4th day of Tet: Nghe An fishermen go out to sea to catch the first catch of the year

Coming to Lach Quen fishing port (Tien Thuy commune) on the 4th day of Tet, the atmosphere of seafood fishing was bustling. At the wharf, fishermen transported essential fishing tools including ice, gasoline, and machinery to the port to start a lucky trip to sea.

Captain Nguyen Van Trong from Quynh Nghia commune said that the 4th day of Tet was chosen as the day to set sail for fishing. All supplies and food were brought on board so that we could start the engine and set sail this afternoon.

At Lach Quen port, Tien Thuy commune (Quynh Luu), many vehicles are continuously transporting ice to the port. Photo: Viet Hung.

“Yesterday afternoon, the third day of Tet, we loaded 1,000 ice cubes onto the ship. As for fuel and food, we had prepared them during the year. Before the trip, we held a ceremony to worship our ancestors and the sea god, praying for a boat full of shrimp and fish at the beginning of the year,” said fisherman Trong.

According to the belief of fishermen in coastal areas, a smooth first voyage of the year will bring luck and success for the whole year, so the preparation work is carefully taken care of by the ship owner.

Fisherman Nguyen Van Manh pumps oil and clean water into the boat to prepare for departure. Photo: Viet Hung.

Fisherman Tran Manh Huy in Tien Thuy commune said that before returning home for Tet, he and his crew members performed maintenance on machinery and fishing gear. Although preparations were completed during the year, before setting sail on the fourth day of Tet, the crew still carefully checked the machinery and fishing gear on board.

"We believe that a lucky trip to sea at the beginning of the new year will bring good luck for the whole year, so before setting off, the most important thing is to hold a worship ceremony and check the machinery before going out to sea," said fisherman Manh.

To start the first trip of the year, before returning home for Tet, most of the fishermen prepare about 3,000 liters of oil in the ship's hold, and the machinery is carefully repaired and maintained. By the morning of the 4th day of Tet, they are only waiting for ice and food to be loaded onto the ship before they can go out to sea to catch seafood.

Nghe An fishermen catch fish. Photo: Thanh Yen

According to observations at Lach Quen and Lach Thoi fishing ports, on the 4th day of Tet, there were nearly 100 fishing boats ready to set sail for the first trip of the year of the Pig. Along with the spirit of setting sail for the first fishing trip of the year, fishing logistics services were also operating to meet the needs of the marine industry. Many gas stations and ice production facilities were open and operating continuously to provide fuel for fishing boats.