Santiago sails far out into the Gulf Stream, beyond where other fishermen go. He loves the sea and respects it. When he hooks the marlin, he knows at once that this is the fish he has been waiting for—and that the battle will test everything in him.
Santiago thinks of the sea as la mar—the feminine, something that gives or withholds great favors. He does not blame the sea for his bad luck. He watches the birds and the flying fish, reads the current and the weather. He is part of this world, not its enemy.
When the marlin takes the bait, Santiago knows by the weight and the pull that it is enormous. He lets the line run, refusing to panic. The fish begins to pull the skiff. The old man has met his match—and his destiny. He will not let go.
When the great opportunity comes, the response is not fear but commitment. Santiago accepts the struggle; he does not wish for an easier fish.