Grunter hunters flourish on Sunshine Coast
Our Eastern Cape coast is replete with rivers full of Spotted Grunter. What a joy. Those who know me are well aware that catching these fine pisces is a passionate pastime for me.
In Pondoland this fabulous species goes by the name of nKonkolo they are a beautiful representation of the toughness, tenacity and beauty of our country.
My friend Mark Caldwell asked me if I would guide his friend Stuart Newell into some nKonkolo.
Marc met Stuart by chance alongside a reservoir somewhere in Hong Kong while they were fishing and they have been friends for a long time.
Stuart has lived in Hong Kong for close to 40 years.
Originally from Cambridge, UK, he still has an accent.
Stuart studied for and qualified with an applied physics degree and then, strongly influenced by the 60s and 70s, he went travelling.
Odd-jobbing along from picking grapes, being a beach masseur, making necklaces and tourist trinkets, English teacher and radio news reader he made enough to eke out an existence, party with locals and keep on travelling.
In no particular order Stuart has seen France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Thailand, Bangkok and SA to name a few.
A more interesting and chap you will struggle to find.
He ended up semi-settling Kong.
Along the line Stuart became a journalist reporting on new product reviews.
Soon enough, Caldwell jokes, Stuart joined the “dark side” and moved into PR or as Caldwell quips “a liar for hire”.
As events gravitated, Stuart moved off on his own into PR with his fledgling client Microsoft and Cisco Systems as the internet was just getting started. (Only text could be transferred and graphics were not even part of the interface yet.)
Stuart was convinced that this was the future so he climbed into the PR and bought himself a bunch of shares.
Ho! ho! ho! He retired at the age of 48 and when he came fishing with me now at age 63 he was full of mirth and happy to catch Spotted Grunter.
Stuart has jolly good taste in music from the Beatles, Stones, The Who, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple to Humble Pie.
His humour aligns with Monty Python, Faulty Towers, Black Adder and Eddie Izzard him.
He is an entrepreneur opportunist of note and quipped, “I have never been afraid to move on. I have just lived it”.
“The biggest danger for people is security.
“People give up so much for security. Fear gets in the way of adventures, travel and business opportunity,” he said.
It was my good pleasure to show Stuart some of the best of our coastline, including drinking fine ale with British royalty.
OK this royalty was really a poster of Prince Alfred, second son of Queen Victoria, and a Kowie Gold beer at the Wharf Street pub and restaurant on the banks of the Kowie River, which also happens to be filled with Spotted Grunter.
It was a whale of a time. Welcome to the Eastern Cape Stuart!
Today, Saturday is a darling of a day. Light west wind on 1.6m at 13 seconds period in the morning begs for a dawn surf at Nahoon Reef on the spring low tide. Light east wind in the afternoon is a fine time to surf Glen Eden or go fishing.
On Sunday, a light east wind turns light westerly. Considering the ripping winds we have had lately, a few waves at Chintsa and a celebratory braai thereafter may be a good option. Enjoy!