Back to the small fishing village in 1982

Chapter 1841 High Seas
Ye Yaodong only allowed Ye Xiaoxi to stay for two days, and then had his father send her back, while he was busy preparing for the sea voyage.

Several Dongyu boats have returned, and the shipyard is busier than usual, with boatmen coming and going from morning till night.

Fortunately, everyone has a work badge; otherwise, the security guard wouldn't be able to recognize everyone, and unauthorized personnel wouldn't be allowed to enter.

Everyone has been at sea since after the Lunar New Year and is finally able to come back and rest. They are all out and about all day long, looking for fun and relaxation.

It wasn't until the day was almost up that he reminded the captains to keep their crews in check and gave them a final reminder about the date.

The fishing boats that had been inspected also returned one after another and docked at the pier.

A row of Dongyu boats, numbered 1 through 6, lined up in a row, all the same color, with identical bows, making for a spectacular sight.

Normally, large ships are at sea and rarely come ashore. You rarely see several identical ships docked together. What you usually see are mainly cargo ships.

Each of these vessels is a deep-sea trawler with a deadweight tonnage of over a thousand tons, its bows raised high and its engines humming as they test their engines.

Two days before departure, they did a final check and, finding no problems, he left someone on the ship to keep watch while the rest of the crew went back to rest and waited for the actual departure time.

On the eve of his departure, he summoned the six captains of the Dongyu and the two captains of the Xianfeng to his office.

He unfolded the nautical chart and pointed heavily at the target sea area—an area of ​​international waters that was close to but clearly located outside a certain country's 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone.

He didn't dwell on his hopes for a bountiful harvest, but instead issued a serious warning: "Remember, we might not be welcome there. Keep your eyes peeled and your ears perked up. If anything seems amiss, whether it's a foreign coast guard vessel or a fishing boat from another country, report it immediately and act collectively."

"clear."

"Our trip will last about two months. As soon as the radio announces that the eye of a typhoon has formed, we will return immediately."

“You all have the nautical charts, and I’ve marked the locations. Go back and study them. When sailing or fishing, use boat number 1 as the main vessel. If anything happens, I will also be on boat number 1.”

Everyone nodded and listened to his various instructions.

Ye Yaodong gave a brief explanation of the situation, and after talking for about an hour, he let everyone go home.

He stayed in his office and called Lin Xiuqing. Lin Xiuqing was already prepared and didn't say anything, only reminding him to be careful.

At dawn, the sky was gray and blue. There were no farewell drums or gongs at the dock, only lively noise. Everyone was going out to sea as usual, without much tension.

After all, their fishing boats are among the best equipped under the existing conditions.

He instructed the captains to board their respective ships with their crews, while he boarded a new ship first, intending to transfer to ship number 1 later.

For the first time a boat sets sail, there is an anchor-raising ceremony, an ancient custom that every fishing boat performs on its first voyage. This wasn't his first time doing it either.

The first thing he did upon boarding the ship was to lead all the crew members in paying homage to Mazu.

After everyone had finished offering incense, he went up to the cockpit, grabbed the copper bell on the control panel, and shook it three times.

This is a rule passed down from our elders: "One ring pays homage to the Dragon King, two rings ensure peace, and three rings bring a full hold of fish."

Meanwhile, at the bow of the ship, the first mate was leading his men to pour half a bottle of liquor and a handful of white rice into the sea, but the waves quickly swept away these offerings.

The captain took a lit yellow paper and walked from the bow to the stern, then lit one for each crew member, circling it three times around their heads and three times around their arms.

The fishing boats next to them were doing the same thing; everyone had a heart that revered the sea and the gods.

After completing all the necessary ceremonies, he boarded Ship Number 1, which was designated as the lead ship, and naturally, he would stay on it.

Everything is now ready. The necessary supplies were loaded onto the ships the day before, and each ship is equipped with exactly the same supplies.

Baskets of potatoes, cabbages, radishes, and other durable produce, along with seasonings, several tons of ice, diesel drums wrapped in tarpaulins, enough seafood to last for several days, and large quantities of meat stored frozen.

The Dongyu No. 1 is actually a relatively new ship, having been in service for only two or three years. However, with these years of experience, the captain is quite experienced, and each crew member is a seasoned veteran, having been through countless battles and the baptism of the sea.

After he boarded the ship, he didn't intend to take over or disrupt their original procedures and rhythm. He simply told them to follow their original job assignments and obey the captain's orders as usual.

He only planned to stay on the boat, watch and listen to reports, and then operate the fishing boat when needed, and then follow the shift schedule.

He only directs the fishing boats when it's his turn to be on duty; his main role is actually supervision, acting as a stabilizing force.

As the boss, his willingness to venture out and explore fishing grounds at sea alongside everyone is an inspiration to all and boosts their confidence.

Once the shore-based authorities receive their departure request, they will approve and allow them to leave.

"Please report the situation from each ship."

"Ship number two is ready..."

"Ship number three has completed inspection and is ready to depart at any time..."

With a long, deep whistle breaking the tranquility of the harbor, eight fishing boats cast off their moorings in turn, their propellers stirring up the murky yellow seawater as they slowly pointed their bows out of the harbor and gradually sailed away from the bay.

The fleet cleaved through the murky waters and sailed toward the far reaches of the sea.

Ye Yaodong stood on the wheelhouse, leaning against the railing, gazing at the gradually blurring land behind him and the vast, murky yellow sea ahead.

He shook his thermos, took a sip of tea, and was suddenly slapped hard on the shoulder, almost causing him internal injury. He coughed violently a few times.

"what are you doing?"

"No, I just wanted to take a picture of you. I saw you leisurely drinking tea here, so I thought I'd come and check it out. Anyway, I just came out to sea and have nothing to do." Ah Zheng leaned against the railing and looked at him.

"If you have nothing to do, find something to do. If you really have nothing to do, go to a restaurant and see what food they have."

"The ship has just set sail, what are we eating for? They're probably all peeling potatoes."

He had nothing to do, so he leaned against the railing and looked out at the sea.

"Then let's enjoy the scenery and chat. If we get tired, we can go back to the cabin to rest."

As dawn broke, a golden-red slit appeared in the clouds to the east.

When passing Putuoshan, some crew members bowed with their hands clasped in prayer towards the temple on the deck, probably praying to the Bodhisattva for a peaceful sea voyage and a safe return.

People living by the sea believe in Mazu, while those inland may believe more in Guanyin and other deities, entering temples and worshipping Buddha statues whenever they come across them.

At 7:00 AM sharp, the fleet passed through the Xiazhimen International Channel, the gateway to the Zhoushan Islands, where various ships come and go in great numbers.

"Speed ​​up to 12 speeds," Ye Yaodong ordered, picking up the walkie-talkie.

We can now begin to increase our speed at this point in the shipping lane.

The fleet began to accelerate, the diesel engines hummed with a deep roar, and bluish-black smoke billowed from the smokestacks.

Gradually, the kitchen began to smell the aroma of food, including fried crabs and deep-fried ingredients. The first breakfast on a long voyage is always the most sumptuous.

"I heard it will take us five or six days to reach our target sea area?"

"Pretty much, so the next few days will be a bit boring. Make the most of these boring days, because once we reach the target sea area, there won't be any time to rest."

Are there many fishing boats from other countries on the high seas?

"definitely."

"Will it be very exciting?"

"I think you should pray for safety and hope you don't encounter any ships."

"Ok."

At 10:00 AM, the fleet sailed past the last barrier of the Zhoushi Islands, the Langgangshan Islands.

The color of the seawater began to change, gradually transforming from a murky yellowish-green to a clear, deep blue.

This is a marker on the edge of the continental shelf, where the water depth increases dramatically from less than 100 meters to over 1,000 meters.

Ye Yaodong, holding a walkie-talkie, notified the ships: "Brothers, from now on, we are officially entering the open sea. Maintain heading 095 and a distance of one nautical mile. Lights will be controlled starting at 7 PM, with only the heading lights on, and the number of watch personnel will be doubled."

"receive."

Turning on only the navigation lights is to clearly inform other vessels of the ship's direction of navigation and position; this is an internationally recognized maritime "language".

By adapting in advance, one can avoid becoming a target of conflict in the fiercely competitive high seas where resources are contested.

Observing the lights of other ships on the high seas where regulations are in place is an art in itself. For example, a brightly lit boat may be a recreational vessel or a large merchant ship.

Those that only leave their navigation lights on are often similar fishing boats or vessels that intend to keep a low profile.

The sudden appearance or disappearance of lights may indicate that another vessel is changing course or status, requiring immediate vigilance.

Ye Yaodong attached great importance to this trip and made full preparations.

After lunch, he also personally inspected the satellite navigation system, a new piece of equipment added during the maintenance of the fishing boat.

On the screen, the green dot representing the fleet is slowly and steadily moving toward the area marked "edge of the North Pacific Current".

The next day, they arrived near a tributary of the Kuroshio Current.

As evening fell, long waves rose on the sea, with waves six or seven meters high pushing against the side, causing their fishing boat, weighing over a thousand tons, to tilt and rock 25 degrees to either side like a toy.

Ye Yaodong held onto the railing, his feet rooted to the deck. Although he hadn't been out to sea for two years, the slight swaying didn't bother him.

On the contrary, Ah Zheng was swaying from side to side and needed help to steady himself. He looked like he had an unstable lower body!
"It's a good thing I called you out. If you had just stayed in Zhou City, wouldn't you have been living a life of luxury every day? By the time you got the boat, you probably would have forgotten how to sail or fish."

"How could that be? I was just caught off guard and didn't grab the railing. I was leaning against it the whole time. Wouldn't it be swaying?"

"Be careful, we just came out."

On the morning of the third day, a suspicious spot appeared on the radar screen. A vessel without lights appeared five nautical miles to the port of the convoy, and after sailing for half an hour, it suddenly turned and disappeared.

It just so happens to be his shift today, so he's keeping a closer eye on things, since it's only two or three in the morning and everyone else is still resting.

Having sailed to this point in the sea, there are hardly any ships to be seen anymore; all that can be seen in all directions is the boundless deep blue.

Occasionally, albatrosses spread their three-meter-long wings and glide alongside the fleet; they are ancient companions of ocean voyages.

They are probably almost at the open ocean now, and the crew members have already started moving. Ye Yaodong also informed them on the walkie-talkie that they can prepare their fishing gear in advance.

The main tasks for the next two days are to adjust the fishing gear and conduct fishing drills. After all, there are two new boats, and although everyone is experienced, we still need to work together and get used to each other.

They pulled the kilometer-long trawl net onto the deck and reinforced the steel cables.

Ye Yaodong made a special check on the net opening. According to regulations, the mesh size should not be less than 54 millimeters to avoid catching juvenile fish. As a newcomer, he definitely had to be more careful.

On the fourth day, their unilateral radio station also received intermittent broadcasts in Chinese: "...Our government reiterates its indisputable sovereignty over the fishing grounds in the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea...and calls on fishing vessels of all countries to abide by relevant fisheries agreements..."

It refers to radio broadcasts to overseas audiences.

The sound was intermittent due to interference from the ionosphere, which calmed everyone down.

This is a voice from the motherland, reminding them that although they are on the high seas, they still have their homeland behind them, so there is nothing to fear.

"Dongzi, have we arrived yet?"

"We've reached international waters, but not yet our target area. We still need to keep going."

"Didn't we say we wouldn't go too far? If we can detect schools of fish nearby, why don't we fish around here?"

“There are always schools of fish, and we encounter them along the way, but some underwater terrain is not suitable for casting nets. If the nets are cast, it will take several hours to cast them, and if something goes wrong, we will die before we even get started. We need to scout out the terrain in advance.”

"Ok."

Most importantly, we haven't reached the fishing grounds in the Pacific yet. Fishing in those grounds is the most suitable and yields the best resources.

It's not like we just randomly pick a sea area and start casting nets to salvage the fish.

On the morning of the fifth day, a thick fog rolled in. Visibility was less than 100 meters, and the fleet relied on radar and satellite navigation to maintain formation.

Ye Yaodong also reminded everyone to stay vigilant over the walkie-talkie.

"By the way, I have some good news to share: we have reached our target area for this trip, the Pacific fishing grounds."

The captains of the ships immediately perked up, the fatigue from the past few days of sailing vanished in an instant, and they were all eager to get started.

When I go back in two months, I'll have something to brag about and be able to show off to other fishing boats.

This time, they went to the high seas, to the Pacific fishing grounds, and fished in the same waters as the international fishing grounds!

They are at the forefront of domestic fishing!

If they return safely in two months, their fishing experience from this voyage will be valuable for other ships and will also serve as a reference for the country's fishing efforts.

The walkie-talkie was filled with noise, everyone talking over each other, wishing they could disconnect from the internet immediately.

Ye Yaodong offered a few words of reassurance, "...Next, you can carefully probe for the fish, but don't rush to cast the net. You should also scout the terrain beforehand..."

"Most importantly, in this sea area, we are likely to frequently encounter fishing boats from other countries, including South Korea, South Korea, Russia, and Taiwan. There is a certain probability of encountering them."

"Don't worry about that. We'll just fish our own fish. There are international conventions governing this. We'll just honestly manage our own fishing. We'll pay attention to the lighting at night. We've already had everyone familiarize themselves with that in the past few days."

"However, if something unexpected happens, remember this: I will not offend others unless they offend me; if they do offend me..."

He paused for a moment, then said, "We report immediately, shout at the other side first, then issue a warning, gather our own fishing boats, report to the state, and finally resolve the situation as appropriate. We are not afraid of anyone."

"clear."

“We’re all veteran captains, and we’ve been fishing in the DYD fishing grounds for several years. We have experience, but I’d like to add a word of advice: don’t stray too far apart. Fish together as a group so you can look out for each other. After all, this is international waters.”

"receive."

"Each country should conduct its own investigation and fishing as needed; there are currently no traces of fishing vessels from other countries."

"receive."

Ah Zheng waited for him to put down the walkie-talkie before rubbing his hands together to speak. The two had been working shifts together for the past few days, since they were the most familiar with each other and had company.

"After being bored for so many days, it's finally time to get started. Give me the binoculars, you do your surveying, and I'll survey the sea."

Ye Yaodong handed him the binoculars, saying, "If you detect any fishing boats from other countries, report it immediately. If you don't detect anything, at least let me know."

"know."

At this moment, dense spots of light suddenly appeared on the screen of the fish finder, extending from 150 meters below the sea surface to a depth of 400 meters, forming a "fish layer" 200 meters thick, densely packed.

"There's a huge school of fish! It's saury! And squid too!" the observer shouted excitedly.

Ye Yaodong looked at his monitor, which also showed a golden band of light, but he did not immediately order the net to be shut down. Instead, he waited for the result of A Zheng's observation through the binoculars.

"Dongzi, there are vague boat shadows to the northeast. They look like Russians, probably fishing."

"Okay, got it. Stay alert and keep an eye out for any movement. Report back immediately."

"know."

He then shouted over the ship's loudspeaker, "Prepare to cast the nets."

The boatswain on deck shouted excitedly, "Roger that!"

Just then, a dolphin leaped up from the sea and then fell back into the water with a splash.

"The other fishing boats are exploring and fishing on their own, while boat number 1 is preparing to cast its net."

Although saury are not very valuable, the sheer size of the detected school of fish is astonishing. The fish layer is over 200 meters thick, which is an astonishing figure.

Although it doesn't fetch a good price, it can be processed into fishmeal. After so many days at sea, the hold has been empty, which is a waste.

Now that we've detected it, let's catch some fish and fill up the fishmeal processing line at the bottom, so that everyone can have a taste of fresh seafood sooner.

Fresh saury is rarely seen in the market. Although it is cheap, it is a deep-sea fish and must be frozen as soon as it is brought ashore.

Six steel fishing boats slowly unfolded into a fan shape and successively sank their nets into the deep blue sea.

In addition to the six Dongyu ships, there were also two Xianfeng ships following behind. Now they have finally arrived at the target sea area, and they also need to make a mark and locate their positions.

After a few days of fishing, enough to fill one Pioneer boat, we'll send one back, and they can also help us report that we're safe.

The remaining ship continued to follow, waiting to receive the cargo. It would return once the cargo was full, with the two ships taking turns transporting the goods back and forth.

Five days after leaving Zhoushan, their high seas fishing operation has now officially entered its most crucial stage, and the fishing has begun.

(End of this chapter)