I debated whether to put this on line today as I feared people would consider me as a potential cast member in the remake of "one flew over the cuckoos nest". However balancing that against the inevitable "that blokes a nutter" comments' I felt the incident worthy of recording.
After yesterdays slow match I thought I would give the lake another go for a few hours this afternoon. All alone on the same peg 7. I had a couple of roach straight off, over the area that I baited in the match yesterday. Suddenly although not a warm day the air around me seemed to drop in temperature and send a hair raising chill up my spine.
As my deceased mother use to say "somebody walked over your grave son".
All noise of wildlife and birdsong had ceased and even the ripples on the lake stilled themselves leaving a glass type surface to the lake. On the far side of the lake a light bluey mist coiled gently off the lake surface and mingled with the falling leaves. Which by the way were falling in almost slow motion.
I have had moments like this before (not just when I am fishing) when every detail of the world around me is visible in almost microscopic format. To the extent that like some deranged entomologist; I can see insects going about their business in perfect clarity. Trees have a coloured hue edging every leaf and I feel as if I can feel the life - the very process of photosynthesis - pulsing through the immediate ecosystem surrounding me.
The mist moved off gently to the right although there was no indication of a breeze to push it. Indeed, contrary to its movement everything else maintained its perfect stillness. As the mist passed opposite peg 10 I lost view and the world regained its status quo.
The sky was that autumnal Tupperware grey, the threat of rain but in general conditions gave no indication normally associated with mist rising from warm water into a fast dropping air temperature. Whilst conditions were neutral the "feel" of the area had changed Still no wildlife or birdsong, no snapping of twigs, no sight of the local Kingfisher or Yellow wagtail.
Just a stillness................
I lifted and lowered my rig again and rubbed my ears as the motion didn't register audibly with me. Had I gone deaf? I snapped my finger next to my ear and could hear that but it seemed anything outside of my immediate proximity was mute.
Moments later, I was jolted by a whisper that was clearly a voice but incomprehensible and inarticulate. I span round on my box thinking one of the normal crowd had sneaked up on me and was trying to give me a fright. But there was no one there. "Hello" I said "is anyone there". "Spanners stop pissing about, and come out". But the silence was deafening. I shook it off, sat down and tried to concentrate; but an unease had got under my skin.
A few minutes passed and still the lake remained eerily calm. Until I heard again a mumbled voice off to my right. Putting down the waggler rod I stood and challenged the empty space around me. Stop F'in around whoever you are. I looked back toward the lake entrance nothing, and getting of my seat I looked down in the woods behind me, but could see nothing.
Normal conditions returned the stillness abated and I cast again. The float dipped and a pristine roach came to hand. I was just thinking how I was going to regale the tale to friends at tonight's committee meeting when I heard a gentle cough to my right.
Fully expecting to see my tormentor laughing at their prank, there was nothing there. Except that is for the same blue hue of mist I had seen moving gently away to peg 10 on the far bank earlier. Stillness returned.
Whilst slightly uneasy, I had no feelings of fear at viewing this phenomenon, and scrabbled around trying to find where I put my ever faithful camera. Despite only charging the battery last night the camera seemed dead.
The mist stopped at peg 8, just of the peg on the slope up to the path. In way to high a voice I spoke. Why I don't know. It resembled no particular form. "Hello, can I help?" Jeez you idiot I said to myself your losing it talking to mist for Christ sake.
It must have been my imagination. Perhaps my sugar levels were out of whack; but I am sure it began to form the shape of someone sat on a stool. Yes I know your thinking Gary's been sniffing the glue again, but I know what I saw. No facial features were distinct except for what appeared to be a pipe at what could been head level. Again I am sure I could smell my Fathers Clan pipe tobacco; but he never fished to my knowledge.
The moment was shattered as a Carp crashed on the surface sending bow waves down the lake. As I looked toward it, all birdsong and normal sounds returned and the rain began to fall steadily. I looked back and nothing was there; the moment had passed.
Summary and disclaimer
I am not for one moment suggesting the lake is haunted; and I am sure it was all my imagination. You judge.
I felt unease but completely safe through the whole event and never once did I feel threatened. I don't really believe in ghosts. Its not as if the lake is hundreds of years old like some old estate lake. With all the accompanying spooky stories to bring in the punters. In fact the lake has no history to my knowledge other than that it was a reservoir for the local farmer. Purposely dug out to irrigate his potatoes.
I will say, once roughly a decade ago I was out in the moonlight on a crystal clear frosty night when a similar mist appeared on the woodland track before me. My dogs shrank back and growled in a guttural way and point blank refused to move forward. I did indeed walk through the mist that night with no effect, no ecto-plasm stuck on my face no effect at all at that moment**.
Interestingly my dogs refused to walk through the mist but skulked around it giving it a wide berth continuing to growl tails down, until we were some 50 yards away.
** Although there was no effect that night; the following morning parts of my beard where as white as snow. They weren't like that when I went to bed............?
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