The First Trip to "Sugarcane Bank"


The First Trip to "Sugarcane Bank"

Author: Staff
Back in the early 1970s, long-range pioneer Bill Poole was the
first skipper to take fishermen to Hurricane Bank.

He recalls some
of the problems in those early years. "Originally we couldn't fish
Clarion Island or Hurricane Bank because the U.S. Coast Guard had
it off-limits: They told us it was too far from a safe port of
refuge, Cabo.


"The first time I went there it was illegal, so I told my
passengers we were fishing the 'Sugarcane Bank.'
Skippers do what they have to do in order to catch fish.
Eventually, we met with the senior Coast Guard officer in
Washington, D.C.

, and exposed our safety record. We also explained
how we managed problems and made repairs without calling the Coast
Guard. In 1975, the Coast Guard finally opened up Clarion Island
and Hurricane Bank.
"It was then that I made that first trip to Hurricane Bank
aboard the Royal Polaris.

At that time we didn't have satellite
navigation, and our Omega was unreliable. To make matters worse,
our big fathometer went out, so we were forced to use dead
reckoning. After making the 185-mile run from Clarion, we knew we
were in the general area but still had no bottom using our backup
fathometer. The day was saved when we ran up on a spot of breaking
tuna and, lo and behold, we were sitting on the high spot in 18
fathoms! Hurricane Bank will always remain a fishing spot that can
make or break your trip.

It's very remote."

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