Bad day, Good Night.

No, not goodnight when you go to bed but good night when you achieve something.

Start at the beginning Lynne. Yesterday morning we left Hopwas to continue on our journey plenty of traffic coming our way so lots of “hello’s” as we passed. Just as we were approaching Hademoor Farm Bridge we could see a small boat in front of us with three youngsters on it (I know any one less than 60 is young compared to us but these were about 18) they seemed to be having problems and pulled over to the side just before the bridge hole. As we went to pass them a boat came through the bridge so into reverse we went. I must say at this point that the bridge was on a bend in a wooded cutting so with the broken down boat obscuring our view it made things a bit difficult. There was a BW work boat behind us so he had to reverse as well. Of course we ran aground and it was a struggle to get afloat again, first boat went by then blow me if about 5 more came through and it seemed every time we sorted our selves out someone else appeared. Paul finally managed to get over to the bank and I went to see if there was a clear passage of course there wasn't, a work boat was coming, there I was frantically giving signals to Paul to stay put and when I turned round he was on the move I was a bit dumfounded and shut my eyes as both boats came nose to nose with a slight bump. The work boat got stuck, I was shouted at and told to hang onto the boat. Paul then went and gave the youngsters a bit of advice about their mooring position to which the young lady said “we cant move we have broken down” Paul suggested that they pull the boat backwards with the ROPE. The BW guy tied his workboat to a tree went under the bridge to stop anything else coming through then went back to help the youngsters once we were on our way. The next stretch of the journey was done in stoney silence as it was MY fault Paul had left the bank, he mistook my arm waving which to me was quite clearly “stay where you are” for “come on through”. Will know to take the walkie talkies next time as long as I get them charged up. Hence Bad day.

We moored up where the new marina is going in just before Streethay, settled ourselves then No Direction came by so nice to have a chat with them. As there was nothing on the tele that Paul wanted to watch he got out the fishing gear and started fishing around 7 o'clock. He spent all evening on the back of the boat. Every now and again he would shout “there is something big eating the bait” but did he catch it no of course not. He thought it was a big carp so using his sea fishing skills it was time to change tactics after 5 hits. The days of catching Skate at Reculver came to mind.  At about 9.30 the cry went up “get the camera” hurrah a fish at last.

A nice Chubb not a Carp.

10 pm came and went and still he was sat there mumbling, so I got the dogs off, shut everything off and went to bed leaving him up there on his todd. I was all nice and cosy reading my Kindle when “I've got a big one “ (please don't go there) came from the back of the boat. The tactics had paid off and it was another Chubb.

 

Getting bigger….

These fish put up a real fight and the bigger they are the more fight they have. Back to bed I go snuggle down then 20 minutes later the shout went up again and an even bigger Chubb was landed.

This measured 21 inches nose to tail an estimated 5 and a half pound.

The eagle eyed among you will notice that the landing net has broken during the bringing in of this fish. The time by now was 11.30 and if I hadn't had words I think he would have sat there all night hoping for an even bigger fish.  Hence good night.

Needless to say we are staying here another night. Paul is quite excited about what he may catch tonight. It will be the only excitement he gets I can assure you, I refuse to get out of bed again to look at smelly fish after all once you've seen one fish…………

While we were at Fazely we saw this little lot.

Think it was a few families all intermingled.