Yesterday we were at the Baltimore Canyon, a 1000 foot deep gash at the edge of the continental shelf which concentrates all manner of fish life. We were specifically there to pick up some golden tilefish. We pretty quickly put five average sized fish in the boat.

Golden tilefish live on the bottom in water that is 500 to 800 feet deep. The first couple I caught using vertical jigs, but my arms soon complained about retrieving lures and fish from that depth, so I wimped out and switched to using hooks baited with squid and the electric fishing reel.

The whole time we were fishing there were dozens of pilot whales nearby and scores of dolphin.

As the wind picked up to the point it was getting too much to easily fish this deep, we headed off sailing to the north. Our next schedule stop is in 2 weeks in Gloucester. The plan was to jump in one gou around the outside of Cape Cod to Provincetown. When we started, the weather looked ideal for this, but by this morning that had changed. The forecast intensity of an approaching cold front was now strong enough it would be an uncomfortable rounding of the end of Cape Cod.

In answer to that, we are diverting to the west to the Elizabeth Islands south of Cape Cod to line up for a trip through the Cape Cod Canal. Our next stop will likely be Cuttyhunk Island, but we will have other choices as we approach. At the moment, we are sailing on an easy beam reach in 12 knots of wind making 6 knot over ground. We should be picking up a mooring off Cuttyhunk tomorrow morning.