Hands On

Artist’s Statement: D J Wilson, LRPS

At Hermanus New Harbour, the fishermen haul up a heavy crayfish trap, their teamwork unfolding in rhythm with the tide. The sunlight catches their faces and the taut rope, a symbol of shared strength and perseverance. Every line, every hand, is an unspoken language of life by the sea — hard work, cooperation, and resilience in the rhythm of the harbour. “Hands On” captures the essence of human labour by the water — raw, real, and essential.

The ropes are rough with memory,

salt and sun stitched in each strand,

hands move like waves in practiced grace,

pulling the sea to land.

The traps rise heavy with silence,

their iron mouths dripping blue,

and faces turn toward morning light—

hard lines softened by what they do.

No words are needed, only motion,

a nod, a lift, a lean, a pull,

each gesture binds one man to another,

each catch a promise made full.

The sea gives only to the willing,

and these men take what’s earned, not found;

their labour hums like a harbour bell—

steady, strong, and sound.