On this day in 1893

Under the headline “Extraordinary Sight on the Breakwater,” The Star of 17 August 1893 reported that at least 150 people had been lining Castle Breakwater every night for several days, “fishing with rods and ground lines, and hauling up high and dry, mackerel, horse mackerel and whiting in wonderful numbers. The sea below the breakwater, during the time mentioned, was literally alive with the fish which were distinctly observable swimming about in hundreds.”

There had been an unprecedented run on fishing tackle, said the paper, and “individual catched of 40 and 50 mackerel etc were not uncommon – in one instance a gentleman pulled up no less than four horse mackerel in three minutes.”

Most likely explanation was that a shoal of white bait, the mackerel’s food, had clustered close to the breakwater.

 

...and on this day in 1894

Royals visited Guernsey unannounced during Victoria’s reign. On 18 August 1894, The Star reported that “shortly after seven o’clock yesterday morning a large paddle steamer accompanied by a screw steamer was seen [in] the Russell. This steamer anchored in the outer roads, and news soon spread that this was Her Majesty’s Yacht the Victoria and Albert. It further transpired that on board the yacht… were His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Battenberg and the Princess Beatrice.”

Sadly for any excited onlookers, the royal party didn’t come ashore, but the Lieutenant-Governor, General Stevenson, was instead rowed out to meet them in a six-oared galley for an audience with the prince.