cod and terakee and couta.

I had been finding it dificult to maintain my footing at times with the rolling swells and decided to make the ship more accessesible by fitting grab rails where ever I could. All the crew appear happy with these improvements particularly when some of them have had me crashing into them...damn Meniere's Disease.

Whilst traveling south we amazingly passed seals on their backs in the ocean basking in the sun while there were pods of killer whales traveling between the Sounds. We also came accross a large cruise ship heading to Milford Sounds.

While fishing we were contiuously followed by albatross looking for any fresh fish scraps. It funny watching them run accross the water and stopping in their tracks using their webded feet as skis.

Good ol Marty set up everyones rods for some deep sea fishing hoping to catch some of those illusive groppers. Marty advised we need to stop over those areas where there are sudden drops in the ocean floor. I dropped my line in some 200 - 300 metres and immediately got a bight. I had hooked something but had no idea what I had. As the fish came to the surface there was much speculation as to what was surfacing...is it a shark...its a ray...no its a groper. Pulled the gropper aboard weighing in at 22 lbs (10 kg) my first groper. After a couple more hours of fishing Owen landed some more Blue Cod. We headed off at 1830 hours for George Sound and dropped off a craypot on the way. We anchored in the South Arm of George Sound surounded by the over towering mountains eating grilled Blue Cod and Terekee whilst consuming beer and wine and laghing and joking and sledging each other about the days events.

At 2315 hours and my feet are telling me to get to bed. Going to try a shower under one of the cascading water falls in the region. Expecting to stay put for a day or more as bad weather forecast. Lets hope the old fisherman's and sheepherds tales are true with regard to red sky at night a sailors delight.