Lockdown to let out

A short story…

Steph (my daughter in law) has filled in a covid19 work lay-off with beach fishing…

The first five weeks of NO fishing was spent practicing knots, tying tackle, working out the right size hooks for which fish and which environment.

The Next level gave her the opportunity to “Beach Fish” laden with supplies Steph, and sometimes Jaxon, have hit this estuary religiously since the level 3 restrictions allowed only beach fishing…

A couple of weeks ago, boat fishing was reintroduced, but with Riverhaven sanitising tractor rules and regulations and the no hose water restrictions, not many boats were motivated to move from the ports. So for Steph and Jaxon the beach fishing continued.

This is where the story really begins…..as humans invade!

Now with shops open, tackle replaced, rods in prime condition (just saying here – While Steph has her surf caster, Jaxon has been using my newly replaced braided rod and reel – $60 of beautiful new braid)

As today is Rugby day, yesterday was Stephs last day (to beach fish) before returning to full time work tomorrow so off she went to sit at her favourite estuary spot! Jaxon joined her after a garage cleanup…while the afternoon was uneventful fish wise, the adventure, as usual was good for the soul …. until …..

YES the boaties are back! Just after the tide turned a boat cruised up the estuary! NOW when Russ and I used to bring in our boat – if people were fishing in the river we would take a wide berth and even stop if needed!

Well No such luck, this one didn’t detour or deter or desist…just ploughed on through (even came closer) hooked my brand new braid, would have broken the rod if the trace wasn’t so loose and Jaxon wasn’t such a fast runner. Did they stop? Ummm no! Took the whole line, waved and carried on after Jaxon managed to break the line before the rod broke.

How could you not notice a 100kg man with a pink rod (yes my rod is pink) running beside the estuary (10 meters from said boat) yelling to stop and Jaxon is not a quiet lad! Steph running after him with a pair of scissors to try and cut the line and save my rod!

I would like to think the driver of the boat didn’t notice what he’d done and was just being friendly with a wave, thinking that Jaxons usual behaviour is to frantically run up and down the river yelling like a madman! I do believe the boat cleaning may have taken a little longer while at least 40 meters of brand new braid was unravelled from the boaties prop and maybe other awkward places!

I guess now we get ready for post covid casualties! Inconsiderate humans, bad drivers and boundary pushers as the world bursts back to life.

In saying that, I need to burst out of bed, today is a big day, meetings to attend, lunch in town and live Rugby matches!