I worked as deck hand on the Starlight fishing vessel,
that countinuosly trawls the ocean between Australia & Indonesia,
up to 30 hours’ journey north of Darwin, following the giant schools of fish
and trying to find the best spots to lower their bait-traps.
All around is emptiness, endless ocean in all directions, ravaged hands, a bundles of nerves, the burning sun, tough physical labour and a punishing daily schedule that starts with a 2 am alarm and ends 16 hours later with sleep in a tiny bunk.
In three weeks, we’ ll burn 20,000 litres of fuel, collect 24 tonnes of fish and take half a day’ s break.
D, Grahaiam, Terry, the crew members working with me, they are so far from Sydney and its common lifestyle, all they have is the sea, it pays well if you have the skills.
They don’ t know where else to go, they have no education, nor a driver’ s license.
They are real men.
They are fishermen.
An incredibly long time in the sea to lay the foundations for a better future,
maybe in Lombok, Indonesia, where Captain Colin dreams to move one day..
For now, the ocean is home.
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http://www.viewbookphotostory.com/2009/09/in-the-middle-of-nowhere/
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http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1096157
