A DAY IN MY LIFE AS CHARTER SKIPPER OF RIPTIDE BRIGHTON MARINA.

I think we will start off by remembering one of those days when every thing was perfect. Weather, Tides and the party I had out that day were all well equipped.

The night before the job, Roger phoned in for the okay on weather and a start time. I had had a good weather forecast so had a look at the Tide card and decided to make it a 6am. departure from Brighton Marina.

Getting out of bed at around 4-45 I made myself a cupper with cornflakes . Loaded up my grub and a bottle of milk and set off for the Marina, arriving at about 5-30.Checked the oil ect. And put on the Kettle Soon the lads turned up we all had a cuppa and I told them that as the tide and weather so good we should give one of the deep wrecks a go. They all agreed so off we went.

I sorted out the coordinates of the wreck I fancied which was around 48miles south west of the Marina, switched on the autopilot and settled down with the lads for a long but lovely ride .In due course we arrived at around 23 miles and I stopped on a small wreck to get enough Mackerel for bait as our quarry was to be Ling and Conger today. This was achieved very quickly with an abundance of bait fish around so we set off once more with a considerable distance to run/Kettle on again to pass the time. Music coming from the CD collection to keep us all in a happy mood.

At last we arrive at about 9-30.Tha navigator takes us straight onto the very small sunken craft to which we had placed our hopes of a good days angling .The lads started to tackle up while I sorted out the angle and run up distance to anchor This being sorted very quickly with our modern equipment I ran the boat up a let go the Anchor meanwhile the lads were cutting the bait ready for the off .I let the anchor rope out until the navigator read that we were around 150 feet short of the wreck and tied it off to let it settle hopefully in the right position.

Okay lads down you go so down they dropped the baits hoping for the biggy, not many minutes passed when they started to get good bites .One then the next struck and started winding in something pretty hefty. It then seemed that all the rods were into something .I grabbed the gaff and went to man who I felt wood be the first up and onto the surface came a Ling of around 20 pounds. Once gaffed into the boat and into the fish tank and I moved to the next man .More Ling and this continued for about and hour until the tide started to slacken.

Anyone want a cuppa I called. You can guess the answer and we carried on with fresh bait and started to get very tender bites .I said to the lads I think that is Conger starting and sure enough up they started to come rapidly to all the rods. We returned nearly all the Conger but kept three or four in the 60 poundish size .I cant remember the time but I was knackered from gaffing so I passed the gaff to one of the lads while I had a bit of a rest .Not long after this the tide started to run the other way so I upped the pin an moved to the other side of the wreck for the last hour of our visit .Fishing this side we had a few more but it wasn’t like earlier.

Time was now getting on so I asked the lads to wind in and put the tackle away before we set off. Started up the engine and she went a treat. When you’re this far off on your own this is always in ones mind .Is she goner start? Okay so up comes the Pin and I set course for home. Turn on the deck wash and the lads start gutting up the fish .Kettle on and make a cuppa after setting pilot to give us and me in particular and easy ride home Its still a buitiful flat sea with perfect viz .I suppose it must have taken a couple of hours to gut the fish and wash down the decks of all the muck and bullets .This done I put on the kettle and we had a final cup of tea.

What a perfect day. I was happy that the effort had been worthwhile and that the gang had had a good catch, and leaving the boat nice and clean so that all I had to do was wash down with fresh water on arrival back at my mooring.

The gang said thanks on departure and see you next month. I locked up the boat and cluttered off home a happy Bunny .

All the best for now and Tight Lines.

Derek. Skipper of Riptide.