A bit of sunshine is a call to the fishermen in Goa to venture out into the sea and cast their nets for fish, which they did as there has come a lull in the monsoon. Despite a fishing boat capsizing in the rough sea, luckily with no fatalities, the prawns were plenty in the village of Sernabatim, and for a change, a walk on the shore was about the business of fishing in the rains.
“Most of these prawns are sent to packing units that will export them. The rest will go to the market where locals will feast as this is the first catch of fresh prawns since May 31, 2024,” says Sebastian, as he oversees his staff filling prawns into baskets to be loaded into vehicles.
“This is the time for red prawns as there is a huge market for them abroad. They are harvested best when there is a lull in rains,” adds Sebastian, who has been in the business for the last 20 years.
As news of the catch spreads in the village of Sernabatim, villagers rush to the beach on motorbikes and vans, all aiming to get the best from the catch.
The rain clouds burst suddenly, but do not deter the joggers from checking on the catch of the evening. “There is plenty of fish around, enough to store up for a week,” says Ashwin, as he continues his jog towards Benaulim beach along with his colleague.
As the boats are being emptied of fish, Angelo stands alone in the rain hoping to angle in some lady fish. “You get a lot of mudoshi these days. This is the right time for them to come closer to the shore,” confesses Angelo as he feels the first bite on his line.
“The beach is normally quiet with a few tourists either jogging or taking selfies at this time of the year. However, there is a crowd today because most canoes have returned with bumper catches,” admits Angelo.
The number of visitors to the beach draws Sarita to the shore with her artefacts and shawls. “The season has been down during the last few days. It has been difficult to even make one sale through the day but I expect things to brighten up later,” says the lady with a smile and bangles on her hands.
The road to Sernabatim beach is not just lined with service apartments, rooms and hotels but also quaint tidbits of Goa and one such place is the EMC Bar, which at one point was the local tavern.
Coloured in local motifs, EMC Bar is a one-room sit-out that sells the best of local caju feni and has through time become a place frequented by locals and tourist searching for the essential Goa.
“The place may look small but the feeling inside is out of the world. One can hear but not understand local gossip plus the smell of the booze gives a heady high. The bar does not stay open till late but the little time helps make a nice evening,” says Satish as he waits for the owner to open up.
As the Angelus bell rings, the owner arrives, smiles at the waiting customers and removes the keys from his pocket. As he starts finding keys to the paddock, the customers wait for happy times to break free.