the Scuffy - 2. Chapter 2

I knew what to expect, one hour before sunrise, Uncle sounded the alarm, Glen fell out of bed looking scared.

Laughing, “Relax, that’s the way Uncle wakes us up.”

“I got to go to the head”

I watched as Glen left bare ass naked. I got up, slipped my shorts on, dressed for the day. As I left the cabin, I heard, “No Lou, just keep your hands to yourself.”

“Come on Glen, this dick is ready for your ass.”

I opened the door, the head was small and two people would cramp the place. I could see Glen at the urinal and Lou behind him pushing his cock into Glen’s back.

“No fooling around in here, Captain sounded the alarm, let’s go.” Lou backed off giving me a dirty look. “Glen, you ok?”

“Yes”

“Good slip on your shorts, I’ll meet you on deck.”

“How is it going, Kevin?”

“Okay Uncle, but that guy Lou is trouble. He’s been giving Glen a hard time.”

I poured a cup of coffee, then one for the guys as they came on deck. I could see that Ron was pissed. “Any chance of three in your cabin?”

“We’ll make room for you, move your things the first chance you get.”

“Okay guys, we need to throw some bait and then add more to the nets as we drop them.”

I took a bucket, filled it with bait from the livewell. I tossed half over the port side and the other half oner the starboard side.

“Kevin, get the nets ready. We’ll drop them after breakfast.”

“Uncle, let’s drop them now, then we can have a leisure breakfast.” Actually it was a good time to take a little nap.

“Ok, do it”

“Ron, you can help me get the nets ready, Lou and Glen, get two buckets of bait from the livewell.”

Ron and I got the nets spread out on the port and starboard side. Taking each end, we swung the nets over the sides. I took the bucket of bait and emptied them into the nets as they began to sink. Once the nets were dropped, we returned to the helm where Uncle had breakfast ready. Uncle trolled slowly through the sea while cooling the holding tank.

“After lunch we’ll test the nets.”

I spent the time till lunch getting the boat ready for the fish. I got the paddles, showed Glen and Lou how to use them to push the fish into the hold. I wasn’t sure Lou was paying attention, so I’ll have to keep an eye on him. Lunch was sandwiches with water, soda or coffee to drink. One rule when fishing on Uncle’s boat, no alcohol.

“Ron, help me bring the port net up.”

As the nets were pulled toward the boat, they would be attached to winches. The winches would do a lot of the work but we still had to guide the nets onto the boat. Then the nets would be emptied. The fish, as they spilled out on the deck, would be pushed into the hold. Some of the fish were undersized and were thrown back into the sea. The fish that wouldn’t sell, were put in the livewell and eventually used as bait. As the net rose, I could see the fish.

“Looks like a good haul, Ron open the hatch on the holding tank.” Dropping the net on the deck, one side would open spilling the fish onto the deck. With the hold open, “Push the fish into the hold, don’t let any escape.”

As the net emptied, we pushed the fish to the holding tank. Glen stopped and picked up a lobster, we laughed. “Glen, put that lobster in the cooler. There may be more.” In fact as the net emptied, there were two more.

“Let’s get the nets back in the water, Glen bring some bait over.”

Once the nets were back in the water, I took the hose and washed the deck toward the holding tank.

“Not a bad load, Uncle.”

“I thought this place would be good. I haven’t fished here in five years.”

Right after supper we pulled the nets again, not a bad haul. We set the nets again for the night.

“A good day, I expect if the morning pull to be as good as we have seen today, you’ll have full load.”

“I could use a full load. The fishing hasn’t been that good. Everyone fishes the usual spots and they get over fished. I think going out a little more and re-visiting where I fished several years ago just might be the ticket.”

We continued to fish until Sunday noon. One last pull of the nets and we headed home. Arriving at the dock, we started to unload the fish into specially designed pans, called tins, that would hold about twenty pounds of fish. As we filled the pans, we moved them to the dock.

Uncle was busy selling some of the fish to individuals. I noticed and older woman with two boys. Uncle cleaned two large fish, wrapped them in newspaper and gave them to the woman. She said something to him and left.

A man from the cannery came and bought the rest of the fish. “Profitable haul Uncle?”

“Yes, Kevin, it’s about time.”

“Who was that old lady with the two kids?”

“She’s the boys’ grandmother. She lost her husband and the boys’ parents several years ago in an accident. I think you were still in college when that happened. I help her out by giving her a few fish.”