Fishing is quite the hectic undertaking. You wouldn’t think it, would you? It’s always portrayed as a source of relaxation, quiet reflection and return to the simple things – you know, the good life. It’s something you can do without interference from devices or WiFi, and it’s a means to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life. Well, I’m here to tell you that that’s all claptrap. Being out on a fishing vessel is every bit as stressful as being on dry land.
Maybe it’s just because I’m new to the whole malarkey, so I have to pay extra close attention to safety factors. I can imagine that, once you’ve been out on the water a good fifty times, you’ll have clocked up enough experience for safety checks to be second nature. As for me, I’m constantly on edge throughout the proceedings. My worries range from ending up lost at sea through to hitting a wave at the wrong angle and going flying over my new stainless steel bow rail. It doesn’t leave too much time for kicking back meditatively with a rod.
My mates say I just need to loosen up, and that I’ll be boating like a pro in no time. How can I loosen up, though, when I’m not absolutely sure that my boat is seaworthy? I don’t know the first thing about stainless steel marine fabrication, Melbourne not exactly being hotspot for that particular brand of expertise. Don’t get me wrong – there are plenty of experts around, and I’m happy to delegate the safety assessments to them, in theory. But I guess I’m the type of person who likes to really get into the nuts and bolts of how things work.
Freddie says that’s what makes boating and fishing such an ideal hobby for me – as in, there’s plenty for me to sink my teeth into. Maybe I do need to loosen up, and just get down to the business of figuring this thing out.