The Unsung Heroes Of Rushikonda

People think fishing is some sort of low class thing. So fucked up is the public opinion that they think sitting front of a computer and tapping the keyboard all day is somehow more nobler than catching fish.

Woke up at 5:30 am and went to the beach just to enjoy the sunrise. It was super cold and we were in boxers. Unfortunately it was a bit cloudy and we couldn't see the sun rising over the horizon. We waited for 10 minutes and then the sun was slightly visible at about 10 degrees to the horizontal. Kingfishers were repeatedly plunging into the shallow rocky waters to catch fish. I was worried that one of them might hit a rock and die but it dint happen. 

A pic of the sunrise. You can see its a bit cloudy.

We spotted fishermen pushing their boats into the sea. It was 5:45 in the morning. They were up so early and off to work in the chilling cold.

Pushing their boats into water.

                         

They carefully maneuver  the boat around waves like this which requires great skill and coordination. 

                            There was an old man standing by, watching them with no decipherable expression. We approached him and asked him when the fishermen will return back from their expedition. He said they would come back in 5-6 hours. They were going to retrieve the nets that they laid in the ocean to catch fish and prawns. He said that one of the men earned 15000Rs from a single catch last week. I asked him what prevents the nets from drifting away in the ocean?? He said there are huge mountains underwater. They use the mountain peaks(which are underwater) to keep their nets from drifting away. That was super surprising. These guys don't use GPS! In fact they don't even know about GPS. They navigate the ocean by estimation and intuition. I asked him if the underwater mountains pose a threat to big ships, to which he replied that the captain of the ship knows the existence of these underwater ridges and mountains and he will navigate very carefully. I asked him if they ever saw any big fish in the ocean. He said there are fish the size of a school bus. However, they are harmless. He added that sharks are deadly and at times they even jump out of the water and snatch people off the boats. I am a little skeptical about this. Sharks roamed close to the beach posing a threat to beach goers in the past. Sharks were vigorously hunted using special nets and equipment. Shark fins fetch a very good price in the market. Naturally their numbers fell down after the frenzied hunting and those remaining moved into deeper waters.

The Vizag beach has numerous visitors everyday. However there is no safety system from the government to rescue drowning people from the ocean. It is the fishermen who rescue people. He told us tales grim and joyful of people they have rescued and bodies they retrieved. Bodies can drift upto 20 KM before being retrieved!!. He lamented that people are idiots and wade into dangerous waters even after being cautioned not to. "We tell them not to wander far away on the beach as the ocean has a tendency to pull in everything beyond the curve. But we cannot force them since every man has his own rights. After all that is what a democracy is " he added. This man is not educated but he is no simpleton! He told us about the low tide, high tide and when they occur.

After watching them work and listening to the old mans tales of joy and macabre I felt a rush of respect for these guys. Catching fish is no easy task.If you ever find yourself drowning its these guys who will come to your rescue. Have some respect for these unsung heroes!