The Last FIsh

Thank the Lord

It had been a bad season for the fishing fleet. With many days lost to high winds and high seas income was lower than expected, but the bills kept mounting.

Bill Darnell sat in the "snug" of the inn, Three Captain's looking out and wondering if there would be a fleet next year; he turned to his friend John Collins and said, "The tide is running fast, and the weather looks good, do you want to take the boat out for one last trip this year, John?"

John supped his pint of ale, then replied, "I can't see we've anything to lose, Bill, the pickings this year are so low this could be our last trip. Our families have fished the banks for generations, but never have the catches been as low as they were this year."

The two men walked slowly down to the slip where they had left their small boat, with heavy hearts they gently pushed their light boat onto the waves; all seemed so calm at that moment, but things were about to change.

The boat had hardly cleared the breakwater when the winds rose in strength, and the waves rocked the vessel violently; both men were experienced sailors but they crossed themselves and hoped for the weather to change as they headed out to sea. 

Watching from the shore were Jane, Bill's wife, and Dawn, John's wife, the women knew the risks as well as the men who fished; too many lives had been lost for the folk not to respect the power of the seas.

The ladies watched as the boat got tossed like a cork on the ocean, the winds were rising and the waves weighed the little boat down as they crashed over the bow. Bill had no choice, he had to keep heading out in the hope of getting one good catch this year, this catch he hoped could postpone the inevitable closure of the fleet awhile. 

Dawn and Jane watched in horror as the waves washed over the boat, they prayed their men could turn the boat and come home while they had a hope of beating the growing storm front, but it was too late for the men.

Bill glanced out and yelled against the wind, "Can you start the engine? If you can start her, I can try to turn us and head for home."

John looked at the engine with dismay, then called back, "Sorry, unless we get a miracle this engine is done for. If we'd had a better year we could have had it repaired as we know we had to get it done, for now we are dead on the water and prow into the waves. A worse scenario I cannot think of happening."

Not willing to give up without a fight, John continued to try to get the engine running, though he knew in his heart it was hopeless he thought it better to take his mind of what was heading their way than sit and wait. 

Then, the impossible happened, the engine gave a cough and kicked into action; John called over the wind and rain,"Bill, see if you can turn her, we may have one hope left to outrun the storm if we start back now."

Slowly Bill inched her around and pointed the boat to the shore. With the waves breaking behind them, the men didn't look back as they cried with relief.

When they reached the breakwater, as if by a miracle, the winds eased up enough for them to see their wives crying with relief as the little boat headed to the dock. 

After a short while, John said, "What do you think happened, Bill?"

Still shaking, Bill replied, "I have no idea to be honest, you can say your prayers were answered; it was fortune, or we got lucky and she gave all he had to give to save us one last time."