Cape Verde Expedition Update 🎣 Read the full recap on the link below! 🗺️ “Cape Verde, a volcanic archipelago off West Africa, offers rich marine biodiversity and excellent billfishing. Returning 26 years after my last trip, I joined Flint Besecker aboard the Smoker, a 37’ Bertram captained by Luis Roque, to participate in the IGFA Great Marlin Race by tagging blue marlin with satellite tags. Despite rough “washing machine” conditions between islands, we targeted blue marlin off Santo Antao’s coast. Early success included a 250 lb marlin near Terrafal and another on pitch bait. We observed abundant marine life: dolphins, pilot whales, and even rare whale sharks. Our fishing took us along dramatic coastlines and offshore banks like Banco Noroweste, raising and tagging several marlin. One standout moment was tagging a massive 800+ lb marlin after a long battle - exactly the kind of specimen we hoped to track. Encounters with rare albino dolphins and multiple whale sharks added to the expedition’s uniqueness. In total, we deployed four mini-PAT tags on marlin of various sizes, contributing valuable data to ongoing research at Stanford and the Guy Harvey Foundation. The experience reinforced the importance of new tech like Omni sonar, which tripled billfish success for some boats. We closed the trip with more marlin releases and an incredible final dive with a massive, docile whale shark. This expedition shows Cape Verde’s immense value as both a fishing hotspot and a hub for ocean science. Help support the Guy Harvey Foundation’s efforts in fishery research (178 published papers), conservation and our marine science education initiative for our youth. Tight lines!” https://guyharvey.com/a/blog/cape-verde-blue-marlin-expedition #GuyHarvey #GHF #ArtOfAdventure @guyharveyocean @theigfa