the Scuffy - 16. Chapter 16

The horn sounded at four, right on schedule. Peter jumped and began to cry. “Peter, it’s okay. That was the horn to wake us. We are okay.”

Glen dropped down and took Peter to the head while I went to bless the ocean. Soon I was joined by Charles and Nicky. “Watch Peter, while I check the anchor.” Glen also blessed the ocean.

“Okay guys here is where you earn your money. Glen, you and Nicky pull in the port net and then Nicky and I will pull in the starboard net. Charles, when Glen’s net come in, you’ll push the fish into the hold. Watch me and then when you feel comfortable, join in.”

The net wasn’t as full as I hoped. In a way, I was glad as it gave Charles time to get accustomed to pushing fish into the hold. By the time we were finished with the nets, he was doing a good job.

“Let’s get some breakfast guys.” I had breakfast biscuits, coffee and hot chocolate for the boys, it seems Nicky was one of the boys.

“The nets weren’t as full as I had hoped. I think we should move a little west, what do you think?”

“That’s the direction of the storm, I wouldn’t go to far west.”

I looked at the map while drinking my coffee. Glen put another batch of biscuits in the microwave. The boys were doing fine. “Nicky, let’s set a course for here,” I marked the map. “I want to stay way from this developing storm here.” I watched Nicky start the engine, I went and brought up the anchor.

“What about the nets they are still down.”

“They will be okay.” By the time we got to the spot I indicated, the wind was picking up and the sea was a little choppy. Nothing I haven’t experienced before, I did want to load the holds and get heading home.

We pulled the nets at two and the move was right on. The nets were loaded with fish. Charles earned his money, as we pushed the fish toward the holding tank. Even Nicky got to help and soon there were four of us and we hadn’t brought in the starboard net.

Nicky and I began to bring in the starboard net, it was just as full. I happened to look at the cabin and there was Uncle talking to Peter. Peter was smiling while shaking his head up and down. Again we worked hard to get all of the fish into the holding tank. When I checked the level I thought one more load like this and we would be heading home.

Normally I'd pull the nets after dinner, but the weather was starting to get a little nasty. “Let’s pull the nets at six and if they are as full as the two o’clock pull, we’ll be heading home.”

I kept my eye on the storm and the swells, at six we began to pull the nets. Again they were full and we all had to push the fish toward the holding tank. Checking the holding tank, we were almost full and the livebait tank was empty. I decided to drop the nets one more time.

“Nicky, do you remember where we keep the extra tins? Good, bring up ten more.”

Charles went to help, I was feeling pretty good and I knew we’d need those tins.

I fixed some sandwiches and chips. Charles was hungry, he ate two sandwiches plus a full plate of chips. I sat a bottle of root beer in front of him. “Since you did a man’s job today, you can have a beer.”

“Uncle, we pull the nets one more time and then we head home. The holds will be filled and the tins as well. I think the storm is causing the fish to move east into our nets.”

It was ten when I decided to pull the nets. As soon as the port net was pulled, the holding tanks were full. When we pulled the starboard net, we filled all of the tins. “Kev, why don’t we head back with the nets in the water?”

“We could but it will put a drag on the boat which means we'll have to go slower.”

“We got all night and all of Sunday to get back.”

I looked at Uncle, he shrugged his shoulders, it was my call. “Okay, that’s what we’ll do, but you have to stay up and man the helm.” Nicky agreed to do that, I looked at Glen, he smiled and nodded.

“Glen, I’ll take first shift, Charles sleep in Cabin 2 tonight, Peter will be there with Glen and then I’ll be there when Glen relieves me at the helm.”

Glen gathered up the kids and headed to bed. I dropped the nets and went and sat beside Nicky while drinking the last cup of coffee. “Nicky, when we get back at the dock, I want you to look over the shoulders of the cannery guy and write down the weights.”