The long wind swept beach came into view as The Tempest rounded the cape. Richard Ray was used to this view, yet he never took it for granted. He loved the beautiful sight. His crayfish catch was reasonable considering he only set his two pots. The Tempest steamed into port and headed straight for the fish factory. The crayfish were sold for a good price because Richard used the best bait around, which, in turn, produced the sweetest tasting crayfish ever known. He stumbled on the bait quite by accident. He had hired a deckhand to help on the boat. An inexperienced deckhand but he accepted a cheap percentage of the catch so Richard employed him regardless. One night at sea Alfie was setting the pots. Somehow he managed to get his hand caught up in the line as he tossed the second pot. The line had wrapped around Alfies wrist and cut it clean through. His hand flew into the pot and and sank to the sandy seabed below. Richard steamed straight back to harbor and Alfie was treated for shock over the loss of his hand not to mention the loss of blood. It was a nasty accident and Richard was horrified and blamed himself for hiring an inexperienced seaman. Richard loved the sea life, his whole life had been spent on and around water. He was a sensible man, he never over fished any of his favourite areas. Oh, yes, Richard knew exactly where to find the best crayfish. As a young child he had been taught by his father how to catch a cray without using any pot. His father had taught Richard the old ways. As the years passed and technology improved it became much easier to catch more fish than diving or using his old mans methods. Richards father was so proud of his son. He watched him grow into a fine, respectable man. He passed on happily, knowing his son was a very capable and talented fisherman. Maree was also a sea going person. She loved the water just as much as Richard. Her time at sea took her on many journeys. Yachting around for a few years until finally settling in the small seaside town of Strathfield. It was here she met Richard. Maree had heard about the accident on The Tempest. Unperturbed, she approached the boat and stood on the wharf looking down at Richard fiddling with some ropes. Hi there Mr. Ray. Richard looked up, startled to hear a female voice. Hello, he said, shielding his eyes with his hand, trying to get a better view of the person addressing him. My name is Maree Doherty and I heard you may need an experienced deckhand. Is the job still open?, asked Maree hopefully. Oh, um, I dont know. Richard was quite speechless. Its all good. Dont panic yourself. I need some work and I am experienced. I dont need much in life but I do need the sea below me and a fair wind in my hair. Maree studied Richard for a moment. I certainly hope you are not the suspicious kind. You see women actually belong to the sea more than men. Did you know that? Um, yeah I did know that actually. Look I cant pay much, I only carry two pots. Yeah but The Tempest can carry more pots than that, surely? It is enough for my needs but I do have a license for twenty pots. I just dont need that much. What about taking me out for a trip and see how we go? Richard looked down for a moment then said Alright. I plan to head out at nine tonight. You can come if you are that keen. Oh, you are a saviour. I will see you at nine. Richard was a bit blown away that he had said yes. He actually liked being alone, on his boat, with his great love, the sea. Still, he did need some help and no-one else had asked since the accident with Alfie. Maree arrived at nine, on the dot, with a large backpack filled with clothes, wet weather gear and food. She was very adept at cooking on a rolling boat in most seas. She used her special pressure cooker which produced beautiful meals fit for a king. Hopefully, Richard would approve. The Tempest set off on time and Maree busied herself on deck. Then she cleaned the galley and started cooking a stew in the cooker. It would be ready in a few hours. Maree heard the engine slow and appeared on deck. She looked at the breathtaking beauty of the coastline at Grandparents Point. Richard began to pull the pots on board. Hey Maree, help me here with this pot it is heavier than usual. Maree turned from the view and hurried to help pull the pots. They got the first pot in but the next one was really heavy. Eventually the pair dragged it on board. The second pot was jammed with crayfish. Richard inspected both pots closely. The first one had a good size of five crays in it. The second was overflowing. They quickly removed the crays and Richard noticed the skeleton of a hand was somehow attached to one of the crays legs. Hey, check this out. It must be Alfies hand. Maree was incredulous. Wow, it has only been in the water a day, how come it is skeleton bone? I dont know. It must have been the crayfish. They must have picked it clean. Crayfish? Eating human flesh? It cant be right. Richard was thinking intently. I know it sounds unreal but what else could it be? I dont know, but it does not sound logical. After resetting the pots Richard and Maree settled in the galley and ate the stew. Both were lost in their own reverie. Maree was a bit of a schemer and she was starting to think that these crays somehow liked human meat. Hey, Richard, maybe those crays are into flesh of the human kind. I know it does not seem possible but who knows these days, with all that is going on in the world. Maybe the warming of the seas has changed their diet, or something weird like that? Well, I dont know but they definitely ate Alfies hand and they must have been fighting over it too because many have lost their legs and feelers. We should think more on this in the morning, see what happens when we pull the pots again. Good idea, but Maree had another idea. While Richard was asleep Maree cooked up two crays, one from the pot with the five crays and one from the pot with the hand. Maree tasted the cray meat of the first one, normal cray taste. The second cray had the most sweetest taste Maree had ever tasted. The next night they pulled the two pots and had only caught two crays. Their eyes locked. Marees brain was already running with ideas. Richards was beginning too also. Human bait seems to be the go Richard. How do we get around that?, said Maree. I know you are right but we cannot use human bait. Who is going to offer themselves as crayfish bait? We better think real hard on this. Richard decided to head for Port Davidson and reason the situation out. It was a safe uninhabited Port used by seaman regularly. In the saftey of Port Davidson the two settled down with pen and paper. These two individulas were not cruel, they were not cold-hearted, they were normal humans that were presented with a certain dilemma that could be extremely beneficial. Maree had given Richard a taste of the two crays. The diffenece in taste and texture of the crays was dynamic. The human hand eating crayfish were the best Richard had ever tasted, in fact he did not think there were any crayfish anywhere in the world with this succulent sweetness. Maree Doherty nad Richard Ray had stumbled on something incredible. They studied the pros and cons. Where are we to acquire human flesh legally? Richard was racking his brains. Maree suggested grave robbing but neither fancied that idea. Maree had backpacked her way about in her early years and suggested that backpackers go missing a lot. Maybe if they could hire a passing backpacker that no-one knew even existed, or homeless people, maybe they could entice one or two to come for a trip. The pair of sea goers spent two days in Port Davidson until they settled on the homeless idea. One week later Richard bought eighteen pots for The Tempest. Maree had been busy herself in those seven days. She had become the designated bait collector. A few years back Maree had a rather odd boyfriend. He was odd because he loved his job with a passion. Bradley Halloway owned and worked in his family mortuary. It was handed down to him because he excelled in learning so quickly and deftly. It is noted in the mortuary records by his father that Bradley was most enthralled with the art of attending to human need in the most dire circumstances. Maree had stayed in constant contact with Brad. He had been in her life through the worst time of her life. Brad took care of everything and Maree would always love him for being there and helping her grieve the loss of her mother. Brad worked in Hobatton, the capital city of Tasman Isle. Maree had rang him and they arranged to catch up over lunch. In a quiet corner of The Dog hotel, Maree explained everything. Brad listened intently, raising an eyebrow here and there, silent as the grave. Well?, prompted Maree. What do you think? Brad took a very large swig of his pint of ale, leaned even closer, and looked Maree squarely in the eye. Taking hold of her hand he gently said,Maree, I know you, what are you saying here? Are you asking me to help supply you with bait for crayfish? Is that what I heard? Maree nodded her head keeping eye contact. Brad you need to taste the crays, they are unbelievable. Richard Ray is onto something big time here. We just need some meat. It wont harm anyone, they are gone now. This will make us rich Brad. Just try it out, it is a most amazing opportunity that wont come again. Brads thoughts drifted to the morbid home he lived in, the old Volvo he drove too far in. His dream of that Porsche and the island holiday could be possible. A light began to flicker in his eyes and Maree didnt miss a trick. Two bodies came in today, car accident victim and a suicide. Brad put his head in his hand. The family of the suicide kid asked me to just burn him. No-one cares about the poor lad. Maree took hold of Brads hand. He took her arm and said, when you think about it these bodies can still give. Yes, they can feed people. Yes, oh Maree I see where you are going with this. It was much easier for Brad to accept this mode of thinking. Brad was one to always find the good in a bad argument. OK. Maree you have convinced me. I will prepare the meat for you. Human fillets for the best tasting crafish ever known. Two bodies at the moment but they come in all the time. Now they will never be wated. Oh yes, Maree this is a great service we are doing. Poor Brad, thought Maree. Alays looking for a positive in any given situation. Yes love, we will be rich if we play out crads right. We wont be letting this chance slip away. Later that night Maree collected two boxesd of fillet bait from Bradley Halloways Mortuary. Neither felt any guilt in what they were doing. It made perfect sense to them. Every fortnight Maree was to return to Hobatton for the bait collection. The plan worked, it worked perfectly. Maree arrived in Strahfield around 4.am the next morning. They readied the boat for sea, boxes of bait were loaded, local bait bought from local suppliers. The Tempest port fully loaded. It was understood by Richard not to ask questions about Marees special bait and he did not want to anyway. He had the bait and that was enough. Maree baited up the pots, all of them. Richard steamed past Grandparents Point, slowed down the engine and gave the signal. Maree hurled pot after pot overboard. She had only used a small amount of the special bait in each pot. The following day was extremely strenuos work. The pots were so heavy, brimming with bright red crayfish. It was an unbelievable sight and they worked till they were totally worn out. Finally, they pulled the last pot and steamed for home. Two months later some of the professional fishermen were wondering about Richard Ray and The Tempest. Gossip was rampant in their local pub. It has to be the woman, maybe she is a good luck charm, one fisherman reasoned. Could be, them Dohertys are a hard working lot, piped another. never known the likes of it before. All of a sudden Richard Ray turns fisherman of the year. How did he do it? Perplexes me I tell ya. One thing for sure I will be watching where he fishes from now on, said another. I already did that and he only fishes the same grounds we all do. Gotta be the bait he uses then, surely?, suggested another. All nodded in agreement. Must be the bait. anyone know what bait Ray uses? I do, uses the same as us. Rod Hardy witnessed maree and Richard loading boxes of the same bait from the same supplier they used. Well, piped up the most well known fisherman in the area, dont you think we should congratulate them on the quick way Richard and Maree both learned the art of fishing crays, and I remeber his father taught that man all he knew about the water. Michael Stackey was a well respected fisherman and his word stood well with his fishing comrades. Inadvertantly taking all suspicion away from the guilty pair. Maree had already thought of this scenario, she made sure she bought locally to assuage any suspicion. The bought bait was dumped little by little, here and there, bit by bit, in the sea, nothing looked suspicious. Gossip eventually died down because it was obvious Richard and Maree were onto the fish and were bound to go off the boil at some stage. Every fisherman had good and bad seasons. Trouble began to escalate when local fish factories all vied for the fish on board The Tempest. It was well know the best crays came from one boat only. The price paid for The Tempest fish were far above and beyond the normal crays caught from all other sources. The Tasman Island Cray Fisherman Association had there general meeting in Hobatton. The issue of The Tempest was the number one priority. Richard and Maree did not attend. The fish were on and there was no time to waste. The season was about to close for the re-popualtion period. It was a wise decision to carry on regardless of the rumors. The discussions at the Annual General Meeting could not find any wrond doing on the part of the luck of The Tempest. During all this time Maree had developed a much closer relationship with Richard. His family accepted Maree with open arms. Richard had changed, he became more out going and much more sure of himself. He was an unusually quiet man, until Maree Doherty entered his life. Richard admired Marees dedication to the work. She kept The Tempest spotless, worked her fingers to the bone, travelled every fornight to goodness knows where to collect the special bait. The banks account of Richard Ray was now in the triple figures. Maree and Brad shared the revenue equally, their bank accounts were heading toward the triples as well. Maree suggested to Richard it may be time for another boat in their fleet of one. Richard quickly shunned that idea. He wanted Maree on his boat all the time, with him. He wanted Maree with him forever. She kew this, and used it for her benefit. She knew this was going to lead to a partnership in a money making venture beyond their wildest dreams. One balmy night, on the deck of The Tempest, under an auspicious moon, Richard Ray asked Maree Doherty for her hand in marriage. finally, thought Maree, and answered in the positive, without any fuss. It was just the right thing to do. Richards love for Maree was very real. Maree played him so well, wooed him without him being aware it was happening. Maree felt no guilt walking up the aisle and commiting her heart to a man she did not love. The town celebrated the event with much pomp and ceremony. It seemed the perfect union. The newly weds continued fishing, bringing in the sort after crays, and banking a fortune. It was becoming routine and boredom started to setlle in Marees being. She wasnt bored with fishing, she was not bored with the finances coming in. No, Maree was bored with playing the deckhand, when really it was all her idea. The bait collecting time had become more and more extended time away from Richard. Maree and Brad were plotting and planning something new. For some time Brad had asked Maree to leave the fishing now they were rich. That was the furthest thing from Marees mind. This young lady intended to somehow own The Tempest and run the fishing of it herself. Have patience Bradley, I will run that boat, you just wait and see. Soon I will own and run The Tempest by myself. All the money will be ours. Relax Brad we are this close to having the whole thing.
Posted on: Fri, 14 Mar 2014 07:21:18 +0000
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