primary attacks on Japanese convoys at excessive range, her commanding officer and crew "benefited greatly from the experience and will undoubtedly inflict greater damage to the enemy on the next patrol," according to a post-patrol assessment of her performance. During her refit, Blackfish had a gun installed forward and her noisy rudder was fixed. Meanwhile, her crew spent two weeks at a military recreation camp on the beach for rest and relaxation, which included, among other things, horseshoes, volleyball, and swimming. During Blackfish′s third week at Milne Bay, her crew′s retreat ended, and she began an intensive training program under the supervision of Submarine Division 82. Seventh war patrol Esorted by Coucal and in company with the submarine , Blackfish set out from Milne Bay on her seventh war patrol on the morning of 25 December 1943. Shortly after conducting some drills on 25 December, it became apparent that her radar needed repairs, which forced Blackfish to return to Milne Bay on 26 December. With repairs completed by 19:15 on 26 December, Blackfish put back to sea and hurried to rejoin Redfin and Coucal at Point Mast. On 27 December, Blackfish participated in training and drills with Coucal and Redfin, then at 13:59 the three vessels charted a course for Tulagi. They arrived at Tulagi on 28 December and awaited further orders. For the next several days Blackfish patrolled in the local area, occasionally docking at Tulagi. On two separate occasions several U.S. Navy officers came aboard to witness a series of what were called "special radio tests." On 31 December 1943, Blackfish escorted the submarine chaser to Point White, a task she completed without incident. While conducting regular patrols in her area of the Solomon Islands from 3 to 5 January 1944, Blackfish experienced a bout of extremely foul weather which made a noticeable impact on her operations, prompting Davidson to remark that the "swells were the biggest I have seen in this area." On 5 January, Blackfish sighted two Japanese cargo ships, but due to the weather she shortly thereafter lost contact with them. At 12:00 on 6 January, with the weather slightly improving, she detected a Japanese convoy and began tracking it. Approximately an hour later she received a radio call to help the submarine , but Balao was roughly away, so Davidson opted to maintain contact with the convoy. Blackfish continued to track the convoy through