Water Sharing??

Two little tales of sharing our playground with other sports.

First was on Emlagh strand near to Roonagh, I was casting lures beside the rocks at the north end of the strand when a passerby? asked if the tide was full yet. After replying "almost" she walked a few yards up the beach and discreetly changed into her swimming togs. She then proceeded to wade out beside me and then right across my casting zone and then started swimming around in front of me.
I packed up and went home.

Second incident on Roonagh pier a few days later. Along with several locals and visitors some with youngsters I was fishing away quite happily when a 4x4 drove to the very end of the pier, followed by a transit van. Several l[6 or7] large wet suit clad guys jumped out scaled the new wave wall and proceeded to leap into the sea. Not content with this they then leapt off all possible places on the pier. This went on for about 15minutes and with no sign of a letup I packed up and went home again. Everyone else did the same.

Perhaps we should have confronted them but I wasn't dressed for a plunge off the pier into 15-20' of water plus I can't swim. After all the damage was done after the first one leapt in to everyone's surprise.

Just shows how easily angling is dirupted.

Colin

cant swim, i suggest you learn. in the course of any anglers life he is going to come close to ending up in water at one time or another, all it takes is wet rocks/gust of wind/freak wave.

Hi Keo

Have to agree with you albeit I know Accony - he's in the gallery holding his first ever Bull Huss - and its safe to say that he would not venture out in those conditions or place himself in such danger. A lifejacket with automatic hydroscopic release on a CO2 canister would be a good failsafe for non-swimmers, and I only learned to swim myself a few years ago...

FWIW...

I've pondered on why so many folk lose their lives every year and I think it goes like this: -

The West coast in particular can have a huge freak wave that can come from nowhere, even on a calm day. (I know this to be true as it was told to me by a Dutchman as we stood on Culoo rock, Valentia :? That place is really lethal!!) If you get washed off a rock, even if you are the best swimmer in the world, it is likely that you will get so knocked about that you may become unconscious. The only thing that may then save you is a lifejacket.
Anglers don't seem to drown so much on beaches and I suppose when that big one comes along, there's a good chance you will be swept up the beach. It is also less likely that you will get knocked out anyway.

IF the above is correct then always wear a lifejacket on rocks, whoever you are. If you've forgotten your jacket, then always keep an eye out to sea - I've tried it and it's not easy, especially if there are fish about! On a beach, maybe you can chance it.

I really would welcome any comments on the above as I'm only guessing and I am sure lots of you folk know an awful lot more than I do. The biggest question in my mind is how often do these big 'uns come along?

Tim

The old traditional saying that I've just made up springs to mind:

"Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it".

or,

"Better to be looking at it than looking for it"

Safety First, gents. :D

:D :D :D :D :D :D

I was fishing the old bridge in Ballinspittle today, another angler turned up and was spinning down on an old quay next to the bridge, I was on the end of the bridge.

Some smart a**e in a Rib decided to rip past us, around 20 yards from the bank, the river is 1/2 mile wide there or so, but he decides to cut us up.

I could get both my lines out in time and the prat ended up taking half the line off my spool, but I wet myself laughing, about a mile further upstream the boat came to an unceremonious stop, obviously the line had fouled the prop and no doubt caused it some damage as it must have taken him 10 minutes to cut himself free and then moved up river much slower than he had gone past us. He came back about 2 hours later, but to avoid our raucous laughter and abuse, he kept well to the other bank.

Perhaps he may learn a lesson, I lost around 10 euros worth of line and end tackle, if he needs a new prop, then he is talking well over 100 euros for a cheap one :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: