freeline102 - Flipbook - Page 242
SI LLEWELLYN
b e tter than I could. One o f t h e t h i n g s I ’d l ike to s ay at t h i s
p o int though is that I met s o ma ny g re at f ri e n d s o l d a n d n e w
d own there, some really go o d a n gl er s t h at t a u gh t m e s o mu c h ,
n o t just about fishin g but l i fe i n g e n era l. M a ny B B Q s a n d l ate
n i ght chat s were had with a g re at g ro u p o f l a d s … you k n ow
who you are, and thanks fo r t he me m o r i e s. Fo r a l l i t s fa u l t s
a n d failures, this watery li t t le la g o o n re al ly wa s s p e c i a l . I t h a d
i t s own unique atmosphere , a n d i t re p re se n te d eve ry t h i n g to
m e that carp fishing should b e .
I remember during that summer that a longtime friend of mine,
N a th, decided to get back i n to h i s f i s h i n g an d a c c om p a n i e d m e
on many occasions. Nath had served in the forces in Afghanistan,
a n d after coming out had h a d re al p ro b l em s w i th P T S D, a n d I
k n ow he was going through so me re al ly d a rk t i me s . J u s t g e t t i n g
o u t in the wilderness away f ro m th e ma d n e s s h e l p e d h i m to
s u ch a degree, and to see t he d i f fe re n ce i n h i m wh en h e wa s
a n gling did my heart good . He eve n ma n a g e d to to p it a l l by
c a tching two very elusive lu m p s i n a we ek ( j a mmy l it t l e g i t ) .
G o od angling, mate, and I wi l l a lways c h eri s h t h e m o m e n t s I
s p ent with you giggling away u nd e r t h e b ro l ly t h at s u m me r.
W hat a special sport we a ll h ave , an d we n e e d to c h e r i s h i t .
B e fore I finish this jambore e o f n o n s e n se t h ou gh , I w i l l d e ta i l
o n e special capture. If I c a n ca s t yo u r m i n d b a ck to th e s ta rt
o f this lit tle tale and so me t hi n g a b o u t e a s te rn Eu ro p e a n s
s c rapping on the car park …
After all the hullabaloo o f t h e f i gh ti n g Po l is h , a g o o d f ri e n d ,
Ch ris, popped into my swi m to se e h ow I wa s d o i n g , c a rr yi n g
h i s usual lightweight setup t ha t d i d n’ t eve n i n c l u d e a b e d c h a i r
o r barrow. ‘How ’s it go ing, ma te ? ’ h e s a i d i n h i s s o u t h co as t
a c cent . We had a good old l a ugh w i t h a c a n o f c i d e r over t h e
FREELINE 120
