Fishing And Burnt

Yesterday has to be one of the days that I had to wake up really early. While I'm writing this entry now, I'm lethargic and weak; probably lack of sleep and too much exposure out in the sun. I checked my temperature once in every two hours just to ensure that I am not down with a fever again since I just recovered.

It was of course one of my most memorable days; being able to spend the whole day with someone whom I truly love. It was by far the best day ever but I have to apologize to D for not being too enthusiastic with the whole trip since I was still a little unwell. I brought panadols along, just in case! =)

I stopped by at the hawker center near my place to buy 2 packets of nasi lemak and a few other tidbits as we will be at Punggol Beach for the whole day and there are no food/drink stalls at that place.

And the bad news is THERE are no toilets at Punggol Beach. So what happens if someone wants to pee or do big business, where do they go? Behind the bushes with the ants crawling to your legs and up to your anus or best still, centipedes nibbling and biting off your balls.

Actually, there is a toilet booth BUT...Yes there is still a BUT. The toilet booth belongs to the policemen guarding at the jetty. So people like us do not have the privilege of using that toilet booth.

Scenario...

D approached the policewoman and asked, "Ma`am, is that toilet booth available for use?

Policewoman walked toward D with confidence, arms swinging nastily by her side (like a gorilla) and looked at D. She scanned D from head to toe and raised her arms straight to D's face and shook her head.

'No! That toilet booth is only for us...' And gave D the arrogant look.

'A`huh...' D replied, stunned.

I was thinking, 'so where the hell is the nearest toilet?' and 'where should we go to do our business if there are no other toilets?'

Very irony, isn't it?

Ok enough of that.

Anyway, I had to carry so many things; my bag(Billabong), a carrier bag containing tidbits, bottle of drinks and nasi lemak and my fishing equipments. We hailed a cab immediately after we bought our foods and we were carrying too many things to be boarding a bus.

I and D chatted till we reached Punggol Beach, unaware of the cab fare. The driver stopped a distance away from the bus terminal, 'that will be $15.90.'

'Wah!' My mind screamed. Ah forget it! I handed the money to the cab driver and hurried out of the cab immediately. Just as we were about to start walking, we realised that we had left our fishing rods in the cab. D turned back and waved at the cab driver to stop the cab from leaving and then D opened the door to retrieve back the rods.

Luckily we realized it earlier, if not we would be fishing using our bare hands. Nah`! I don't think we are able to catch any if we are supposedly to use that method. Furthermore it's too primative.

But I was laughing my heads off for being so forgetful! Then, we went down the stairs and to the sandy beach. We walked a distance before finding a nice spot to place our euqipments and belongings.

8.19a.m...

It was early morning; the sun, already blazing hot, was on its ascent into the sky. We had our breakfast first before doing any other things. There were too many ants and other smaller insects at that area. And for your info, we were sitting on huge rocks - yes - bigger than your butts.

I couldn't finish the packet of rice. Reasons were that there were too much rice and I wasn't having the appetite to eat Nasi Lemak. D was still eating so I had to set up the fishing equipments myself.

It was definitely low tide since we could see so many huge rocks uncovered and we could go further down to collect shells and clams.

I wore my cap since the day was getting hotter by the minutes. I took along the fishing rod and walked down to the sea; confident that I could catch at least five fishes or more.

9.30am...

Maybe I was over-confident. I still haven't caught any fishes yet. Unlike the previous week, I had already caught 3 fishes by this time. I waited and waited. But each time I retrieved my bait hook back, the bait was gone.

Damn fishes! There are getting smarter.

I retreat and went back to join D who was setting up the equipments at the rocks. I installed more hooks and secured the baits(prawns) tightly on the hooks and went back down to the sea.

There were quite a number of people at the beach, maybe since it was a Sunday and it was a off day for most of the working people. They, like me, were fishing too. I believe there were intermediate while I am just an amateur.

I was feeling embarrassed.

10.35am.

Oh! I felt a pull! And then I pulled the hook out from the water. Tadah! I've finally caught a fish but a small one. Well, actually its not that small, maybe the size of one's palm.

I hurried back to the rocks and pulled the hook out from the fish's mouth. D took the box(meant for the fish) and hurried to the sea to collect the water. Immediately after I pulled the hook out from the fish, I released it into the box and switched on the oxygen pump generator.

And I went back to the sea to catch more fishes.

11.59am...

The sun was right above me. Small beads of perspiration formed on my forehead and ran down my cheeks. I could also feel a slight trickle of perspiration running down my back. With the temperature soaring above 34 degrees celcius, I could hardly concentrate on what I was doing.

My mind was drifting away and I began to feel restless. The sun was draining my energy. I went back and sat down to have a short rest. My body felt weak and warm. Was I having fever again? No! I thought.

I saw D fishing away, hoping to catch more fish. D however caught two fishes more than me. Argh! Was my fishing skills diminishing or was I too drained out to focus?

I started to feel a little giddy. Maybe I was not yet recovered from my fever. Nah~ don't think too much, I said to myself. I ate two panadols and shut my eyes to relax my mind.

'I caught a fish!'

12.14pm...

I opened my eyes, startled. 'Kompata?'

D looked at me weirdly.

'Kompata... Kompata?

'What?' D asked, confused.

I started speaking a language that nobody understood, even D could not figure out what I was talking about.

I skipped around like a lunatic and hopped my way to D.

'What is wrong with you?' D asked.

'KOMPATA!'

1.45pm...

I felt re-energized. I was ready to kick some butt and catch more fish! I went back down and aggressively threw the hook into the water. I turned back and smiled D.

'So weird...' D thought.

And then I started singing... 'Kom----pata! KOM KOM KOM PATA!' and the best has yet to come. The chorus, 'KOMPATA!' I was shouting like a man mad.

'OI! Siao ah!' D exclaimed.

Maybe the sun had damaged my brain. The others who were fishing not far away from me looked in bewilderment. Some thought I was talking in thailand or japanese since the word 'Kompata' sounded alittle Japanese and Thai but the fact was maybe it was an alien language.

Maybe I was sending a message to the aliens. 'Kompata (Attack earth now)!' The other fishermen could be cursing me, 'Stop shouting or you will frighten the fishes away!'

I kept quiet and concentrated on fishing.

Fast forward...

4:15pm...

I took an umbrella out from my bag and opened it up. Ah! much better. I went to the sea, holding the fishing rod on my right and the umbrella on my left hand. I totally looked like an amateur at fishing and a complete idiot.

The fishermen once again looked at me.

'Hey stop looking or I will gorge your eyes out!' My mind shouted.

And then I saw people eating ice-cream. Oh! The ice-cream seller is here! I thought. D went to buy the ice cream; strawberry flavours for me!

While waiting, I continued fishing and tried to do the singing in the rain dance, holding the umbrella high up; the waves splashed at me but shielded by the umbrella.

'KOMPATA!'

Ok ok. I think by now you must be irritated by the word, 'kompata'. Stop it ISAAC or I'll just stitch your mouth so that you can never say a single word again!

And then the worst thing happened. There came a huge wind blowing at me. I lost grip of the umbrella and it flew away and rolled along the sands. 'My umbrella!' I shouted.

Luckily, I managed to catch up with my umbrella. Ha Ha! It was so ridiculous. I felt so humilated.

D came back. Phew! D didn't see the whole incident. I closed the umbrella and brave the storm or should I say sun.

30 minutes had passed...

I felt a burning sensation on my skin. It was unbearable - I dipped myself into the water and stayed there for a few minutes. My skin at the leg began to peel off. Sunburn!

6.45pm...

We packed up and called it a day. So far, I and D caught 7 fishes - 3 small ones( the size of ones thumb), 2 ikan tamban, 2 medium size fish(the size of ones palm) and of course a stone crab!

We left the area at 7 and headed back home.

8.15pm...

I hit the shower and let the running water wash the unpleasant smells of the fish and prawns. From head to toe, they were cleansed but my skin was burning upon water touching it.

I looked so dark after 8 long hours roasted in the blazing sun.

Signing off,
Shah Rizal Isaac