the sturgeon sets sail

Sou’westers donned, prayers said and the good ship the SS ASGD set out from Brighton marina, with 12 souls on board and a sense of anticipation for the chase. The weather was with us and the sun beat down on our faces as we turned to face France backs to the white cliffs of home.

Our quarry was Mackerel. A beautiful fish, they look like water sprung to life, silver, black, purple, green, reflecting the sky like the very sea they travel through. Patrolling the coast looking for smaller fish to prey on, unaware of the sturgeon in the water that day.

The lures were crude home made affairs and it is with a heavy heart that set our lines over the side waiting for our first ‘catch of the day’

The technique used is the nodding donkey, no grace or style simply dangle your line over the side and jerk it up and down till you catch something. No heroic battle of wits more a prayer for success

I can report that we were all successful, (apart from Pawel), and Megan even managed to hook four fish on one line! We headed back to shore with a bucket of 30 or so fish bagged up and dripping, we left a trail of stinking fish guts where ever we went

The greater search of the day proved to be for the elusive disposable bbq, uncommon on the shores of the Brighton retailer, but after several attempts a petrol station was found and we were all set for a feast on the beach.

Italian, Polish, Romanian, and even the Yorkshire man sat down, broke whatever bread was left together and we cooked up our booty, washed down to excess

The old man and the sea it was not.