Happy
31st June 2014 to all of you. It is the middle of winter and here in
Durban we are basking in gloriously warm and sunny days, bright blue
skies, golden beaches, and surf that is too warm to host the annual
sardine run. For those who don't know what this is, it is an eagerly
awaited annual phenomenon which has been filmed by National Geographic,
and shown on tv as "The Greatest Shoal on Earth." Far be it from me to
argue with National Geographic, but I would like to point out that it is
in the ocean, but I suppose "On Earth" gets across the point that
nothing else like this happens anywhere else.
Vast shoals of sardines migrate north from the icy waters off the Cape coast to the warmer waters off the Transkei and Kwa Zulu Natal coasts. Even though the water here is warmer, it still drops sufficiently during the winter months for the sardines to survive. If the water remains too warm the sardines don't show up. Along with the sardines come schools of dolphins, a huge variety of game fish, and enough sharks to scare all but the most intrepid among us. The annual sardine run is enough to drive sane people a little deranged. It is understandable that fishermen rush for rod and reel, hoping to catch a game fish big enough to give them bragging rights for years to come. I can sympathise with underwater photographers who are willing to risk their lives to get film footage of the violent action below the surface of the ocean, where dolphins and game fish gorge themselves on sardines, and where sharks prey on the hunters.
What happens to drive normal people demented is when a sardine shoal is spotted in shallow water close to the shoreline. This can be seen by the turbulence of the water as millions of sardines swim by, herded shorewards by pursuing predators, and by flurries of sea birds flying into the surf to catch their share of this bounty. Once a shoal is spotted close to the beach, "sardine fever" strikes the sunbathers and beach walkers much as the gold rush did in days gone by. There is a concerted charge towards the ocean. Everybody grabs the nearest container with which to catch and store sardines. It matters not if it is a child's sand bucket, (your child or a total stranger's), a cap, towel, or anything capable of scooping up fish. Sardines become the prey and the prize, to be compared and gloated over by their conquerors.
"Sardine fever" has a dynamic all of its own, causing a beach full of strangers all minding their own business of relaxing and unwinding to get caught up in crowd frenzy! When I think about this, my mind goes into a speed wobble. I can fully relate to sports frenzy. As I write this we are in the round of sixteen in the Soccer World Cup. I so want my chosen team to win that I am a sworn enemy of every French, German, or Dutch person I know. Sports Frenzy is mindless. I don't know one Brazilian or Argentinian personally, but they are my blood brethren during the World Cup. I have dear friends who are French, German, and Dutch, but we can't talk soccer and remain friends until the cup has been won. We are RIVALS!!
I can understand the crowd frenzy at a music festival or a Top Gear show or among people who were each given a car by Oprah Winfrey. But we are talking about SARDINES. What do we know about sardines? They get packed into tins, for one. We talk about being packed in like sardines. What else? The Portuguese have a way of cooking them, heads and all, which I find unappealing but which they obviously enjoy. Anything else? Fishermen use them as bait. Yes, indeed. I can fillet a sardine and tie it on a fish hook with the best of them. That is about it. I can't imagine many of you getting overly excited if I called you to say breathlessly, GUESS WHAT? I HAVE A GIFT FOR YOU. TEN SARDINES THAT I CAUGHT AND KEPT IN MY SARONG FOR YOU. ISN'T THAT WONDERFUL? Your response would probably be less than overwhelmingly grateful. (Unless, of course, you were a Portuguese chef who hadn't been near a fishmonger in years.) A fisherman would be fairly grateful to receive a sarong full of bait. The rest of us? Ummm..... No thanks. We appreciate the gesture, but why don't you keep them and enjoy them or feed them to the neighbourhood cats.
Just thinking about the sardine run which is being eagerly anticipated at this moment caused me to think of something Jesus said to Peter. Peter was a fisherman, and one day, after he had loaned his boat to Jesus to sit in as He preached to the people, he was rewarded with a massive catch of fish. Peter was unnerved by this, but Jesus said this to him, "Follow me and I will teach you how to fish for men." Peter fished for men on the day of Pentecost and caught 3000 with the first net he threw.
If we had eyes to see, we would see billions of human beings swimming past us, pursued by every predator known to man, angels, and demons, each predator relentless in pursuit of the prey. Oh that a fishing frenzy would grip the church so that we are able to forget our dignity, grab whatever is at hand, and wade into those swimming past. I know we wouldn't catch every one. We would, however, catch one or two, and there would be rejoicing in Heaven over each one.
God bless, and by the way, I know it is July 1st and not June 31st. Gotcha!
Till next time, God bless. Fiona
What happens to drive normal people demented is when a sardine shoal is spotted in shallow water close to the shoreline. This can be seen by the turbulence of the water as millions of sardines swim by, herded shorewards by pursuing predators, and by flurries of sea birds flying into the surf to catch their share of this bounty. Once a shoal is spotted close to the beach, "sardine fever" strikes the sunbathers and beach walkers much as the gold rush did in days gone by. There is a concerted charge towards the ocean. Everybody grabs the nearest container with which to catch and store sardines. It matters not if it is a child's sand bucket, (your child or a total stranger's), a cap, towel, or anything capable of scooping up fish. Sardines become the prey and the prize, to be compared and gloated over by their conquerors.
"Sardine fever" has a dynamic all of its own, causing a beach full of strangers all minding their own business of relaxing and unwinding to get caught up in crowd frenzy! When I think about this, my mind goes into a speed wobble. I can fully relate to sports frenzy. As I write this we are in the round of sixteen in the Soccer World Cup. I so want my chosen team to win that I am a sworn enemy of every French, German, or Dutch person I know. Sports Frenzy is mindless. I don't know one Brazilian or Argentinian personally, but they are my blood brethren during the World Cup. I have dear friends who are French, German, and Dutch, but we can't talk soccer and remain friends until the cup has been won. We are RIVALS!!
I can understand the crowd frenzy at a music festival or a Top Gear show or among people who were each given a car by Oprah Winfrey. But we are talking about SARDINES. What do we know about sardines? They get packed into tins, for one. We talk about being packed in like sardines. What else? The Portuguese have a way of cooking them, heads and all, which I find unappealing but which they obviously enjoy. Anything else? Fishermen use them as bait. Yes, indeed. I can fillet a sardine and tie it on a fish hook with the best of them. That is about it. I can't imagine many of you getting overly excited if I called you to say breathlessly, GUESS WHAT? I HAVE A GIFT FOR YOU. TEN SARDINES THAT I CAUGHT AND KEPT IN MY SARONG FOR YOU. ISN'T THAT WONDERFUL? Your response would probably be less than overwhelmingly grateful. (Unless, of course, you were a Portuguese chef who hadn't been near a fishmonger in years.) A fisherman would be fairly grateful to receive a sarong full of bait. The rest of us? Ummm..... No thanks. We appreciate the gesture, but why don't you keep them and enjoy them or feed them to the neighbourhood cats.
Just thinking about the sardine run which is being eagerly anticipated at this moment caused me to think of something Jesus said to Peter. Peter was a fisherman, and one day, after he had loaned his boat to Jesus to sit in as He preached to the people, he was rewarded with a massive catch of fish. Peter was unnerved by this, but Jesus said this to him, "Follow me and I will teach you how to fish for men." Peter fished for men on the day of Pentecost and caught 3000 with the first net he threw.
If we had eyes to see, we would see billions of human beings swimming past us, pursued by every predator known to man, angels, and demons, each predator relentless in pursuit of the prey. Oh that a fishing frenzy would grip the church so that we are able to forget our dignity, grab whatever is at hand, and wade into those swimming past. I know we wouldn't catch every one. We would, however, catch one or two, and there would be rejoicing in Heaven over each one.
God bless, and by the way, I know it is July 1st and not June 31st. Gotcha!
Till next time, God bless. Fiona
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