Fisherman Crossing

I can't imagine what the fishermen we crossed today were saying to each other aboard their small boat as we crossed close by them earlier today, cutting the bottom of Sri Lanka heading to Singapore on Leg 3 of the 2008/09 Volvo Ocean Race. Maybe something along the lines of "there's something you don't see every day" or perhaps "damn blow-boaters!." Had we cut their buoys too close? We didn't get caught up so I guess an inch is as good as a mile...which reminds me of a trip I took many years ago along with my good friend Andrew Cape, who is asleep in a bunk behind me, and James Dadd, who incidentally is now the chief measurer for the VO70 class, it's a small world.



We were delivering a race boat called "Juno" from Sardinia to Palma Majorca when we ran down some nets. Fortunately, there was very little wind and I was able to dive in and cut us free which seemed like the end of the story until about 10 minutes later when the angry Spanish fisherman came chasing after us demanding money. We didn't have any and the fishermen had to make do with an apology. I'm not sure if the fishermen we crossed today were using some kind of fish trap or perhaps a Seine net but either way they were standing on the back of their boat waving enthusiastically about something and I'm going to go ahead and assume that they were just plain old impressed to see our big red and black monster.

Having spent some time working in the commercial fishing industry, I can say that whilst not agreeing with some of the methods used or the rampant over-fishing that takes place in certain places, I have nothing but admiration for people who work the sea for a living. It is a tough life and every year there are less fish and more people to feed, and I think that knowing these two truths and their own part in it might go someway to explaining why fishermen are known to have a somewhat bleak view of the world.



People often ask me how life aboard a VO70 compares to the tough life aboard a fishing boat. I have to tell them that there are as many similarities as there are differences. In my experience, when it's game on and a the fish are being hauled it can be very much like Volvo racing- just put your head down, grunt up, bash your head against a wall race against whoever or whatever is next to you. The Volvo is probably a more brutal and dangerous environment due to the sheer discomfort and the relentless nature of the race. Whilst the race does take over you and your family's life, it does come to an end. A fisherman's life however is measured out in generations and communities and when the fishing stops it is usually a bad thing for all concerned.

So we wish the Sri Lankan fisherman a great day on the water, and hope that the boats behind us also manage to stay out of the nets.

- Rick