The sighting of the mackerel was just a brief interlude; the four fishing boats continued their journey through the waves.
Night fell in the blink of an eye.
Not a single star could be seen in the sky, let alone the moon, as they were all obscured by thick clouds.
The sea was pitch black, almost pitch black, with only the lights of their four fishing boats swaying on the waves.
After finishing dinner, Feng Ye went out of the cabin to get some fresh air on the deck.
Just as he lit his cigarette, he saw that, apart from Ye Chenliang, the other five boatmen were all wearing headlamps and carrying landing nets.
What are you trying to do?
"I just saw some small tubes on the side of the boat, and I'm going to scoop some up to try them out."
"Be careful, the waves are a bit big and it's getting dark, it's quite dangerous, pay more attention to safety. Don't let a big wave hit you and you lose your footing and fall into the sea."
When we first set off, the waves near the shore weren't very big, but the further out to sea we went, the more turbulent the waves became.
Actually, the waves are still relatively small, considering we've only been traveling for about five hours.
Once we reach the target sea area, the waves will likely be even more ferocious.
However, this is normal for fishermen, and they are already used to it.
Feng Ye's face was serious as he continued, "Nighttime is different from daytime. If you fall down there, there's no way to find you, and then you're really doomed."
This is no joke. Safety first. Don't risk your life for a mere morsel. Nothing is more important than your life.
If all the boatmen were from last year, and they were all experienced, he wouldn't be so long-winded.
However, 13 new boatmen were recruited this year. Three were put on each of the three fishing boats, and the remaining four were put on the Mancang.
Of the three new crew members on the Donglai, only one had sea experience; the other two were novices.
Moreover, they were the most energetic and not afraid of the cold. They hardly went into the cabin all afternoon and spent most of their time wandering around on the deck.
"Understood, we will be careful."
"Don't worry, Ah Ye, we'll be careful..."
The boatmen also stopped joking and started to behave properly.
Feng Ye thought for a moment, then added, "Also, don't go to the stern to pee or poop. That's even more dangerous; you could easily fall overboard."
"Of course, who would be so stupid as to go to the stern of the boat to pee and poop in the middle of the night? That's just plain suicide."
"Exactly, if you want to pee, just pee on the deck. If you want to poop, put it in a bucket and deal with it in the morning. That's all. Why go to the stern? Did you get your head stuck in a door?"
These two sentences were spoken by two old boatmen last year.
The three new boatmen simply nodded, saying things like "Understood" and "We'll be careful."
Seeing their serious attitude, Feng Ye felt a little relieved.
But he also instructed the two veteran boatmen to keep a close eye on the new boatmen, especially the two novices.
Those with little experience in going to sea are more likely to make mistakes.
After finishing his last cigarette, Feng Ye threw the butt into the sea, turned around, and got into the driver's seat.
I thought Du Yulin would be the one to steer the boat, but it turned out to be Ye Chenliang.
"Has Uncle Du gone to sleep?"
"Yes, he said he was a little tired after sailing all afternoon and wanted to rest for a while, so he asked me to take over for him."
"Sailing and working on a boat are a bit different. It's dark and visibility is poor, so be careful."
"I know."
Ye Chenliang nodded, "Actually, the only difference is the speed, one is fast and the other is slow, but otherwise they feel pretty much the same."
"Then you are very wrong..."
Feng Ye sighed softly, then pointed out the precautions for sailing the boat at night.
Ye Chenliang had only ever sailed boats during operations and lacked experience in traveling at night.
During the day, one can observe the sea surface with their own eyes, supplemented by various instruments and equipment.
At night, the situation is reversed. People rely mainly on instruments and equipment, and the range of vision is limited to the distance that the lights at the bow can reach.
After explaining, Feng Ye said, "I'll leave the task of sailing the boat to you tonight. I'll keep an eye on things from the sidelines, and let me know if anything happens."
"Okay, no problem."
Ye Chenliang answered confidently, his face full of excitement.
"From now on, when it's my turn to be on duty, you'll be the one to drive the boat. Get some practice."
Feng Ye patted him on the shoulder, "If you can master the skills within this month, when we go fishing for small yellow croaker next month, I'll put you in charge of a boat all by yourself."
"Really, Ah Ye?"
Ye Chenliang's eyes widened in surprise, filled with anticipation.
"Why would I lie to you? Don't we have another ship, the Rising Sun? You'll be in charge of that ship then."
"Hey, wasn't that Rising Sun ship already rented out?"
"It was agreed when we rented it out last year that we wouldn't rent it out during the Yellow River fishing season and it had to be returned. You should train hard, and as long as you meet the requirements, the boat will be your responsibility."
Ye Chenliang blushed with excitement and nodded repeatedly, "I will definitely practice hard and live up to your expectations."
"Um."
Feng Ye nodded, then suddenly asked, "Are you a little disappointed that you weren't made the first mate this time?"
"Yes, to some extent, but I can understand. After all, I haven't been at sea for long and I lack experience. The first mate has a great responsibility, and I need more experience to be competent."
"It's good that you understand. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future. Let's take it one step at a time, first lay a solid foundation, and then practice our skills."
After saying that, Feng Ye sat down quietly to the side and watched Ye Chenliang operate the boat.
Ye Chenliang stared intently at the various instruments and the small patch of sea illuminated by lights outside the window, his hands firmly gripping the steering wheel, occasionally adjusting the course.
The crew members on the lower deck had been scooping up the small pipe for almost an hour before finally stopping, packing up their belongings, and going to their sleeping quarters to rest.
They have to get up early to work tomorrow, so they need to get enough sleep.
Feng Ye also went down to check on their catch, which was pretty good, about ten kilograms.
Without any hesitation, he blanched a small bowl of the food, then brought it to the driver's seat to share with Ye Chenliang.
Time slowly passed...
In the quiet night, apart from the roar of the engine, there was only the sound of waves crashing against the hull.
At 3 a.m., after sailing for a full eleven hours, we finally arrived at the designated work area.
After waking Du Yulin up to take over the shift and setting the trawl net, the two of them went to sleep.
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