‘It is like therapy’ - Despite small catch, woman happy with fishing day out

It was close to midday and the heat from that sun, which was directly overhead, was enough to deter many people from daring to engage in outdoor activities such as fishing.

Altheia Walton, though, was among the few who braved the sweltering heat along the Palisadoes strip in Kingston yesterday as she sought a relaxing way to observe the start of the Lenten season.

Walton sat on a ledge, her legs dangled freely, as she held a fishing rod. She laughed as she stared in the water and matter-of-factly stated that "The sun hot still, but I don't mind because the breeze a blow".

Walton and her nephew travelled from her Portmore, St Catherine home to Palisadoes to cast her line. Not only was it her first time fishing but also her first holiday outing in years.

"Is from 6 a.m. we out here because you have to come early. Mi don't normally come out on holidays, in fact a the first time in a lot of years. People usually stay home or go to church on Ash Wednesday. It's the beginning of Lent. I decided to come out with my nephew and just enjoy the breeze and fish," she said.

There was not much to shout about her catch. In fact, her six-hour vigil yielded only five small fish.

"There a lot of big ones under the rock, but they are not coming out. Dem here suh small, I don't even know how mi a guh scale dem because dem suh small. It is not about the catch though, but it is relaxing and gives me peace of mind," Walton said.

The recreational fisherwoman said she has found patience to be the key to reeling in fishes.

"We use shrimp as the bait, but by the time we throw dem out, the fish dem come and just eat dem off. The fish dem skilful bad. We all use some of the small fish that we catch as bait and that don't work either. Regardless, I am having a good time," he said.

Her catch isn't plenty but she said her time by the seaside is well spent.

"It is like therapy. I feel lighter," she said.