Final blog from Pat

Final post from Pat Spiers.

Well, I'm back in the "big smoke" (Sydney) after a whirlwind 9 days in Tassie and my friends are saying things like,

"Wow, you look really tired and hairy Pat!" (It was a very busy time and there was no time to shave on the trip)

also

"You look so happy but why are you covered in scabs?" (The Tasmanian bush is really scratchy and I spent a large part of the week burrowing under spiky bushes to retrieve rubbish)

and

"Did you really pick up that many little bits or rope and plastic in those wild places? I thought they would be pristine and untouched!?"

Well, yes, we did pick up all that rubbish and as far as I know the rubbish was all moved on to be re-used, recycled or disposed of today:

- The bait saver baskets in decent condition were offered to fisherman for re-use

- The good rope was re-used for fishing and art

- The bottles plastic pieces, and aluminium cans were recycled

- The large nets and steel buoys were taken away for interesting garden decorations

- Some of the remaining rubbish went to the tip

One of the things that sticks in my mind was THE ROPE, most of the bits and pieces or rope had been worked on by someone, eg they had been knotted or spliced and then cut and THROWN OVERBOARD. But by who?

I think all Tassie fishermen are pretty good with obeying the "Stow it - don't throw it" rule. so that means we are talking about the crews on the big industrial sized boats that fish in deeper waters, often with the trawl nets...

To be continued... got to go to bed, shattered.