Book Title: Trawler

Author: Redmond O'Hanlon

Publisher: Vintage books

ISBN: 978-1400078103

This was an eye opener. It gives an insight into what drives a commercial fisherman to risk his life so we can have cod and chips. The true story is based around an adventure journalist who wants to experience a storm at sea, a marine biologist and a skipper, who has to put to sea in a forecast 10 to meet his overdraft payment.

Although these guys are Scottish they remind me so much of the people around me as I was growing up in Grimsby. The "call of the sea" is rubbish best left to poets, these blokes were either working or sleeping and at both times they were stinking! Of all the guys that I knew or know that were trawler men, each and everyone of them was wary of the sea and respectful of it, but none to a man loved it. Truth is if they could've earned the money easier each and everyone of them would have. You get through your trip as best you can, earn as much as possible as easily as you can and don't think about going again. No wonder when they landed they used to blow their money, you can't blame them the next trip could be the last, 10 bob millionaires a lot of them, for a few days at least.

The deep water fish details from the marine biologist is an interesting aside throughout the book but the meat of the story is based around getting through the forecast storm, the crew's morale and the skipper being able to pay his debts. A good read well written by O'Hanlon and a highly recommended on a related subject.

Aitch