<I>

  <&>Wellington Corpus of Spoken New Zealand English Version One</&>
  <&>Copyright 1998 School of Linguistics & Applied Language Studies</&>
  <&>Victoria University of Wellington</&>

  <&>side one</&>
  <&>8:42</&>
  

  <WSC#DGI133:0005:IJ>
      ron dennis has been in the fishing game for over twenty years
      and he knows a few of the tricks

  <WSC#DGI133:0010:RD>
      course there's different ways of putting messages across to
      different friends <.>and</.> and the ones that are listening in
      sometimes don't get correct information about perhaps the fish
      <,> or <.>h</.> how they're working at <?>this</?> time
      <&>9:00</&>

  <WSC#DGI133:0015:IJ>
      yeah so <.>w</.> the fishermen would be a bit cagey about saying
      what er what they're catching and where they're catching it i
      suppose would they

  <WSC#DGI133:0020:RD>
      yes um i think that would be fair to say

  <WSC#DGI133:0025:RD>
      they're er almost always very correct with the weather though
      which is most important and <{><[>that's</[> the <.>main</.>

  <WSC#DGI133:0030:IJ>
      <[>yeah</[></{>

  <WSC#DGI133:0035:IJ>
      <?>mm</?>

  <WSC#DGI133:0040:RD>
      main VALUE perhaps of it is knowing what conditions are just
      about all the time because there's always someone around that
      can tell you <.>wheth</.> you know whether they're holed up in
      <.>am</.> anchorage somewhere or out at sea fishing <.>and</.>

  <WSC#DGI133:0045:IJ>
      yeah

  <WSC#DGI133:0050:RD>
      but they can be cagey about the fish side of things <{><[><?>yeah</?></[>

  <WSC#DGI133:0055:IJ>
      <[><O>laughs</O></[></{> er any codes?

  <WSC#DGI133:0060:IJ>
      i suppose that'd be one way of getting round it

  <WSC#DGI133:0065:RD>
      mm there's all sorts of ways <.>of</.>

  <WSC#DGI133:0070:IJ>
      mm <latch>

  <WSC#DGI133:0075:RD>
      getting a message through to you know when you're <.>g</.> when
      you've got a code of <.>some</.> <.>w</.> <.>different</.>
      everyone works it

  <WSC#DGI133:0080:IJ>
      yeah

  <WSC#DGI133:0085:RD>
      so they can say <.>c</.> certain things <.>about</.> and make
      certain comments about rugby games or <O>laughs</O> all sorts of
      things and er people will know what they're <O>voc</O> catching
      at the time yeah

  <WSC#DGI133:0090:IJ>
      and you used to fish <.>down</.> down <.>the</.> the south of
      the island <&>10:00</&>

  <WSC#DGI133:0095:RD>
      that's right yeah

  <WSC#DGI133:0100:IJ>
      and um i've heard it said that there's a distinct difference

  <WSC#DGI133:0105:IJ>
      you get down there and you almost have a feeling that <.>you're</.>
      you're kind of on the edge of the <.>arct</.> of the <laughs>antarctic</laughs>

  <WSC#DGI133:0110:IJ>
      is er just <.>what</.> what IS it like down there

  <WSC#DGI133:0115:RD>
      well it's probably as you say there isn't anything between there
      <.>and</.> other than a few rocks sticking up er and different
      islands right to the antarctic so the <.>c</.> the weather
      conditions of course at certain times can be atrocious

  <WSC#DGI133:0120:IJ>
      <softly>mm</softly> and <{><[>you</[> work in what kind of boats
      what size boats down there

  <WSC#DGI133:0125:RD>
      <[>yeah</[></{>

  <WSC#DGI133:0130:RD>
      almost all of them are around the forty six foot mark

  <WSC#DGI133:0135:IJ>
      mm

  <WSC#DGI133:0140:RD>
      forty six to fifty odd feet around that mark seems to be as far
      as crayfish are concerned are <?><.>th</.></?> you know the
      ideal unit

  <WSC#DGI133:0145:IJ>
      mm

  <WSC#DGI133:0150:RD>
      sizewise

  <WSC#DGI133:0155:IJ>
      now by its very nature cray fishing er is it dangerous when
      you're in heavy seas

  <WSC#DGI133:0160:RD>
      it can be dangerous yes um <drawls>er</drawls>

  <WSC#DGI133:0165:RD>
      pots are very heavy and they can go flying all round the place
      at times <.>if</.> <&>11:00</&> if you're not watching and sea
      conditions of course <O>inhales</O>

  <WSC#DGI133:0170:RD>
      i don't know whether a <.>l</.> a lot of people <.>un</.> know
      or understand the fact that <.>the</.> NORMALLY that er the
      rougher the conditions that you work in or can work in the
      better the fish are at the time

  <WSC#DGI133:0175:RD>
      they very seldom catch good fish in calm weather

  <WSC#DGI133:0180:IJ>
      so that means then that you'd be down there in some really rough
      weather <{1><[1><.>because</.></[1> <.>if</.> <.>if</.> if you
      want to get good fish <{2><[2>obviously</[2>

  <WSC#DGI133:0185:RD>
      <[1><.>yeah</.></[1></{1>

  <WSC#DGI133:0190:RD>
      <[2>right</[2></{2> yeah

  <WSC#DGI133:0195:IJ>
      so what's your memory of that er

  <WSC#DGI133:0200:IJ>
      is there a time or two when you thought you weren't going to get
      back

  <WSC#DGI133:0205:RD>
      oh yes and probably more than a few times er i've often wondered
      you know what are we actually doing here <O>laughs</O>

  <WSC#DGI133:0210:IJ>
      yeah

  <WSC#DGI133:0215:RD>
      because you know er <.>we've</.> i've lost a boat fifty two
      footer

  <WSC#DGI133:0220:RD>
      um in big seas one time we broke a <.>c</.> a tail shaft in it
      and er couldn't um manoeuvre the boat

  <WSC#DGI133:0225:RD>
      the boat was in good condition other than the propeller wasn't
      hooked to the boat er to the <.>m</.> engine

  <WSC#DGI133:0230:IJ>
      mm

  <WSC#DGI133:0235:RD>
      so er it went down and er we were very fortunate that there was
      another boat only an hour away from us to pick us up
      <&>12:00</&>

  <WSC#DGI133:0240:IJ>
      <O>tut</O> so what did you do in the meantime

  <WSC#DGI133:0245:IJ>
      you were just <.>y</.> <latch>

  <WSC#DGI133:0250:RD>
      we were in a <.>b</.> er we <.>g</.> got into the er <.>the</.>
      the dinghy and started rowing yeah

  <WSC#DGI133:0255:IJ>
      mm <latch>

  <WSC#DGI133:0260:RD>
      almost an hour probably and never moved so <,> you can only keep
      rowing for so long and of course um in the conditions when
      they're er big seas it's very hard to row because <,> er one oar
      can be right up to <.>the</.> <,> to the rowlock in water and
      the other one's flapping around and the next time the other
      one's full into the water so <.>it's</.> becomes hard

  <WSC#DGI133:0265:RD>
      three of us in the boat and um very fortunate to get out of it

  <WSC#DGI133:0270:IJ>
      so the boat went down <,>

  <WSC#DGI133:0275:RD>
      yeah <{><[>right <unclear>word</unclear></[>

  <WSC#DGI133:0280:IJ>
      <[>and you did what</[></{>

  <WSC#DGI133:0285:RD>
      what <.>y</.> um well then <.>b</.> um <.>b</.> went away and
      had a think about it for <laughs>a while</laughs> like you say
      and er had another one built

  <WSC#DGI133:0290:RD>
      we built another boat a forty six footer then um and fished it
      <.>for</.> <{><[><unclear>word</unclear></[>

  <WSC#DGI133:0295:IJ>
      <[>but i suppose <.>you've</.></[></{> you've got to go into
      debt to get the money to er <latch>

  <WSC#DGI133:0300:RD>
      yeah and we had it <{><[>under insured which</[> is normal when
      <&>13:00</&> we first er started out

  <WSC#DGI133:0305:RD>
      we you know er didn't have a lot of money so er we'd just
      finished doing a lot of work on it which we didn't increase <.>the</.>
      would have actually increased the value of <.>the</.> of the
      VESSEL but of course we didn't increase the value of the
      insurance and er cost us a lot

  <WSC#DGI133:0310:IJ>
      <[>you'd <.>get</.> you'd get insurance</[></{>

  <WSC#DGI133:0315:IJ>
      mm

  <WSC#DGI133:0320:RD>
      and of course then to buy a new boat comes in on top of <?>it</?>
      as well so it takes a number of years to get back on top of it

  <WSC#DGI133:0325:IJ>
      what's the worst weather you've ever experienced down there down
      <?>in the</?> south

  <WSC#DGI133:0330:RD>
      um once wind gets over sixty or seventy knots well that's very
      hard to know how fast it is blowing

  <WSC#DGI133:0335:RD>
      it physically just picks up the <.>top</.> the surface of the
      water and makes visibility you know down to say a hundred <.>or</.>
      or even <,> fifty metres and it's just <.>th</.> the wind taking
      the top off the waves and driving at it and it's just as thick
      as a fog so it becomes very um <,> very rough at times and
      you've got to be conscious of what's going on around you not
      just where you <&>14:00</&> are because it can go from five
      knots <.>to</.> <,> to er seventy five knots er you know in er
      in er fifteen minutes less

  <WSC#DGI133:0340:RD>
      sometimes it looked like just like a fog that was coming to you

  <WSC#DGI133:0345:RD>
      there would be that much wind in it

  <WSC#DGI133:0350:RD>
      at that stage normally the sea's still quite flat because it
      hasn't had time to build but <.>it's</.> you know the force of
      the wind is quite amazing

  <WSC#DGI133:0355:RD>
      you can't stand out on the deck or anything <{><[><?>so you <.>just</.></?></[>

  <WSC#DGI133:0360:IJ>
      <[>roaring</[></{> forties well <{><[>named <O>laughs</O></[>

  <WSC#DGI133:0365:RD>
      <[>exactly yeah</[></{> and you know the radars don't work

  <WSC#DGI133:0370:RD>
      it's just total blot out <,>

  <WSC#DGI133:0375:RD>
      the main problem <O>voc</O> with seas isn't so much the <.>am</.>
      amount of ROLL there is which is the <.>si</.> the size of <.>the</.>
      the waves

  <WSC#DGI133:0380:RD>
      it's the amount of tide flow that perhaps is running against it
      which steeps them up and makes them stand up <.>and</.>

  <WSC#DGI133:0385:IJ>
      mm

  <WSC#DGI133:0390:RD>
      they become very violent and you can have big seas with only
      three or four metres <.>of</.> of um waves but they're very
      steep and you can fall off them and you know <?>broach</?> or
      something running with them or something like that <&>15:00</&>

  <WSC#DGI133:0395:IJ>
      it's er true also at times that you'd er you'd be well almost
      overloaded with the um the <.>k</.> the kind of gear you're
      carrying with the cray pots and <{><[>so forth</[>

  <WSC#DGI133:0400:RD>
      <[>yes you</[></{> have to be very conscious of that

  <WSC#DGI133:0405:RD>
      it's too easy to um you know keep putting more and more onto a
      boat because you know in normal conditions <,> as i say normal
      conditions the boat's quite seaworthy but er as it gets er
      pitched and rolled um you know into greater levels of er ANGLE
      then you know <.>th</.> <.>y</.> you can do that

  <WSC#DGI133:0410:RD>
      big load of fish on deck can put you down and er it changes the
      stability of the boats but it's experience and er that's one
      thing you know as we all know you can't buy experience

  <WSC#DGI133:0415:IJ>
      mm <latch>

  <WSC#DGI133:0420:RD>
      <laughs>you</laughs> have to experience it and er and make the
      odd mistake and er <.>a</.> and hope that you come out of it at
      the other end <,>

  <WSC#DGI133:0425:RD>
      <drawls>the</drawls> people say about the <.>o</.> old time
      fishermen and er the types of weather that they used to work in
      <.>and</.> and of course um not for a minute suggesting that
      we're better fishermen <&>16:00</&> or better MEN <drawls>er</drawls>
      but that we work far bigger seas than they ever could work
      because we've got so much better GEAR

  <WSC#DGI133:0430:IJ>
      mm

  <WSC#DGI133:0435:RD>
      better boats designed more for specific jobs so the seas that
      <.>th</.> <.>we</.> the fishermen work in today are far greater
      than they ever could work in the old days <latch>

  <WSC#DGI133:0440:IJ>
      does that mean you're taking greater risks

  <WSC#DGI133:0445:RD>
      yes

  <WSC#DGI133:0450:RD>
      it becomes harder to make <.>a</.> a bob at the end of the day
      because you know the <.>t</.> the changing times like i mean a
      fisherman now has to be an accountant a solicitor <O>laughs</O>
      you <{1><[1>know an engineer</[1> a mechanic <.>and</.> all
      rolled into one

  <WSC#DGI133:0455:RD>
      <{2><[2><?>it's rough trying to make a bob</?></[2>

  <WSC#DGI133:0460:IJ>
      <[1>yeah yeah</[1></{1>

  <WSC#DGI133:0465:IJ>
      <[2>so is there pressure for</[2></{2> you to get out there <.>in</.>
      in seas that that you know you shouldn't really <{><[>be in</[>
      because you've got to make a buck

  <WSC#DGI133:0470:RD>
      <[>yes</[></{>

  <WSC#DGI133:0475:RD>
      yes that's um sure

  <WSC#DGI133:0480:RD>
      at the end of the day um it all revolves around the amount of
      money that you've turned over for the year and whether you're
      going to make a bob and er as i <.>s</.> er probably repeating
      myself <.>it</.> it seems to work that um the rougher the
      weather <?><.>as</.></?> certainly in the cray fishing line
      <&>17:00</&>

  <WSC#DGI133:0485:IJ>
      mm <latch>

  <WSC#DGI133:0490:RD>
      then er <.>th</.> you know the better the fish can be

  <WSC#DGI133:0495:IJ>
      have you gone out er in <.>t</.> er times when <.>you've</.>
      knew that you shouldn't really be out in those <{><[>seas</[>

  <WSC#DGI133:0500:RD>
      <[>yes</[></{> yeah

  <WSC#DGI133:0505:RD>
      er there isn't any fisherman that hasn't done that

  <WSC#DGI133:0510:IJ>
      mm

  <WSC#DGI133:0515:RD>
      that um you know he knows his ability the boat's ability and
      you're <.>w</.> <.>working</.> walking the old fine line at
      times of er you know of er whether you should be and shouldn't
      be and there are times when of course <.>you</.> you feel it's
      not right and you just don't go anyhow

  <WSC#DGI133:0520:IJ>
      now there have been times obviously for reasons that you've been
      talking about when people drown and er you know you have losses
      here <,> er loss to the stewart island community i suppose

  <WSC#DGI133:0525:IJ>
      how does the community handle that

  <WSC#DGI133:0530:RD>
      well <,,> the island itself and the people that have been here
      for a number of years in the fishing game become er <.>a</.> <O>voc</O>
      i suppose it's been said <O>laughs</O> lots of times before but
      <&>18:00</&> it's a big family so if there is a loss in ANY way
      to um <.>an</.> an individual islander then it becomes um a loss
      for the whole of the island very much so

  <WSC#DGI133:0535:IJ>
      mm

  <WSC#DGI133:0540:RD>
      they <drawls>um</drawls> <,> <O>voc</O> are very close the
      people here whilst they might be individuals

  <WSC#DGI133:0545:RD>
      i mean as far as tragedies and things like that go they are very
      close and the boat's only got to be in trouble and everyone no
      matter what they're doing at the time just down tools and it's
      all for looking after boats

  <WSC#DGI133:0550:RD>
      in fact i've seen er people that don't necessarily er enjoy one
      another company but er if there's problems or strife they just
      forget everything and it's just gone

  <WSC#DGI133:0555:IJ>
      now you'd remember particular events where people have been
      drowned

  <WSC#DGI133:0560:IJ>
      is there one that sticks in your memory

  <WSC#DGI133:0565:RD>
      oh yes there was um one in particular where we lost three in a
      brand new boat

  <WSC#DGI133:0570:RD>
      <.>he</.> <.>w</.> the skipper of the boat worked for me for a
      number of years here on the <&>19:00</&> island and eventually
      er went into partnerships and er <,> they were drowned with only
      forty hours of er on the motor of a brand new boat so er

  <WSC#DGI133:0575:RD>
      they had a lot of experience

  <WSC#DGI133:0580:RD>
      um they'd fished for years and just got caught out in a position
      and ended up er rolling the boat over and they all drowned yeah
      <,>

  <WSC#DGI133:0585:RD>
      very close friends

  <WSC#DGI133:0590:IJ>
      you're in competition <O>tut</O> <.>fishermen</.> between
      fishermen

  <WSC#DGI133:0595:RD>
      mm

  <WSC#DGI133:0600:IJ>
      um but you're also a community <.>in</.> in your own right

  <WSC#DGI133:0605:IJ>
      i suppose there's the two <.>a</.> two aspects to it <.>is</.>
      is there

  <WSC#DGI133:0610:RD>
      yes it's quite daggy you know the <.>b</.> <?>er</?> the way
      things happen

  <WSC#DGI133:0615:RD>
      er when everyone steps ashore <,> it's just one big family again
      and er you know they'd er give you their last sixpence <,> but
      they get out to sea and er look out <.>because</.> although it
      tends to have changed er a lot <O>voc</O> in the last few years
      because of quota because a fisherman has x amount of fish to
      catch <&>20:00</&> for the year so er he can just go and er
      catch that whenever it sort of suits or <latch>

  <WSC#DGI133:0620:IJ>
      mm <latch>

  <WSC#DGI133:0625:RD>
      when he's best suited to do it whereas before it was <.>we</.>
      you know it was open go

  <WSC#DGI133:0630:IJ>
      so how does the competition show at sea

  <WSC#DGI133:0635:IJ>
      what kind of things go on <,>

  <WSC#DGI133:0640:RD>
      <O>tut</O> i don't think there's anything perhaps physical that
      happens um

  <WSC#DGI133:0645:RD>
      you know <.>the</.> <,> the rapport <&>pronounced raypaw</&>
      between the fishermen here's generally pretty good

  <WSC#DGI133:0650:RD>
      er depends on the type of fish that they're catching

  <WSC#DGI133:0655:RD>
      the three main species of course are the paua and the blue cod
      and the crayfish

  <WSC#DGI133:0660:IJ>
      mm

  <WSC#DGI133:0665:RD>
      so sometimes you don't want the other guy to know what's
      actually happening because er or whereabouts because especially
      with crayfish they can be working quite well in one area and
      just half a mile away you won't catch a fish or even less of
      course

  <WSC#DGI133:0670:IJ>
      so how do you STOP someone knowing where you are what you're
      catching

  <WSC#DGI133:0675:RD>
      oh there's little tricks

  <WSC#DGI133:0680:RD>
      you see another boat come along side and <.>you've</.> you'll
      pick up a pot that you've had half an hour before and of course
      obviously it's got no crayfish in it

  <WSC#DGI133:0685:RD>
      when he goes away you go back to picking up the ones that have
      got fish in <.>and</.> <&>21:00</&>

  <WSC#DGI133:0690:IJ>
      <O>laughs</O>

  <WSC#DGI133:0695:RD>
      <laughs>yeah</laughs> <latch>

  <WSC#DGI133:0700:IJ>
      yeah

  <WSC#DGI133:0705:RD>
      you know there's lots of little things that you can do there or
      you can <.>dib</.> deliberately steam to a place and keep
      packing up gear that you know that you've got to put fresh bait
      in but there's no fish been working there in the last couple of
      days

  <WSC#DGI133:0710:IJ>
      <softly>mm</softly>

  <WSC#DGI133:0715:RD>
      and they do it the same too

  <WSC#DGI133:0720:IJ>
      yeah <&>21:12</&>
</I>
