21/06/2026
Right...
It's Father's Day.
And whether your old man taught you how to fish, drive a boat, reverse a trailer, tie a knot, start a fire, or simply how to swear properly when something breaks... today's for him.
Because let's be honest.
Most of us didn't just magically wake up one day obsessed with boats, fishing and spending entirely too much money on gear we absolutely don't need.
That addiction came from somewhere.
Usually Dad.
Think back for a second.
You're six years old.
Dad is in the garage the night before a fishing trip.
He's checking hooks.
Sorting tackle.
Making sure everything is ready.
And there you are.
Not helping.
Just standing there asking 47 questions a minute.
"What does this lure do?"
"Can I use this rod?"
"What's that hook for?"
"Why is that fish finder called a fish finder if it can't actually catch the fish?"
Dad somehow answers every single question without losing his mind.
Mostly.
Then comes the next morning.
Not morning.
Darkness.
The kind of darkness where even the birds are still sleeping.
And suddenly Dad is standing next to your bed.
"Come on."
It's 4am.
You think it's a human rights violation.
But somehow you end up in the car anyway.
Half asleep.
Holding a pie.
Living your best life.
Then you get to the water.
And within about fifteen minutes you've managed to create a fishing line tangle that scientists still can't explain.
Your line is wrapped around the reel.
The guides.
The rod.
Possibly another dimension.
Dad spends the next thirty minutes untangling it.
Gets you fishing again.
And five minutes later you've somehow done it again.
Every.
Single.
Time.
The man's patience should honestly be studied.
And let's not forget the safety lessons.
"Don't go near the water."
What do we do?
Go near the water.
"Don't climb there."
What do we do?
Climb there.
"Don't jump off that."
What do we do?
Jump off that.
In fact, some of us learned those lessons the hard way.
I still remember nearly drowning as a youngster after doing exactly what I was told not to do.
And guess who came flying in to save my backside?
Dad.
Because that's what dads do.
They're like emergency services with a braai tongs collection.
The thing is, when we're young we don't realise what's actually happening behind the scenes.
We don't see the sacrifices.
The fuel money.
The maintenance.
The long hours.
The planning.
The fact that Dad probably wanted to sleep in too.
We just remember the fun.
The fish.
The laughs.
The adventures.
The memories.
Only when we're older do we realise how much effort went into creating all those moments.
And maybe that's the greatest gift fathers give us.
Not the boat.
Not the tackle.
Not the fishing spots.
The memories.
The stories.
The love for the water.
The respect for the water.
The passion for this lifestyle we all enjoy today.
Some of you reading this are still young.
Cherish these moments.
One day you'll wish you could do just one more early morning launch with the old man.
Some of you have dads who are getting older.
Maybe a little grumpier.
Maybe a little slower.
Still cherish those moments.
One day you'll miss hearing him tell you you're doing it wrong.
And some of you no longer have your fathers around.
Today might be a difficult day.
But hold onto the good memories.
The fishing trips.
The boat rides.
The terrible jokes.
The life lessons.
The moments that made you who you are.
Because while boats get sold and rods eventually break, those memories never leave.
So here's to the dads.
The skippers.
The teachers.
The knot untanglers.
The fish finders.
The life savers.
The heroes we probably didn't appreciate enough at the time.
Happy Father's Day, manne.
And thank you, Dad.
