Stay tuned for live-casting from the deck of the sardine boat Pride of Cornwall with skipper Danny Downing. Sailing at 19:30 from Newlyn to begin the hunt for a shoal of sardines in Mount's Bay.
Sonar, sounder and chart plotter - the main tools of the trade in the wheelhouse of even the smallest ring-netter in Newlyn...
taking the boat out through the gaps...
past the classic trading ketch, Irene at anchor off the prom...
skipper Danny 'Sardine Man Dan' Downing...
keeps one eye on the sounder for marks...
it's now a waiting game as Danny explains what is happening...
while crewman Ian looks on expectantly...
as the hunt continues steaming around the usual places for decent marks of fish...
it could be a long night...
when suddenly Dan spots a suitable mark of fish and shouts at the crew to get ready for shooting...
and the hauling process begins...
watched by the ever-present gull population of the Bay looking for a lazy dinner...
with the huge the net flaked out in the stern net pound...
by the rest of the crew...
skipper Dan heaves in the footrope that effectively draws the net in under the fish to close off their escape...
and it's not long before most of the net is stowed aboard leaving a small pocket over the side of the boat teaming with Cornish sardines...
so while the net is stowed in the pound back aft...
the fish are then scooped up by crewman, Ian Richards...
and Tom Hicks...
who use a brail to scoop the fish into the tanks full of iced seawater...
the net is then prepared for the next shot...
and the process repeated over again...
until all the fish are brought aboard...
including the last few stragglers, then it is time to steam for home...
and see what some of the others have caught....
Sonar, sounder and chart plotter - the main tools of the trade in the wheelhouse of even the smallest ring-netter in Newlyn...
taking the boat out through the gaps...
past the classic trading ketch, Irene at anchor off the prom...
skipper Danny 'Sardine Man Dan' Downing...
keeps one eye on the sounder for marks...
it's now a waiting game as Danny explains what is happening...
while crewman Ian looks on expectantly...
as the hunt continues steaming around the usual places for decent marks of fish...
it could be a long night...
when suddenly Dan spots a suitable mark of fish and shouts at the crew to get ready for shooting...
and the hauling process begins...
watched by the ever-present gull population of the Bay looking for a lazy dinner...
with the huge the net flaked out in the stern net pound...
by the rest of the crew...
and it's not long before most of the net is stowed aboard leaving a small pocket over the side of the boat teaming with Cornish sardines...
so while the net is stowed in the pound back aft...
the fish are then scooped up by crewman, Ian Richards...
and Tom Hicks...
who use a brail to scoop the fish into the tanks full of iced seawater...
the net is then prepared for the next shot...
and the process repeated over again...
until all the fish are brought aboard...
including the last few stragglers, then it is time to steam for home...
and see what some of the others have caught....
before landing the first trip of the night and setting off later for a second shot.
