11-09-17 Fishing Line

Monday 11th September 2017

A letter I wrote family today….

Family, This afternoon after school a salty sea dog wearing a ferdora taught Kingsley the first things about fishing. Kingsley was not at all interested other than REELING THE LINE IN.

At the same time a four legged swimming pupper with his diving master was that moment at sea. The pupper jumped from the pontoon and swam so far out his ears and snout barely visible. Amazing to witness!!!!

While this was happening Kingsley watched as our beach’s local lone HUGE seagull swept in and bit the fishing line cast out by the salty fisherman, hooking its bill. The entire beach watched as the man struggled to reel in the heavy bird which had flown to shore trying to avoid the jaws of the swimming pupper which wanted to bite it while they were both out on the sea and the line/hook/gull was attached to the fishing rod.

Another swimmer came to shore, held the bird’s wings and they both unhooked the creature. By this stage the swimming puppy came to shore and sniffed about but listened to its master’s commands to leave the gull alone.

The huge gull didn’t flap away in terror. Once released from the hook he unruffled his feathers and preened in front of us all, perched on a nearby rock while the relaxed pupper lay down to warm up.

The gull – with unique motley feather design I’ve never seen before and three times the size of regular seagulls – is known in the area for years and according to the local swimmers, ‘the gull is used to us; he knows we won’t harm him’.

I of course was recording the entire saga. Riveting! And Kingsley learned more in those 15 minutes than in a week of school.