It was late november, cold, wet and windy – obviously the ideal day to check out a new Essex carp syndicate water.
After two hours driving my friend Richard and myself found our way to a new syndicate water in north Essex. It was a very impressive-looking water and a small group of potential syndicate members were already setting up at various points around the lake. I proceeded to unpack the mountain of gear out of the boot of the car. Was I really only here for a day? I asked myself.
With the gear stacked beside the car I went over to the clubhouse to introduce myself to the syndicate owner. Then I decided to check out the water temperature and condition, not realising that the sloping bank that I was walking down was indeed a boat slipway.
Halfway down the slope Richard and the syndicate owner turned round just in time to see me disapear below the surface of the water!
Panic set in, but I emerged at the surface amid calls from people on the bank to swim to the jetty where there was a ladder. The problem was that I weigh 15 stone in my birthday suit. Add wellies, tracksuit, an all-in-one thermal suit, and you can imagine I was heavy. However, I managed to doggy-paddle to the jetty where I was dragged out by several people.
I didnt know where to put my face. Richard was wetting himself with laughter and once I got out of the water I saw the funny side and everyone on the bank joined in the raucous laughter.
The problem was that it was cold and windy and I was half drowned. I managed to beg and borrow some clothes (looking like an Oxfam window mannequin) and proceeded to set up and had a thoroughly enjoyable fishing session.
I’m now known as Greenpeace to the other members and am the topic of many a pub story!
