Newlyn residents with an eye for numbers will recall PZ612, the Rachel & Paul, as one of the regular small fishing boats heading in and out of the gaps...
from the pontoon berths with a certain Chris Morley at the helm.....
things marginally improved with the construction of the New Quay, except that the number of punts in a tier grew dramatically, always fun getting out as an inside boat!..
though back in the days before the New (Mary Williams) Quay, Chris would have moored his punt across on the North pier where it would dry out at low water...
mackerel fishing was the target fish for most days...
along with many other similar punts in the harbour...
all of whom look after one another when it comes to needing things like a tow in...
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PZ 810 and PZ 612 - Two Boat 7"x7" |
Chris was often captured on canvas, this time in gouache by the John Miller
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| Busy Day, Mousehole 28"x18" |
and in watercolour by Kieron Williams. Whose work was prompted by the Newlyn School of Artists ...
when the boats landed to the fish market...
space for punts was tight...
heading out the gaps...
on the bass - that's what the long poles are for, towing lures just like pole and line tuna boats...
back in the North pier mooring days...
long-time friend Nigel and Chris lend a hand landing...
it wasn't always fishing for bass...
some days were spent targeting ray...
with his fellow co-conspirator Jeremy aboard the Danmark...
then it would be back the next day on the punt...
and another load of mackerel to land...
then back to a mooring...
then more mackerel...
and more...
or a chance to exchange information with a visiting group of fishermen from CapeVerde...
back trawling again...
but most days were spent handlining...
with some days...
more productive than others...
but always with an early, even pre-dawn start...
when the Danmark wasn't fishing and Chris wasn't looking for mackerel he would join Jeremy aboard the Danmark for a whole host of tugging and salvage jobs
resplendent in his bright red onesy...
and another tow job...
it was always ray...
that the Danmark targeted...
Chris was not one to shout or seek attention and just got on with doing what he did best, catch fish but occasionally it would be just his luck to get caught by a visiting film crew - he was however, a keen photographer himself, especially when it came to enjoying travels abroad as far afield as Oz..
but, at thre end of the day, he would rather be headed away to sea...
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he might have been smiling here but fishing for spiders was not top of his ways to spend a day at sea, but sometimes needs must...
of course, like the well-known Frank Bramley watercolour, Eyes and No Eyes, some tasks, like tying on a new set of feathers meant were becoming increasingly challenging, but when you have completed four score and more and you're still fishing you know you have had the best life...
many will be sure that in spirit, this will be him now.
Chris' funeral is at 1pm, Wednesday 31st, at Camborne Crematorium, after which you an join his wife Viv at the Bath Inn, Penzance to celebrate his long fishing life.
