Arabian Sea Trip

 Arabian Sea Trip

Travelling in the sea is one of my dreams and desires. The unpredictable weather, cold and heat, wet and wind and the difficulty of reaching the shore when emergencies arise – are part of the challenges. Everyday thousands of men risking their lives go to the sea to make our tables and meals exciting to eat. I had an opportunity to experience this challenge together with the Tuna fishing men in 2018. Though I had one trip when I was studying Plus Two at the Muttom Port in Kanya Kuamri District, arranged by my friend Cletus, this trip was a special one. The following is a brief description of my trip to the sea on January 27, 2018.

The tuna - fishing voyage started on a Saturday midnight at 1230AM from Beypore port, Kerala. We were six members: four fishing men, myself, my friend Christopher who arranged the trip (Christopher is a relative of the fishing team). The fishing vessel was 32ft length long, made of glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) with two outboard motors (one petrol and one kerosene engine) that can cruise at a speed of 7 to 9 nautical miles per hour. The fishing vessel had no roof and no toilet facilities. One handheld GPS instrument was there, and the boat had a parachute anchor to stop the vessel in case of storm or strong currents. 

Whole midnight we were travelling. It was pinch dark, and I was worried whether our boat will hit any other boat or ship, such was the darkness. Though many members were asleep, I was very much awake together with the skipper who was driving the vessel. Early morning, around 445AM, we reached the fishing spot (35 nautical miles away from the shore, almost 65 km; 1 NM = 1.85 KM; Andrott Island in the Lakshadweep is 100 km from Beypore port). Till 7AM in the morning the fisher men were busy with arranging fish in the serial hooks and threw them in the sea, nearly for a distance of 7 nautical miles. Long line fishing method was used that had hundreds of baited hooks hanging from a single line and the hooks were fitted with small dead fish that were brought from the shore. Around 1500 hooks were laid in a single line.

Sitting in the boat and watching the fisher men working, is annoying in a way. However, the fisher men forbid me and Christopher from working or helping. The four men in the boat who did the works in a systematic way. One was controlling the engine; the other three were involved in the fishing activity; they occasionally swapped the jobs. The first person takes the line, the second person carefully takes the hook, and the third person fixes the fish and drops. After a while, the roles were changed. Once the hooks were laid, it was breakfast time. Rice and fish curry were the menu. Fish curry was prepared in the boat and rice was brought from home; it was also a time of rest and relaxation. 

At around 9AM, the team started to collect the fish that were caught in the hooks, and it went on over 5 hours. The work was synchronised in a systematic way; one person steered the engine, another was pulling the line, the third person was taking the fish from water and the fourth rearranges the hook and the line in an orderly way. The roles were exchanged now and then. Once the collection of fishes was over, the return journey started at around 245PM.

Fortunately, nobody in the team had any bad bowel movement and there was no need to go to the toilet. Micturition was done directly to the sea or, use a special plastic utensil (cut from some 2 lit oil or other container) to collect urine and pour it in the sea. 

The wind condition was tolerable, and it was below 8 km per hour. Occasionally the wind went up to 12 km per hour, still under safe travel conditions, not threatening the fishing trip. Though it s raised goosebumps in me, the others were not scared at all. 

Fresh fish curry was prepared again for lunch that was eaten with the old rice during the return journey. Fish curry was very delicious inspite of the limitted resources they had. After the lunch, some members slept and the others cautiously captioned the boat. I was watchful, enjoying the sea ride, scared when heavy winds appeared. Around 530 to 600PM, when the telephone signal was available occasionally, the team contacted some agents in the shore to sell the fish. We reached the port around 645PM. 

When I told my friends that I travelled in the Arabian Sea 65 km one way, in a small fishing vessel, everyone was shocked. It was a memorable trip in my life. (I don't know what my wife and daughter thought about this trip?)