An Army Roared

• 

I was out before sunrise this morning (why couldn’t I live somewhere with an industry that sleeps in?) and I know my photos are better when I take the tripod, but we’ll just live with what I got. 🙂

I’ve talked a lot about the lack of success fishing for herring this year. It could be that Climate Change has, among other things, just moved the season.

Today was the first time since 2018 – the Year of the Herring – that I heard the sound of fish in my cove. They make a noise like running water as they jump and play in the new day’s light and the water was full of them.

I think the fish are finally here.

• 

It was also my very first experience with the “roar”. When the main body of fish started moving down the “river” (Note: they call the middle of the Bay and up into the Harbour the river) they encountered a whale and “took the top of the water off”. Imagine thousands of fish surfacing and jumping at the same time. It produces a sound which makes you gasp in awe.

In other news, when the birds have their meetings they practice social distancing. The seagull and the osprey spent a long time discussing the herring fishery this morning. They agreed to share.

As a last note, there are boats hunting other prey. I found Robbie and his crew baiting the lines for halibut. Although they’d prefer mackerel, the herring will have to do for now. On a bad day they might only bring in 2 or 3 at a time, but that’s still over 200 lbs of some great tasting fish. 🙂

•