After poring over the forecast, I had set a net. It promised a lull in the winds, long enough for that.
I left it 24 hours, then went down. It was a lot rougher than forecast.
There was a thwacking surf hitting the beach, with a strong undertow. The biggest waves came in bunches, so I had to time when to slide the kayak into the sea to a likely lull . I got through, but one wave was just about to break when I rode it.
The net buoy was close in to the rocks. I had to pull in fast. There were fish alright. But also a mass of weed. The worst is the kelp roots. It was soon apparent the weight of weed and fish was too great to try and go through that surf with.
(A lesson here has to be only to set a net of a size that you and your kayak can handle in such circumstances.)
Luckily, there was a sheltered cove close-by. I decided to go ashore there to sort it all out.
There were 10 bass amongst the weed. It would take too long to clean the net of all that weed, and I was losing daylight. The tide would soon flood the cove’s beach.
I decided to tie the boat as far up the cliff as I could, stash the net, and climb the cliff with the catch.
I just felt that I had used up my quota of luck that day.
Luck is a big player in your life once you go to sea.
She should command your respect. She is a true, pagan Goddess. Give her heed.
Risk is a poor substitution: the invention of the industrial age of Fear and Reason.
Luck relishes our spirit of adventure. Encourages our bravery. She can bring success in seemingly impossible circumstances. She empowers us.
Risk muffles us in safe swaddling. Encourages doubt and inaction. He describes this world as an intrinsically hostile place. He disempowers.
His Executive are sniffing through our lives seeking to suffocate spontaneity wherever they find it, like a new Inquisition.)
I had got out through those waves.
I had recovered the net. I had a bag full of bass.
I was alive.
I decided not to push my luck.
I will have to do that
another day.