Bob Gaffner: Fisherman's Helper (1950s)

[Music] Bob lives in a busy Port near a large city he likes to walk down by the fishing boats and listen to the stories the fishermen tell of their trips at Sea this boat Treasure Island has just returned from a 3 weeks trip in Mexican Waters 1,000 M away the men are getting everything ready for the next trip Bob likes to pretend he is steering the boat far out at Sea it's fun to turn the steering wheel he plays that he sees whales and sea lions and steers around strange Islands Pelicans rest on the ship always hoping for a handout Bob's Uncle John is a fisherman on this ship and he promised Bob he could help with the Nets someday Bob hopes to be a fisherman and ship out with them on the Good Ship Treasure Island Uncle John gives him a hand sometimes the big Nets must be dried and mended this net is over 2,000 ft long and 200 ft deep and cost $25,000 at C when the fishermen find a school of fish they let out their long net in a circle around the school these cork floats hold one side up and the weights hold the other side down so that the net stays firm like a net wall around the fish when the men pull the ropes through the Rings at the bottom of the net together the fish are held in a large net sack about 150 ft across huge Dippers called brailers dip the fish out of the water and deposit them in the hold of the ship Bob likes to help but the Nets are heavy and he's soon out of breath Bob is pleased that he can string the corks on the Rope why it's just as if he were stringing large beads for a necklace this net is made of coarse twine to hold the big fish I use a finer net for the small sardines Mr Burns fastens the net onto the Rope or cork line he places a few corks together and sews or laces them in place Bob is anxious to help and holds the corks in position while Mr Burns fastens them securely fishermen are good Sailors and know how to tie many types of knots just like the Boy Scouts when the fish jump around in the net sack they rub against the net the fish oil rots the net even though the Nets are treated with a liquid to protect them rocks and waths on the bottom of the ocean snag the Nets sometimes sea lions dive into the Nets and tear them badly once in a while the ropes or purse lines have to be replaced the men pull off the weights called leads and will use them again on the new ropes Bob soon learns to pull the leads off the ropes Uncle John likes the way Bob enters into their work a great boy Bob full of the old Nick but serious too when he tries to work Alec sews two strips of the net together he ties knots every few stitches so that a small tear will not rip into a big hole it is an art to sew evenly through each mesh of the net and now Bob tries to handle the big needle will he ever learn that's a way to do it Bob Alec takes the needle and His Hands move swiftly like this Bob Bob is trying hard to learn Bob likes to climb the rigging and Alec asks him if he would like to climb up the ladder to the Crow's Nest at the top of the Mast when they're looking for the schools of fish a man stands in the Crow's Nest because from there it is easier to see a school of fish these men fish for tuna fish in the spring and summer and often go on trips to Mexico that last 2 weeks Uncle John thinks Bob has gone far enough and motions for him to come down careful there young man time enough for that when you're part of the crew Treasure Island has a crew of 12 men the boat is 90 ft long and is powered by a diesel engine a load of fish is very valuable sometimes they make $30,000 on a single trip the trip costs around $5,000 and sometimes they return home with loads that do not even pay the trip expenses Mr Petri laces the weights evenly to the Rope or lead line that will be at the bottom of the net his hands move quickly and Bob is lost in admiration will he ever learn to do all the things that are part of a fisherman's job each fishing season is limited by the government in order to conserve the supply of fish and also in order that the canaries will receive the fish when they are at their best uncle Simon is kept busy just threading the wooden needles for the rest of the crew Bob adors Uncle Simon who has spent 40 years sailing the Seas he knows the best sea stories of any of the men Bob wants to try please Uncle Simon let me try it Bob is slow and Uncle Simon CHS him again Uncle Simon's hands are stained red from the die on the net slow even careful do it well boy finally Bob gets the hang of it and is mighty pleased he can really help Uncle John and his crew he proudly shows his full needle the fishing boats unload at the Ducks right in front of the canaries Bob wanders over to talk to his neighbor Mr bunnel the men are resting during their lunch hour they like to tease bu has he ever seen a fish with a head like a horse did the fish ever bite his legs does he know that whales squirt water 30 fet in the air Jerry has seen all these things in the South Seas Bob laughs and loves these kindly men of the sea funny old pelicans rest on the sheds that hold the Machinery used for unloading the fish they're wise old birds and think it much easier to catch the fish that drop from the boats than to hunt the fish swimming swiftly in the sea when when their wings are spread they measure 6 ft across their food consists largely of fresh fish they have a bag that hangs from their lower beak they can store fish there as the bag stretches until it will hold two quarts the baby pelicans stick their heads and necks clear down in the pouch and help themselves to their family dinner Bob would like to see a pelican feed her Young this small boat unloads a fine catch of hopit the fish are packed with ice in the hold of the boat so that they will be fresh when they arrive back in Port a large fishing boat sails in from Mexico with a load of tuna there are many ways way of unloading fish here two men on the dock operate the winch to lift the fish out of the hold the Machinery is run by electricity the carts of fish are heavy One cart weighs about 500 lb this ship has a fair catch of about 100 tons the captain of this boat has promised to sell all his loads of fish to this one canery he will receive $340 a ton or $34,000 for the 100 ton catch each fisherman will make about $500 on this 2 weeks trip on some trips they catch few fish the average pay for all the fishermen is about $3,100 a year but the men on this boat will make more they fish for tuna in the daytime and for sardines at night the fish are packed in bins or tanks in the hold some bins hold 8 tons of fish each boat has a cooling system to keep the Fish Fresh some are packed in ice or salty water by Bob these fish are bigger than you are and way more too they hold one next to Bob it's 5 ft long and weighs 150 lb bigger than Bob Bob think this is a real fish story to tell his friends someday he'll be a member of the crew and see those schools of fish flapping in the net and the sea lions diving and plunging and breaking the net it will be fun to be a fisherman [Music]