It saddens me to find so many critters hurt around the Bayou and, more oft than not, this pain is caused by humans. It seems as if people have no respect for wild animals. I admit that most of the time, the injuries are not intentional but are due to gross neglect of the environment. Critters have every right to live a peaceful life free from our garbage cluttering up their world. It is not uncommon for people to "clean" their houses but then throw everything in the dump...or in this case, in the water. Critters have no idea what can cause harm to them and will regularly visit areas where people toss things...yes, even the dump. They ingest, become ensnared or simply get too close to things that have been discarded. People! Use commonsense. Stop tossing your junk in the critters' living spaces!
This morning as I was out walking the old dog, I noticed a friend in need. A pelican was resting on the pier. The bird did not look well. Something seemed off by just the way the bird was sitting. Knowing that I could not venture down on the pier with the old dog in tow, I sadly turned away and headed back up the hillside. Mr. PJ came first. The bird would have to wait.
Later, Mark and I eased our way down the pier to where the pelican was still sitting. About thirty feet from the bird, Mark stopped and let me try to slip up to the bird. We figured the pelican would be more at ease with just one human approaching. I was able to get within about five feet from the bird before it became jittery. There was definitely something lodged in its throat and from the appearance of it, I would venture a guess that it was fishing gear of some sort. There was definitely a fishing line dangling from the bird's bill. Poor baby! I needed to get to him so I could help!
Even though I spent a good bit of time talking with the bird and letting it get used to my presence, I could not get near enough to help. The bird did seem to be almost asking for help as it looked at me with the saddest eyes. Tomorrow, I will try again. Perhaps if I can coax it near to me, I can dislodge whatever the poor bird has caught in its throat. Otherwise, it will surely die a slow and painful death. I did contact my cousin who has an amazing knack for taming wild animals. She said that in the morning, she will walk the marsh hunting for our friend. Hopefully between the two of us, we can save this majestic creature. Now, if I could only knock some sense into ignorant people who do not properly dispose of their junk!!!
Fishing is a way of life when you live on a bayou. Seafood is a staple in our diets and catching it fresh is a necessity. Even though, we depend on the waters to supply a good portion of our daily meals, our fishing gear is pretty basic. A good fisherman does not need fancy gear. A lot of folks may ridicule how we live and how we fish but we get the job done and do it well. Our fishing is for fun and food not to put a big show for others. So, the basic gear is usually a cast net to catch bait, a sturdy rod and reel and a couple of packs of "accessories" such as hooks, sinkers and swivels. Oh, and a scoop net for when you catch a big fish and a good, sharp fillet knife. That is about it. There is not even the need for an expensive boat. The pier works fine. Even with the simple gear, we catch our fair share of fish and even have plenty to share with our elderly friends.
That said, sometimes that gear can present problems. Just yesterday, I had to use my fishing pole in a way in which it was never intended. The day started out like any other. I threw the cast net five times from the end of the pier. Here the water is deeper and larger mullet run near the pier. Those mullet were to be bait and shared with my friendly heron(s)....another story for another day. Still, I needed a few smaller mullet just in case the fish were not biting the six inch long ones. So, I walked up the pier to the "cut". This is a place where the marsh is cleared into a tide pool of sorts. The otter runs were carved to the main Bayou which feeds the area with fresh water and plenty of little fish. The first throw went well but the second was when things went awry. I threw the net as usual but as soon as it left my hands, I knew something was terrible wrong. It did not "feel" right. It was then that I realized that the rope draw line on the net was slack. Hmmm? I pulled the rope thinking the net would follow. Nope, my perfect circle of netting stayed in the shallow water. All that came was the rope handline. The large metal swivel that connects the rope to the bag strings had broken leaving the net far out in the water. Well, now! That would never work! Ponder, ponder.
It took just one cast of the reel to snag the net. Gently, ever so gently, I pulled the netting toward me. I did not want to risk ripping the fine webbing. Once, I got the net in hand, it was an easy task to haul it on the pier. I even had 10 little mullet still caught in the net! Now comes the chore of mending the cast net. I am glad Pop taught me many things about living on the water, about how to live simply yet happily and about how to use a bit of ingenuity when needed.
