Peel 11th April 2012. 6am

The sea is not quite as rough this morning. Not a soul about in town though I can see a couple of people fishing on the breakwater in the distance.

It’s a funny communal pattern – sleep by night and wake up by day. Most of us adhere to it. I expect there are one or two alarms going off now – radios coming on, bleary eyed people staggering down to the kitchen to put the kettle on.

It’s 6 degrees centigrade. Still what you might call “fresh”. From my spot looking down on Fenella Beach I can see a light out at sea to the North West. It may be just a white sail catching the sun. It’s on the far horizon.

On the breakwater there are a few cars. The “Serpico” is getting ready to go to sea. A man with blue overalls, a motor cycle helmet and yellow gumboots casts off. The helmet is nothing to do with the boat. He just hasn’t taken it off yet.  Looking down at the boat from the quayside I can see another man sat in the cabin pulling on a pair of yellow over-trousers. The boat has an industrial setup – a processing area for the catch. It looks like it’s a crabber.

The “Regal Star” is late setting off. Its two crewmen arrived half an hour later than Serpico’s. One, a man of around sixty years of age, cast off and climbed down the ladder carrying a large bottle of water.

It’s very cold on the hands this morning and no seal in sight which is unusual.

More cars arrive for the fishing at the end of the breakwater. It’s now 6.41. I can see a runner on the promenade and someone walking two dogs.

Reels and floats and discarded lobster pots line the bank on the far side of the marina. I doubt there are many sleeping aboard the yachts, if any. It’s too cold.

Someone is coming down Peel Hill. I could hear their voices before seeing them. It is still early. The only people about are dog walkers and fishermen and now a couple of runners, one a woman in bright fluorescent pink.

I pass a beach volleyball net – very progressive for the Isle of Man. A man with a camera now appears and walks along the prom, stopping under the faded POOL sign above the rocks at the far end. The pool is not there anymore though I remember using it.

Official sunrise is 6.14 today and the wind is a NorthWesterly.

Leave a Reply