dirtlooter
Gold Member
- Jun 5, 2014
- 8,889
- 13,497
- 🏆 Honorable Mentions:
- 3
- Detector(s) used
- XP Deus with 9"LF and 9" HF Coils and 600 Equinox with stock and 6" coils
- Primary Interest:
- Relic Hunting
In 1969, we were living in Okinawa, it was what it was. One this very sunny and hot day, we were at one of the various shorelines of the island. The water here was fairly shallow until you got to the outer edge of the reef and then the bottom fell out. There were bomb craters that had left deeper water for the sea life to slip into when the tides went out.
As I looked for things along the water, I noticed this elderly Okinawan slowly walking towards the water. I could see that he had a cast net, something that I had little experience with but I wanted to see what he would do. The old man moved to a couple of spots and stared out at the water, studying it. He had no sun glasses, just his eyes as he stared. I tried to see what he was seeing but the glare was awful and I saw nothing but he kept at it. As I watched him, I could see my grandfather in him, a weathered hard man that worked hard.
Then a big black car drove up and four much younger Okinawans baled out with their high dollar fishing poles. They began pointing at the elderly man and were laughing at him while they headed down to the water. These guys beat the water to death but caught nothing. Suddenly as I studied the old man, he made one cast with his net. He began pulling that net in and boy was it full of these hand sized fish. The younger men cussed and left in a hurry as I walked over to both look at the fish and to help him. At first he was worried that I would get finned but I explained that I was from Arkansas and handled fish a lot. The old Papasan smiled as I helped set his fish in his bag. He thanked me and hurried off, he had the fish for supper. Me, I had the experience of seeing this man do what he was very good at and was reminded of home and my own grandfather so I was elated. Never forgot that and I shared with my grandfather when I got back to Arkansas. The pic is just something from the internet
As I looked for things along the water, I noticed this elderly Okinawan slowly walking towards the water. I could see that he had a cast net, something that I had little experience with but I wanted to see what he would do. The old man moved to a couple of spots and stared out at the water, studying it. He had no sun glasses, just his eyes as he stared. I tried to see what he was seeing but the glare was awful and I saw nothing but he kept at it. As I watched him, I could see my grandfather in him, a weathered hard man that worked hard.
Then a big black car drove up and four much younger Okinawans baled out with their high dollar fishing poles. They began pointing at the elderly man and were laughing at him while they headed down to the water. These guys beat the water to death but caught nothing. Suddenly as I studied the old man, he made one cast with his net. He began pulling that net in and boy was it full of these hand sized fish. The younger men cussed and left in a hurry as I walked over to both look at the fish and to help him. At first he was worried that I would get finned but I explained that I was from Arkansas and handled fish a lot. The old Papasan smiled as I helped set his fish in his bag. He thanked me and hurried off, he had the fish for supper. Me, I had the experience of seeing this man do what he was very good at and was reminded of home and my own grandfather so I was elated. Never forgot that and I shared with my grandfather when I got back to Arkansas. The pic is just something from the internet
