In the Voices of the River series, we take a journey down the St. Johns River and hear from the people who depend on the river for their living, or whose lives are changed because they live close to it.
In the first part of the series we hear from Anita Johnson, a retired fourth-generation fisher from the New Berlin area of Jacksonville.
She’s lived in New Berlin her entire life, and she says she remembers a time when life on the river was much simpler.
Johnson says New Berlin was more than a community. She says it was a family neighborhood.
“There was life and excitement.” Johnson said.
She says the neighborhood would light up when the boats came in from the river. People would wait to see what the fishers caught during the day.
“Everybody would come out to the patio to see what we caught,” Johnson said. “It was exciting just to see how many fish you had.”
Johnson says the shipping industry changed the neighborhood.
“They will run over you,” Johnson said. “When they took away the fishing industry, and people had to go elsewhere for employment, the community died.”
“Everybody would come out to the patio to see what we caught,” Johnson said. “It was exciting just to see how many fish you had.”
She says buying fish is much more expensive, and several people in the community can no longer afford it.
“When they were inexpensive or free, everybody could eat, but when we are paying $15 for a dozen of crabs, who do you think [is] going [to] get some?” Johnson said.
She says she remembers going out on her mother’s dock when she was a child. She says all she had to do to catch a fish was lower a piece of string with piece of bait into the water.
Johnson says fishing on the river is addictive.
“I mean it’s hard work, but it’s the most fun you could have,” Johnson said.
She says some of her favorite memories include spending time alone out on the river.
“I loved being out in the middle of the river, away from all humans, looking up at the sky, communicating with God, and hearing the water lap up against the side of the boat,” Johnson said.
She says there’s nothing more tranquil than being out on the water with God and peace.
The interviews for the Voices of the River series were produced using recordings from the Florida Department of State.
Photo credit: ‘Main Street - John T. Alsop Jr. Bridge’ by Amateur Photography by Michelis used under CC BY 2.0.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J42SCMjHxo
