Tag Archives: co-skippers Matty West and Ally West
Fishing for mackerel: At sea with a ‘band of brothers’
It was just prior to daybreak and the tension in the wheelhouse of the Fraserburgh based F/V Resolute was palpable. As the flickering light of dawn gradually took hold over a grey-ruffled sea, the 10 other crew members scrambled down to the lower stern deck to prepare the trawl for shooting. It was a study in teamwork, the crew going about their tasks quickly, efficiently, and methodically, each one knowing what their colleagues were doing, and working together as if guided by telepathy. It was truly impressive to watch. photos, >click to read< 08:22
Setting sail on a fishing voyage of discovery
Matty and Ally, who are cousins, alternate between who is lead skipper for each trip, and this time around Matty, 41, was in charge. “When possible, we prefer to shoot the trawl when it is daylight, as the mackerel tend to shoal closer together during the day, and it is also safer for the crew,” he said. As the flickering light of dawn gradually took hold over a grey-ruffled sea, the 10 other crew members scrambled down to the lower stern deck to prepare the trawl for shooting. It is a complicated task; shackles were attached here and there, ropes prepared, and the tail-end of the net was hauled up from the winch by a specially designed crane, before being hung over the stern. >click to read< 10:09
