My life as a poacher

I was about 10years old when our family started going for holidays to Hawston,a town off the N2 just before you get Hermanus. I remember seeing youngsters about 18years of age owning two cars and spending money as if it grew on trees. I always dreamed of having what they had and not too long after that,the dreams soon turned into reality. I always loved the see and so diving came easy for me.

It was in the year 2000,on a Saturday afternoon when I started my career as a poacher. I was 18years old and knew nothing of how I was going to execute this operation but I survived. Living in Atlantis, melkbos strand was the closes beach I knew I would get abalone and lots of it. I went into the see water and after an hour came out with about 5kilos of abalone,then valued at about R1500.What more could an 18year old want,to work 1hour and earn a weeks wages.

Three years after that I got caught at the same beach I started poaching. I spent two days in jail until I appeared in court. I had an option of paying R10 000 or six months in prison,I paid the money. I stopped poaching for about 3months but then started again. They say,the love of money is the root to all evil,its true. I poached for about 3years or more after that full-time when at times a earned as much as R10 000 in an half hour,it was good money but it never lasted,because at that time I started using drugs.I hope you guys enjoyed this blog and enjoy this journey with me.