RETURN OF DOUBLE HEADER

The rebirth of a classic sport-fisher amid one of the most prolific destinations for big blue marlin

- DEBORAH HOOD

There's something both nostalgic and romantic about old boats, whether you see one in the water at a marina, in dry dock, or maybe even in a grassy field along a country road. It's not hard to imagine the life the vessel has had over the years the seas it's traveled, the fish it's caught, and the people who sailed it in good weather and bad. Some old boats have the classic lines and the fishing history that seem to defy those musings; indeed, their history sets them apart from the rest. One old boat aptly worthy of that description is Double Header, as is the incredible story of how she made it to the islands of the Azores, 900 miles west of Portugal, after a decade of neglect, not only to be brought back to life but also to fish hard once again.

The Azores have been known as one of the sport's top blue marlin fishing spots for more than 40 years. Horta, on the island of Faial, is located in the central island group, which lies close to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a long underwater mountain ridge that plunges from 6,500 to more than 11,000 feet, with canyons and shelves that seem to magnetically attract blue marlin and tuna. Formed through volcanic eruptions over the centuries, these islands are very biodiverse and are ecologically one of the cleanest, most protected places on Earth.

A LEGENDARY ANGLER EMERGES