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  • 06/10/2012 Fishing Report by Scott Belbin on Lady Grace (Brightlingsea, Essex)

    6 Oct 2012 by Scott Belbin

    Report on-board Lady Grace

    I had my first winter beginners fishing trip booked this weekend. I wouldnt usually take bookings quite yet as sometimes the codling can be slow coming in but I had heard of few being caught and was persuaded by the person wanting to go fishing, Daniel Cooper, to take my first booking this early in the season. He specifically wanted to go on 6th October as it was his girlfriend, Hannah's, birthday on the Friday and he booked it as a surprise as she had always wanted to go fishing. He hired the whole boat for 3hours. Saturday morning arrived and the pouring rain in the night had eased to light drizzle. By the time I had got my boat in ready and set the rods up it had dried out and the sun emerged through the clouds as we headed out through the moorings. Hannah was so excited. It was so different from their normal lifestyle of living in London. They are both medical students working towards becoming doctors next year which will then take a further 5-7 years to qualify as a doctor in the area they choose to specialise in. Hannah hopes to become an accident and emergency hospital doctor whereas Daniel is keen to be a physciatric doctor. On the way out the tide was down far enough I could show Hannah the wading birds, something I take for granted but she hasnt seen before. As we dropped the anchored and cast out waiting eagerly for our first fish we admired the view. Its not often I get a chance to stop and look at the beauty around me and really appreciate it, Im always on the go and never seem to stop. The view was breath-taking as we looked back on Mersea. Mersea seems to have its own weather system, above our heads was cloudy but Mersea was clear blue cloudless skies, but as the morning progressed the clouds disappeared above us as well. We started catching a few whiting which really pleased Hannah and Daniel as they had arrived later than expected and this limited their fishing time which always puts pressure on you as a skipper as it also limits their chances of catching anything. While we sat waiting and hoping for a codling the seal popped his head up in the distance which made Hannah's day, she wanted to see more of the seal and as we sat fishing the seal got closer and closer which really pleased her. After this we had a couple of nice plate sized whiting which Hannah and Daniel were keen to take home for their dinner so watched eagerly as I measured to make sure they were big enough to keep which fortunately they were. Unfortunately Mr Cod didnt come to play before it was time to haul the anchor but that didnt matter to Hannah and Daniel as they had enjoyed being out in the fresh country air with the glorious sunshine beaming down on them while out on a boat in the River Blackwater. When they left they were aiming for the Company Shed for a spot of lunch but before they had lunch there was something Daniel had planned to do. They headed off to the beach that they had ben looking back on from the boat earlier and Daniel proposed to Hannah and she said 'yes'. So it was a celebration lunch in the Company Shed for them and I had an email from Daniel later to thank me for helping them kick the day off so nicely. It is so nice to think I played a part in their special day of engagement, Daniel had told me he had looked at hiring so many different boats around the coast so to think he chose mine is a real credit to Lady Grace.

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