cray tales (book)
Submitted by lastcast on Wed, 2014-09-17 22:29
hi y'all
Just started reading a book called cray tales (Annie de Monchaux, self published, 1998)
And I can't put it down. It's stories from the cray industry, from the earlies right through.
Francesco Bombara
Louis Krummenacher
Clive Edwards
Clive Willock
Clem Hill
Alf Valenti
Gerry Starling
The MacDonald family
Many more
Here's a quote: " people say 'oh mate, I wish I had your life.' Well you haven't. I've got it."
It's a ripper.
Rob H
Posts: 5806
Date Joined: 18/01/12
Just been to the funeral
Just been to the funeral today of one of the old legends from Rat Island, Jack McGilivray.
If you enjoyed Cray Tales then pop down to the Maritime Museum and get a copy of "Seeing Change". It was a travelling display put together by Jenny Shaw (sister of a good mate of mine) and dealt with effects of climate change at the Abrolhos as described by the various fisherpeople there, but evolved into as much about the social changes from the new quota system etc.
I think the display may have wound up (I saw it 6 months back or so) but the book is only about $5 and has plenty of magnificent pics in it.
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
roberta
Posts: 2773
Date Joined: 08/07/08
Yes love
that book, so interesting on the historyof the cray industry here in WA. I sent that book to a dear friend in America and he loved it, thankfully he sent it backafter reading it. Also a book on the history of trucking in WA.
Ginger Tablets Rock
carnarvonite
Posts: 8672
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Great read
Had a copy when it first came out and loved it, lent it to someone and never saw it again. Would recommend it to the younger ones interested in getting in to the industry to show what it was like in the early days. Can remember as a 17 yr old in Lancelin [still 21 yr old drinking age] having to get out of the pub because a local cockie had rung up to say the Gin Gin coppers were coming in their paddy wagon to check on the pub during the morning Sunday session. Everyone grabbed their jugs and glasses and climbed over the sandhill till they had gone then went back inside. The cars and utes were still parked out front but no one around except "The Pope", the pub owner.
Dale
Posts: 7930
Date Joined: 13/09/05
.
Hey John, did you know a guy name Don Fortune up there then? He was good mate of my old man. I think he was killed by a king wave.
Cheers
Dale
"Just because you are a Character, Doesn't mean you have Character."
Mr Wolf
carnarvonite
Posts: 8672
Date Joined: 24/07/07
67
Have probably met him but was in 67 when I did the season there.
Was working for Kevin Veale on Petermichris, a new boat on its first season up from Bunbury.
hezzy
Posts: 1521
Date Joined: 27/11/09
last cast if you enjoyed
last cast if you enjoyed ''cray tales ''
heres acouple more along the same lines , that you would probly enjoy
google these books called
''away with the albatross ''by john Allchin it is also about the early days from the Abrolhos islands starting after the war when pots where hand pulled and boats where small 18 foot wood jobbys ,
and '' shark bay legends ''by Russell cooper , he ran the Geraldton co op for a long time , it is about the shark bay fishery from the early days ,
full of great legends and yarns about fishing both of em
hezzy
OFW 11
evil flourishes when good men do nothing
lastcast
Posts: 218
Date Joined: 04/04/13
good tips thanks I'll chase them up - roberta -
what was the trucking book ?
roberta
Posts: 2773
Date Joined: 08/07/08
Hi Lastcast
The book is called Wheels of Progress, by Dennis Hancock. History of the road transport industry in Western Australia 1829 - 1983 Most probably more written by this author.
My friend in America loved the book as his Dad was stationed in Sydney during the second world war and loves everything Aussie. Chuck couldn't believe the vidoe's I told him to watch on youtube with the road trains etc. As the yanks don't have the massive roadtrains that we have here, even now. Where some of them have to go to remote out stations to deliver, even at the beginning of the wet season.
Ginger Tablets Rock
Gemma
Posts: 1
Date Joined: 22/10/14
Cray Tales - looking for the book
hi all,
Does anyone have a copy of the Cray Tales book for sale?
I have been looking everywhere but noone has it anymore... Would love to be able to get it copied for my partner.
Thanks
roberta
Posts: 2773
Date Joined: 08/07/08
Gemma
I googled cray tales the book and here is the link, it has sold out by Annie de Monchaux. Hope the link works.
cray tales
Ginger Tablets Rock
Devo1965
Posts: 120
Date Joined: 29/09/13
Angry Ghosts
I'm not a big reader and its takes a certain book to get me hooked, I also skipped every history lesson at school and many other classes. One book that did keep me interested was, Islands of Angry Ghosts about the Abrolhos history, ship wrecks and munities. I will also be looking for a copy of Cray Tails now as it gives you a different perspective and appreciation of these types of places.
Devo1965
Rob H
Posts: 5806
Date Joined: 18/01/12
If you liked Angry Ghosts,
If you liked Angry Ghosts, go to your library and get "The wreck on the half moon reef", "Marooned" about Abraham Leeman and the Vergulde Draek.
Both facsinating reading about dealing with such situations here in WA 400 yrs ago.
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
Chasin' Tail
Posts: 37
Date Joined: 14/03/13
Have just finished reading
Have just finished reading 'Islands Of Angry Ghosts' and 'The Wreck On The Half moon Reef'
Both are an awesome read, I'm definitely not a book person but couldn't put either of them down.
Makes you want to do a bit more exploring over there rather than just fishing!!
Rob H
Posts: 5806
Date Joined: 18/01/12
go for Marooned
go for Marooned next
http://indigitrax.org.au/dutch-survivors/abram-leman-van-sandwick.html
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
Dale
Posts: 7930
Date Joined: 13/09/05
Try Batavia by Peter Fitzsimons, amazing story and I done it as an audio book, and I couldn't turn it off.
"Just because you are a Character, Doesn't mean you have Character."
Mr Wolf
Rob H
Posts: 5806
Date Joined: 18/01/12
the problem I have with that
the problem I have with that particular book and another about the HMAS Sydney, is that it interweaves fact and fiction.
And with these stories I much prefer to know what really happened even if there is a blank spot in the middle, thats just me though.
I love going to the Islands and being able to say to the kids "such and such happened right here on this spot 390 years ago"
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.