Fishing with Angels

You’ve probably read of people getting killed and you’ve wondered how it could have happened? Well, unless you have an angel, it might have been me – easily!

My Angel is called John, and a more unlikely angel you’d never find. But I take my angels where I can get 'em!

My neighbour had lent me his boat motor to try. He has a little tinnie and I asked him how well the 3.3hp motor performed? And he invited me to try it. “Loads of petrol in it. Good to go, girl!” So, on Saturday’s high tide, I set forth in my own little tinnie, with his motor, my fishing rod and high expectations!

My goal was a modest one: about 500 meters out would take me just beyond the mangrove stretch. Then chug around into the next bay, have a little fishing time and come back. But as I reached the edge of the mangroves, the wind blew up and my tinnie became a bucking bronco. Wisely, I decided to head straight back. Sadly, the wind and waves had other ideas. The wind was strong from the north and I was travelling south, so despite the waves and tide turn, I was making headway. Yep – this was going to be okay!

Then the motor cut out.

“You gotta be kidding me!”

I was out of petrol. I checked. “Nooooo!” Yes! I grabbed my paddle and now clear of the line of mangroves, I paddled like a crazy woman. But I was going backwards. The wind had now swung round blowing west and was gusting me over to Lamb Island. It’s a lovely place – but…!

Ten minutes later, kneeling in the middle of my tinnie, my arms were ready to fall off, everything hurt and I wasn’t making one damn bit of progress, so I stopped paddling and wondered what to do. Plan C: I resolved to phone the coastguard if things got worse. Plan B: I resolved to aim for Lamb Island (somewhere!), catch the ferry back to Russell Island and buy petrol – then return.

Plan A – was to pray for help. So I did. I’m not a religious person, but very spiritual and “Hey! I could really do with some help here!” I shouted. I explained my situation and asked for someone to come and rescue me. I looked around. Nothing! No one! Two jet skiers zoomed past at a distance. I waved my paddle but they didn’t see me.

My tinnie was still in full rodeo mode, so I decided to check the 'willie weather' app to judge the tides and winds. My thumb hit speed-dial and I noticed that I’d rung John DeLord – who’d built our garden wall nearly a year ago (lovely job, by the way) but we hadn’t spoken for months. I hung up.

Moments later, he rang back! “What’s up? I’m not back at work till Monday and I’m about to go out with the kids, but…”

Everything fell into place. “John, I’m out in my tinnie and being swept between my house and Lamb Island but my tinnie has ambitions of a sea journey over to Straddie! Can you rescue me? I’m out of petrol.”

I could hear him gasp. “Your timing is, is unbelievable! I’m just putting my boat in the water. The kids wanted to go fishing. Tell me again, where are you?” I told him. “I’ll be there straight away.”

I sat back, I waited, I even threw my line in (didn’t catch anything, the tide was going out). Ten minutes later, the most beautiful-ugly fishing boat in the world pulled up beside me. John, trying not to laugh too loud, caught the rope I threw while his son Terrance pulled me close to the side.

Terrance had a question: “Hey, Suzsi! What are you doing all the way out here in that overgrown bathtub?”

“I didn’t mean it,” I whined. They pulled me aboard, fastened the rope and made their way back to my place.

“Your wall looks good!” John remarked.

“Everyone says that. Do you know, when I rang you, it was a mistake. I finger-fumbled.”

“No! Well, your timing was spot on. The kids wanted to go fishing and I said, Okay. We were just launching when you rang. Normally, I wouldn’t have picked up, but…” He laughed and shook his head in amazement.

* * *

Co-incidence? No, I don’t think so. I had asked for help. And that’s what happened. True! You gotta take your angels where you find them. And then you say, Thank you. Loudly. “Thank you for sending John!”