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| Six Men's Bay. An 11 x 14 Acrylic Painting by Mark Phillips |
I completed this painting earlier this year. This was the first in my fishing boat collection. I did this on a smaller canvas as I wanted it to sell at a price that was affordable to everyone. Like all of my 11 x 14 pieces, this piece is only Bds $400.00 and can be hung without a frame, however, as it is of a standard size, frames are readily available.
Six Men's Bay is one of the few traditional fishing villages left in Barbados. It is located on the North West Coast of Barbados, in the parish of St. Peter.
Six Men's Bay developed as a fishing village towards the end of the 19th century and to this day Bajan fishermen still regularly bring their hauls into the bay to be sold at the local Six Men's Fishing Complex.
Due to its northerly location, Six Men's Bay is one of the less busy West Coast beaches in Barbados, perfect for those of us who enjoy peace and quiet. There is a wide sandy beach and restrooms and showers at the Six Men's Beach facility makes it the perfect location for a family day out or a picnic. Years ago, this was a favourite Sunday lime. I would cook Sunday lunch and pack it in the trunk of the car and my wife, the children and I would spend many a Sunday afternoon at Six Men's and the nearby Heywoods Beach. Alas, the children are all grown and that way of life is but a fond memory.
Six Men's Bay represents the best of what Barbados used to be. Visiting Six Mens is akin to stepping back in time. An ideal place to slow down and "chill". The Six Men's Bay community has not let development rob it of its unique Bajan character. You can still see the local boat builders repairing their small wooden fishing boats or even building new boats on the beach, using the wood from the Barbados mahogany tree.
The Barbados fisheries sector is a significant contributor to the local economy. Fishing in Barbados provides employment and income, directly and indirectly, for an estimated 6,000 people made up of mainly small entrepreneurs. The Barbadian fishing fleet consists of mainly wooden vessels, some of which fish on a daily basis, and a much larger trawler-type, which stays at sea for several days. The smaller boats are referred to as, "day-boats". That’s because they usually spend one day at a time at sea, while the larger vessels are called, "ice-boats" because they carry large supplies of ice and can spend days at sea without returning to shore.
I have a lot of respect for anyone who makes a living working on a fishing boat. On a few occasions, I have spent some time on a day boat and I can personally attest to the fact that it is no picnic. I was first introduced to life on fishing boats in Skeete's Bay, St. Philip when I was a youngster, so I don't get violently seasick, (anymore).
Early, one Sunday morning, about 15 years ago, I accompanied a friend visiting from the U.S.A and Evvy, a local boat owner, on a fishing boat out of Weston, St. James. We rowed out to the boat on a small "moses", (small wooden canoe), and climbed onto the boat with our lines and our bait Throughout that trip, I remember having that very uncomfortable feeling in my stomach that all but the most seasoned mariners still feel every time they venture into deep, choppy water on what is no more than a few pieces of wood held together with a hope and a prayer.
My friend, Derrick, fared a lot worst. I believe that it was his vomit that attracted the first flying fish! We spent about 4 hours out and caught a couple dozen flying fish and 2 small dolphins, (Mahi Mahi, not Flipper). We shared them among ourselves when we returned to shore.
I cannot remember a more satisfying Sunday morning!
I leave you with the words of the inimitable Karl Marx.
"Sell a man a fish, he eats for a day, teach a man how to fish, you ruin a wonderful business opportunity." Karl Marx
As always, thank you for reading, I appreciate the comments and the kind words of encouragement. Until next time when I will share some more of my work with you, please leave a comment. And, I will really appreciate if you share this post with your friends. To make sure that you don't miss any future posts, Please enter your email address in the subscribe by email box on the right.
