CARY JONES went to work in a salmon cannery right out of high school. After a couple of summers working there, he got on a salmon seiner. That was 1974. He has fished nearly every summer since, only taking a break when his children were born. He has fished halibut, black cod and herring as well, though he only fishes salmon these years. He has been privileged to fish with one of his best friends, Pete Schonberg, for the last 25 years! It's a family operation on his boat, the Equinox, with Pete's daughter and nephew on the crew too. Cary says, "It's been a blessing to fish with people I like. I look forward to every season!"
AUDIO
WRITINGS
I Never Heard the Whale's Song
I never heard the Whale's song,
As we set out the gear.
Just the rattle sound of diesel
from the skiff's John Deere.
I hadn't seen the whale-,
In the time before we set,
But THERE! He took a breath,
And was now headed for our net!
Didn't feel it hit the net,
Didn't see the corks go down,
So in my mind, I just hoped,
The Whale had gone around!
Been long enough, close up, capt said,
It musta have passed us by
And as soon as we did, that whale rose up,
and gave us the 'ol STINK EYE!
He rose up real slow
Till his eye was above the drink,
He gazed at us,
For a long while,
Plainly we were the ones that stink.
We opened up a space
between both ends,
I'm towing the boat away,
To make that whale my friend!
The crew reef's on the net,
The power block spins like mad,
The captin also wants no regrets,
'Cause mending would be bad!
There was a fear
That he may charge,
And spoil everybody's day,
But that cool- old- guy-
He just stood by,
While we hauled, to get out of his way!
A young, punk whale, might have powered thru
most likely a sure bet,
But this old guy was really cool,
We didn't have to fret!
It's good to work with experience,
this whale was really old school
We ALL know the best way,
Is to follow the golden rule!
Never saw that whale again,
Since him giving us the eye!
Kinda hoped he'd flip his tail,
So I could wave , GOOD BYE!
Two thoughts crossed my mind,
Glad it didn't go wrong,
And, I wondered what he was saying,
I never heard the whale's song.
_______________________
Karma
This poor fishing must be temporary,
They'll be coming again real soon.
It was only yesterday,
We'd made a grand by noon!
If you put 'em all together,
combined every set,
There wouldn't even be enough,
to cover up the deck!
Two years ago, when we came here,
In one day, sixty thousand pounds!
Today we are pretty lucky,
to have a thousand, in the round!
Some say, we are building karma,
So later, we'll catch fish!
But I say, we are paying Karma,
For those days past, when we got rich!
I never heard the Whale's song,
As we set out the gear.
Just the rattle sound of diesel
from the skiff's John Deere.
I hadn't seen the whale-,
In the time before we set,
But THERE! He took a breath,
And was now headed for our net!
Didn't feel it hit the net,
Didn't see the corks go down,
So in my mind, I just hoped,
The Whale had gone around!
Been long enough, close up, capt said,
It musta have passed us by
And as soon as we did, that whale rose up,
and gave us the 'ol STINK EYE!
He rose up real slow
Till his eye was above the drink,
He gazed at us,
For a long while,
Plainly we were the ones that stink.
We opened up a space
between both ends,
I'm towing the boat away,
To make that whale my friend!
The crew reef's on the net,
The power block spins like mad,
The captin also wants no regrets,
'Cause mending would be bad!
There was a fear
That he may charge,
And spoil everybody's day,
But that cool- old- guy-
He just stood by,
While we hauled, to get out of his way!
A young, punk whale, might have powered thru
most likely a sure bet,
But this old guy was really cool,
We didn't have to fret!
It's good to work with experience,
this whale was really old school
We ALL know the best way,
Is to follow the golden rule!
Never saw that whale again,
Since him giving us the eye!
Kinda hoped he'd flip his tail,
So I could wave , GOOD BYE!
Two thoughts crossed my mind,
Glad it didn't go wrong,
And, I wondered what he was saying,
I never heard the whale's song.
_______________________
Karma
This poor fishing must be temporary,
They'll be coming again real soon.
It was only yesterday,
We'd made a grand by noon!
If you put 'em all together,
combined every set,
There wouldn't even be enough,
to cover up the deck!
Two years ago, when we came here,
In one day, sixty thousand pounds!
Today we are pretty lucky,
to have a thousand, in the round!
Some say, we are building karma,
So later, we'll catch fish!
But I say, we are paying Karma,
For those days past, when we got rich!