Our 2022 season is all about L’encesa, an ancient fishing art from the area of our Marina Alta. We pay tribute to all those encesers who risked their lives every winter night with the Enceser story. Today chapter 10: enceser. "I have lived a whole season being an enceser. I have been fishing using the encesa for more than two months. After a lot of cold, fear, falls, thefts and many things learned afterward, I have gone from entering this world out of necessity to being hooked on it. I got caught up in this dangerous passion [...]

Our 2022 season is all about L’encesa, an ancient fishing art from the area of our Marina Alta. We pay tribute to all those encesers who risked their lives every winter night with the Enceser story. Today chapter 9: End of winter. "One morning at the end of February I woke up at home to the pleasant sound of the first birds that dared to sing after the long rainy and cold season. The countryside was also waking up little by little from its lethargy and we could already see some buds in the orchard, deep green [...]

Our 2022 season is all about L’encesa, an ancient fishing art from the area of our Marina Alta. We pay tribute to all those encesers who risked their lives every winter night with  the Enceser story. Today chapter 8: The Sea. "I didn’t tell my wife anything about my haul being stolen by a few pirates last week so as not to worry her any more than she already was about the dangers of fishing. She seemed in very low spirits lately due to the stress of all these weeks of work and worry. The l’Encesa season was coming to [...]

Our 2022 season is all about L’encesa, an ancient fishing art from the area of our Marina Alta. We pay tribute to all those encesers who risked their lives every winter night with  the Enceser story. Today chapter 7: Pirates "Although none of the encesers, or fishermen, in my circle knew anyone who had been attacked, there were pirates in the area and they would often steal the L’encesa night hauls. Being very guarded as I am, I had already incorporated several security measures into my routine. I wouldn’t take the fish we preserved in salt home, but would store [...]

Our 2022 season is all about L’encesa, an ancient fishing art from the area of our Marina Alta. We pay tribute to all those encesers who risked their lives every winter night with  the Enceser story. Today chapter 6: The market. "My wife and daughter would sell the entire harvest we got from our field and orchard at the village markets of Marina Alta; seasonal fruit and vegetables which were displayed for sale. It was very competitive. Each market day was a real burst of aromas, colours and textures. The gold of the Muscat grape contrasted with the dull maroon [...]

Our 2022 season is all about L’encesa, an ancient fishing art from the area of our Marina Alta. We pay tribute to all those encesers who risked their lives every winter night with  the Enceser story. Today chapter 5: For a better life. "Marina Alta is a rainy area compared with others in Alicante and that Friday 3rd February was the sixth rainy day in a row. That Friday was the day I almost lost my life. I had been practically unable to work in the field all week; the hard rain had flooded the orchard and the only thing [...]

Our 2022 season is all about L’encesa, an ancient fishing art from the area of our Marina Alta. We pay tribute to all those encesers who risked their lives every winter night with  the Enceser story. Today chapter 4: My fishery. "January is coming to an end and I have spent two weeks learning the ancient fishing technique called l'Encesa. I have brought home good money. I get a truce with money issues. I am exhausted, but happy. I don't have enough life to thank my hosts for this opportunity to fish in their fishery. Now it's time [...]

Our 2022 season is all about L’encesa, an ancient fishing art from the area of our Marina Alta. We pay tribute to all those encesers who risked their lives every winter night with the Enceser story. Today chapter 3: The first night. "The last ray of sun hiding towards the valley of Xaló tells me that the time has come. Yesterday I decided that this cold, wet January night would be my first night as enceser. I have been talking with encesers for several days, learning from their experiences, getting to know the work. I'll be fishing with a couple [...]

Our 2022 season is all about L'encesa, an ancient fishing art from the area of our Marina Alta. We pay tribute to all those encesers who risked their lives every winter night with the Enceser story. Today chapter 2: Orchard and Sea. “With each step on the cold and damp earth of the terrace my feet sink a little more. After a whole week of strong rain and low temperatures, my garden is a disaster. This year's harvest will be a real disaster. Every time I raise my head I see the Mediterranean and I think about [...]

Our 2022 season is all about L’encesa, an ancient fishing art from the area of our Marina Alta. We pay tribute to all those encesers who risked their lives every winter night with the Enceser story. Today chapter  Today chapter 1: The day I learned about l’encesa. "The sun had not yet touched that heart-leaf from our vineyards as I finished adjusting the lace of my espadrille, seated on my old wooden chair under the reed pergola that presided over the family’s orchard. In the background, the Mediterranean Sea. My bones still numb from the humidity and winter cold, [...]