CAUGHT COLD IN GROGANS HOLE 26-12—16 CK

DUTIFULLY PUSHING A TROLLEY ALONG IN WOOLWORTHS RECENTLY, I SAW ON DISPLAY IN THE SEAFOOD SECTION  SOME RATHER UNDERSIZE SOUTHERN CRAYFISH[ AS DISTINCT FROM OUR EASTERN CRAYS] AND IT TOOK ME BACK TO AN INCIDENT INVOLVING MYSELF AND A COUPLE OF MATES BACK ABOUT 1973.

ONE COLD SATURDAY MORNING ABOUT 8.30 OR SO, I MET UP WITH A COUPLE OF DIVING MATES. JOCK MCPHEE AND HIS BROTHER –IN- LAW WALLY MALONEY, TO DO A LITTLE LOOK FOR A CRAY OR TWO, IN A LOCALITY KNOWN AS GROGANS HOLE, WHICH IS THE ORIGINAL NAME FOR THE LITTLE BAY JUST THIS SIDE OF THE DIGGERS CLUB. WE’D SNORKELLED THERE FOR SOME YEARS. WELL, JOCK HAD TO GO HOME EARLY FOR A BUSINESS MEETING, AND HE’D LEFT A LITTLE CRAY HE’D CAUGHT, IN WALLY’S BAG. WE GOT IN THE WATER, BUT FOUND NO MORE. WE GOT OUT OF THE WATER AND WERE WARMING UP IN THE SUN WHEN WE NOTICED A BLOKE WITH BADGES ON HIS SHOULDERS COMING TO TALK TO US.HE TURNED OUT TO BE A FISHERIES INSPECTOR. HE SEEMED A NICE SORT OF FELLOW UNTIL HE PULLED A TAPE MEASURE OUT. WELL, HE THEN INFORMED US IN THAT PARTICULAR MANNER THAT THEY HAVE BEEN TAUGHT, THAT WE HAD IN OUR POSSESSION, TO WHIT  AN UNDER SIZED, NINE AND A QUARTER INCH LONG, CARAPACE TO TAIL TIP, EASTERN CRAYFISH, WHICH SHOULD HAVE MEASURED NINE AND A HALF INCHES AT THOSE POINTS.  SO HE HAD US COLD.

IN DUE COURSE A SUMMONS WAS RECEIVED INTRUCTING US TO ATTEND MANLY COURTHOUSE [ I’VE SAVED MINE ] ON A DAY SPECIFIED TO ANSWER A CHARGE OF HAVING  AN .

ILLEGAL, UNDERSIZE EASTERN CRAYFISH IN OUR POSSESSION

WELL, WE ARRIVED,AT THE COURT HOUSE, WALLY, A TALLER BLOKE,IN A WILD BROWN HOUNDSTOOTH SPORTS COAT WITH A TIE, AND MYSELF, MORE CONSERVATIVELY DRESSED.

SHARP AT 9 AM ,IN FRONT OF MANLY COURT HOUSE, OUR NAMES WERE CALLED;  EVEN BEFORE ALL THE VARIOUS OTHER MISCREANTS, TO BE FIRST TO FRONT THE LAW. SO WE WERE MARCHED IN.

OUR NAMES WERE READ OUT, WE REPLIED ‘YES, PRESENT.’AND THE CHARGES WERE READ OUT.

THE JUDGE SAID’ WHAT HAVE YOU GOT TO SAY’AND I VOLUNTEERED TO GO FIRST.

‘YOUR HONOUR,WE HAD THIS CRAYFISH IN OUR POSSESSION, NOT CAUGHT BY US. I MUST SPEAK FOR MR MALONEY, HE IS A NEW DIVER, HE’S NEVER CAUGHT ANYTHING YET , SO IT;S NOT HIS FAULT’

‘WHAT HAVE YOU GOT TO SAY MR MALONEY?’ SAYS THE JUDGE.     AND WALLY SAYS,  ‘’ WELL SIR , IT’S TRUE THAT I’VE NEVER CAUGHT ANYTHING YET,BUT I WILL KEEP TRYING AND I WILL CATCH SOMETHING ONE DAY.’’  THE BLOKE WHO WAS RECORDING ALL THIS   WAS MAKING STRANGE NOISES AS WAS THE POLICEMAN WITH US.

THE JUDGE SAID ‘’WELL I WONT RECORD ANY CHARGES AGAINST YOU,BUT THERE WILL BE COURT COSTS, AND NEXT TIME YOU GO DIVING YOU SHOULD TAKE A RULER.!! NEXT.!