Today (Monday 20th) was the day I paid Actionboy back for all the gear he'd got me. I'd arranged a day out at Kessingland with PK and Karl, I invited Actionboy along and provided him with some top quality bait as a thank you for all he'd done for me.

Actionboy is keen beyond reason. Karls' enthusiasm is infectious, Actionboy's is bordering on being disturbing. I'd arranged to pick Karl up then PK via a bacon and egg banjo at Karl's, we'd arranged to meet Actionboy in the car park at Kessingland. I got to Karls at 7am, by which time we'd both had text messages and calls from Actionboy. We got to PK's around 740am, he'd also had a text from Actionboy! We got to the car park at Kessingland around 835am to find Actionboy all suited, booted and raring to go.

We walked straight across the dunes from the car park, the wind was a blustery and stiff Southwesterly and we found a borderline unfishable sea at high water. With the forecast giving the wind easing and backing Westerly, I really fancied it. Granted it was going to be tough early on as the wind would be with the early part of the ebb and any amount of weed would make it unfishable, but with a bit of luck we'd be ok.

I set up first then Actionboy, beyond him Karl then end peg Kerry furthest uptide. You need a bit of room at Kessingland for when the tide runs. We were starting at around high water and when it went it would be running from right to left. I'd assumed Actionboy would realise that he'd need to "uptide" when it started to ebb hard. I'd assumed wrongly. After getting my terminal tackle dragged up the beach a dozen or more times and even getting my line cut through once, it was obvious he needed a little "education".

The Maelstrom, Karl, PK and some guy that pinched Kerry's end peg. The sea had eased quite a bit by now, looks good doesn't it. Karl wanted the loo all day, beats me why he just didn't do it, he was sat in a blue portaloo all day?

I need to say now I'm no expert and I'm not trying to set myself up as one, and I've no right to tell anybody what to do, but I needed to do something. Mid way through the session, I'm biteless, down to one rod and watching every move he makes. I'd explained that he needed to walk uptide, cast uptide and not tighten down to the lead but rather allow some slack line and put the rod in the rest letting the tide pull the lead into the deck. Once he'd got that sussed he even managed an undersize codling whilst the rest of us were fishless! Never ever again will I bemoan old Nobby Hall's two footed fishing, Actionboy is a one man maelstrom. Heaven help the Afghani war lords when he gets over there.

Back to the fishing or rather the lack of it. By mid ebb the wind had backed round WSW and the tide had eased no end. No weed either which was a real bonus, but where were the fish? We should've had a bucketfull each by now, but the only fish had fallen to Actionboy. Karl then had an undersize codling quickly followed by a dab. My now solitary rod (I couldn't be arsed to tie another leader), hadn't moved other than with the tide. PK was biteless too, Karl had sneaked another undersize codling but we should all have been catching, the sea was spot on.

The sea had eased during the morning, I can't believe any self respecting cod wouldn't be in on the feed after a good blow like that.

I'd walked up to Actionboy for a chat and we were both joined by PK. It was when we were stood around chatting, I noticed my rod had lost the usual bend from the tip. There it was straight as a die. I ambled back fully expecting the lead to have been pulled out by a wave or a clump of weed. I picked up and wound for an age before I felt that satisfying head shaking thump of a little codling. A minute or so later and a prisitine little 2lber was in the bucket. Actionboy managed another undersize codling shortly after and PK managed a school bass just as we were packing up. We all managed at least one fish apiece so we're not total blankers, but there should have been a few feeding in that sea. It was poor to say the least.

I had some worms to use up so I called Mrs Aitch to see if I could get a pass out, she said she didn't mind if I went locally for a few hours but in light of the ICCM this Sunday, she wasn't too keen on me having another full day session. I didn't really need a big day session, so I thought a few hours of the ebb somewhere local tomorrow night would be nice. That would leave me with another free day Thursday to tidy my gear up before the match on Sunday.

Not needing a second invite I rang Nobby Hall and asked him if he wanted to help me use the last of my bait, probably at Cart Gap. The forecast wasn't inspiring but I haven't fished with Nobby for at least a fortnight so it would at least be nice to catch up with my old mate. He was up for it and said he'd try and get 50 worms, it wouldn't matter if he didn't we both have frozen yellowtails to supplement the 75 or so blow lug I had left. Mrs Aitch would be at work on the Tuesday, so I'd have all day to get my fishing kit something like, sort out the chickens and a few other little odd jobs before settling in front of the TV for an afternoon doze. Bloody marvellous.

From borderline unfishable to this within 4 hours, where are the fish ?

Nobby picked me up just after 6pm. There was a reasonable westerly breeze that would be off our backs at Cart Gap, which would be nice and comfortable but leave us with a flat sea. Still there should be a few whiting and flatties and it was only to use the bait up. That last sentence pretty much summed the night up, 2-3 hours fishing, a steady stream of whiting and flatties, some sizeable all returned and good company.

Highlight of the evening was the launching of the local inshore lifeboats for excersises. The two rib's got out ok but on coming back, one of the crew members got trapped between the side of the rib and the beach, could've been quite nasty in a heavy sea. She was fine thankfully though she'd probably have a bruise or two from the rigid sides of the vessel. I'm sure Luton football manager Mike Newell would've had an opinion on it following his experiences with female officials, as for me I wouldn't be so sexist. I think she deserves a medal for risking her life out there, I'd certainly give her one.....

Not the lady me and Nobby saw but another brave soul willing to put her life on the line to save people from the sea. I feel its a duty that anybody that uses the sea commercially or socially should contribute to the RNLI, I'll be doing my bit along with around 100 others this Sunday at the ICCM.