Read Online Man on the Ice by Rex Saunders - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Rex Saunders
Ads: Link
were in Roger’s boat, while Verrick, Jim, and our
youth pastor, Shannon Rogers, were in Verrick’s boat. They were getting ready to
go and I wondered if I had enough gas. I had a full tank and an extra five-gallon
can. Just to be sure, I went back to the gas station and got another five-gallon
can of gas. Now I hadplenty. I always carry a five-gallon can of
gas that I call my emergency gas, and I store it in one of the lockers of the
boat.
While I was at the gas station, Lester Hedderson came along and asked, “You’re
going out in boat all alone?”
I said, “Yes, b’y.”
“Well,” he said, “I sure would like to go with you. It’s going to be a nice
day on the water. But I have too much work to do.”
I replied, “That’s okay. I’ve been alone since my boys moved to Brampton back
ten or twelve years ago.” I paid for my gas and went back to my boat.
Lloyd Curtis was on the wharf with his son Paul. They had just bought a brand
new 35-foot longliner, and the price for seal pelts was enough for him to go at
it. He said, “Boy, oh boy. I sure would like be going out there with you today,
but I got too much work to do.”
I headed out in my boat and began the hunt. My life-changing ordeal was about
to begin.
I left the wharf around ten-thirty that morning. The ice went for two or three
miles. The wind was south-southwest, about five or six knots, just right to keep
the ice off the land and keep it scattered apart. I got to the ice around 11:
00 a.m. or so. The ice was big, and scattered about a hundred feet or so apart,
just right for sealing, butthe seals were very scarce. I didn’t
see any other boats, so I went up the shore a bit toward the Brehat Shoals. Then
I turned and went toward the White Islands. I only saw one seal. I think it was
an old seal. It didn’t stay up very long.
Around 11: 30 a.m. I saw a boat with three men, so I went in toward them. It
was Uncle Ralph Pilgrim with his son Ambrose, and their friend Willie Pilgrim.
They were about three miles off Griquet Cape. They were having a cup of tea, so
I stopped and had a cup of tea and a sandwich with them. While we talked, they
mentioned that they saw one young harp in the water. They were having their
mug-up while they waited for the seal to come up. After talking for half an hour
or so, I decided to go up to the southern. There was still no wind and the sun
was shining. It was a bit cold, maybe -4 or -5 degrees Celsius, just a real nice
day on the water. I was enjoying it very much.
I saw a young harp in the water after steaming about an hour or so. Steaming on
toward him, I proceeded to get the rifle ready. I had a brand new .223 with a
good scope that was right on. My brother Ezra has a machine for setting scopes.
He’s also a gunsmith. The seal went down and I took the motor out of gear. When
I looked to my left, I saw the young harp on a pan of ice. I put the motor in
gear and turned the boat toward the seal and shot it. When I took it into the
boat, I spotted another one on a pan. So, I got himin the
scope, while yet another one started to go across the pan. I shot the one that
was just lying there. Taking that one aboard my boat, I then saw one more in the
water. Before I got him in the scope, three more came up. The four harps were
almost touching each other. I took a shot and missed. They were all gone then.
While I was waiting around to see where they were going to come up, I saw
another one on the pan of ice. I went for that one and shot it. When I went to
hook the gaff in him, I saw two more. So I got both of them before I put my gun
down, and I pulled the three harps aboard my boat.
I was having a great day. There were seals all around there, everywhere. I
didn’t bother the ones in the water; I had a better chance at the ones on the
ice because the sun was shining and the seals were asleep. They didn’t know what
youth pastor, Shannon Rogers, were in Verrick’s boat. They were getting ready to
go and I wondered if I had enough gas. I had a full tank and an extra five-gallon
can. Just to be sure, I went back to the gas station and got another five-gallon
can of gas. Now I hadplenty. I always carry a five-gallon can of
gas that I call my emergency gas, and I store it in one of the lockers of the
boat.
While I was at the gas station, Lester Hedderson came along and asked, “You’re
going out in boat all alone?”
I said, “Yes, b’y.”
“Well,” he said, “I sure would like to go with you. It’s going to be a nice
day on the water. But I have too much work to do.”
I replied, “That’s okay. I’ve been alone since my boys moved to Brampton back
ten or twelve years ago.” I paid for my gas and went back to my boat.
Lloyd Curtis was on the wharf with his son Paul. They had just bought a brand
new 35-foot longliner, and the price for seal pelts was enough for him to go at
it. He said, “Boy, oh boy. I sure would like be going out there with you today,
but I got too much work to do.”
I headed out in my boat and began the hunt. My life-changing ordeal was about
to begin.
I left the wharf around ten-thirty that morning. The ice went for two or three
miles. The wind was south-southwest, about five or six knots, just right to keep
the ice off the land and keep it scattered apart. I got to the ice around 11:
00 a.m. or so. The ice was big, and scattered about a hundred feet or so apart,
just right for sealing, butthe seals were very scarce. I didn’t
see any other boats, so I went up the shore a bit toward the Brehat Shoals. Then
I turned and went toward the White Islands. I only saw one seal. I think it was
an old seal. It didn’t stay up very long.
Around 11: 30 a.m. I saw a boat with three men, so I went in toward them. It
was Uncle Ralph Pilgrim with his son Ambrose, and their friend Willie Pilgrim.
They were about three miles off Griquet Cape. They were having a cup of tea, so
I stopped and had a cup of tea and a sandwich with them. While we talked, they
mentioned that they saw one young harp in the water. They were having their
mug-up while they waited for the seal to come up. After talking for half an hour
or so, I decided to go up to the southern. There was still no wind and the sun
was shining. It was a bit cold, maybe -4 or -5 degrees Celsius, just a real nice
day on the water. I was enjoying it very much.
I saw a young harp in the water after steaming about an hour or so. Steaming on
toward him, I proceeded to get the rifle ready. I had a brand new .223 with a
good scope that was right on. My brother Ezra has a machine for setting scopes.
He’s also a gunsmith. The seal went down and I took the motor out of gear. When
I looked to my left, I saw the young harp on a pan of ice. I put the motor in
gear and turned the boat toward the seal and shot it. When I took it into the
boat, I spotted another one on a pan. So, I got himin the
scope, while yet another one started to go across the pan. I shot the one that
was just lying there. Taking that one aboard my boat, I then saw one more in the
water. Before I got him in the scope, three more came up. The four harps were
almost touching each other. I took a shot and missed. They were all gone then.
While I was waiting around to see where they were going to come up, I saw
another one on the pan of ice. I went for that one and shot it. When I went to
hook the gaff in him, I saw two more. So I got both of them before I put my gun
down, and I pulled the three harps aboard my boat.
I was having a great day. There were seals all around there, everywhere. I
didn’t bother the ones in the water; I had a better chance at the ones on the
ice because the sun was shining and the seals were asleep. They didn’t know what
Similar Books
