Old fishermans & way of life dont die- they just fade away

This is a picture of a Man. Old Man with few of his friends from Dalmatian Islands and Coast long ago started fishing at Pacific from Peru, Panama to San Diego. Boats were small. Nets were mended of cotton and tarred with tar. Power block haven't been invented yet. This will go to the early part of twentieth Century and also Dalmatian Man Mr. Puretich. He was fisherman too and he was getting tired seining by hand. If at that time one set is made , it was good day to bring the net back on the stern. This was done in order: first you make bunch and braille fish on the deck. Than, all the net have to go by double up and down until very first part is properly set at stern and rope with lead weights and rings stored properly. This will last double, single, double single until bunch was on the top and rope called caldofero pulled through the rings. Mind you , seining winch wasn't invented yet. Winch in use has one single drum and one double drum. Dangerous job, mind you. Pursing was done by hand . net was recovered by single and double. No joker's on the net. But that people persevere. Italians, Primotas, Spaniards from San Pedro and San Diego were in that job too. That was the way they lived at home and that's the way of living they knew. Changes were coming slowly. Cotton nets were replaced by nylon. Two manual drums winches replaced by three drum independently driven winches, Puretich Power block was invented. That was the days when boats didn't have air conditioning,food refrigerators but ice boxes.No checks and contracts. It was enough if Old Man come and either ask or promise. That was the time when man was worthy as much as his word was strong. And all knew to their word is worth gold.
I wonder how many of Old timers that remember that times are still around.

Thames passes by so fast and kids grow up. Old man have sons and one was good in business and other one was good as Port engineer. First one was Lawrence Zuanich and second was John Zuanich. They continue to build company and at beginning was all going nicely and fine. Old Man was around and give advice, new boats were built, new seiners acquired, purchased from other owners that decided to give up. On the end fleet was made from 13 ships for names check one of previous blogs.
Lawrence is someplace in Peru, in real estate business.I also heard to he has beer brewery in Lima but I cant confirm that.

John was always busy in Port and one or two of seiners in the shipyard. Always willing to listen to good ideas. Last I heard he is in Hawaii and work for shipyard, starting all again in life.

This is Lawrence now , someplace in Peru.This picture make me think where is his wife Yolanda. She was young, smart , conservative and good family caretaker.

This is a Big Z in Apra Harbor on Guam in early ninety's.Z company was brought to its knees from multiple reasons that still killing seiner owners.

As per some people whom say to Lawrence become greedy with the time, as per others tuna market start crushing and Z Company get ower extended and defaulted. Once that happen all credits faucets were gone dry, US National Marine Fisheries pull the plug and repo the mortgaged vessels. This is the reason and I am most inclined to belived was intention to build Canery in Papua New Guinea. Rumors say to bosses of Star Kist , and other canneries at that time still USA owned, told Lawrence to leave cannery busyness to them and if he need money for more ships they will let him have. This same rumors say to he rejected and price of fish start to drop for a continuous two years and he was forced in bankruptcy.

Third reason for possible failure was DEA discovery of cocaine smuggling in tuna seiners. I was witness for few searches in Apra Harbor with K9 units. Nothing was found as we were fishing good and fast, will be returning in Guam so fast to sometime we waited for reefers to come and take fish.

Final blow was when all money run out. Vessels were arrested every where by Marshals and hold by Admiralty Law Attorneys with crew on them until solutions were found or vessel was sold or taken back to San Diego and sold there. Leaving mostly to South American fleets. While we were taking care of this beautiful ships, they were ranked as best up kept fleet in private hands in the World.

I have sad opportunity to see some of the now- I believe to that will put tears in Old Man eye, some of them become just plain rust buckets.

But that is the way of today World. That remind me of General Mac Arthur last speech in West Point, only I will rephrase the as:" Old fisherman and way of life don't die, they just fade away."