This is no fish story! 3/C Eric Mayers has this photo to prove it.
This week Eric reeled in this 7-foot white marlin, believed to weigh about 150 pounds. Of course, there was not a scale largest enough to weigh his catch.
Eric’s proud mom, Pamela Mayers, explained how her son made it happen. “He used a hand reel he made at home that you put a hose on. He had 200 feet of paracord and then the fishing line and hook. The ship is really high up so he said they had to use a gaff to assist as he had to use his hands to pull up the line. He said he went through multiple pairs of gloves and had bloody cut up hands.”
“I’m so happy and excited for him,” she added.
Eric’s injuries are the typical result when battling a white marlin. According to oceanconservancy.org, “They don’t like to go down without a fight and are known to leap into the air and whip their tails around if hooked. If you catch a white marlin, be careful – they can cause some serious damage with their sharp bills.”
From the bow…to the stern…and everywhere in between, Eric is the talk of the ship. Captain Campbell said that as far as he and the crew can remember, no one has ever caught a marlin off the deck of the TS Kennedy.
The team of talented Chartwells chefs have gone out of their way to make this week extra special, not only for Eric, but for every cadet. The chefs worked their culinary magic and served up Eric’s marlin to anyone who wanted to taste it.
Congratulation, Eric!
