A conversation about fishing boats that can't go to sea, reading the ocean and the changing nature of fishing.

Kalk Bay harbour on the False Bay coast was once alive with boats, crew and families making their living from the sea. For generations, the Poggenpoel family has been part of that story. Today, 72-year-old Kobus Poggenpoel sits beside his boat Melissa Kelly, looking out over a harbour that feels more like a museum than a working port.

I spoke to him about the boats themselves - their history, how they were built, how they worked -- and about why, these days, they mostly lie tied to the quay.

How old is your boat?

That boat, Melissa Kelly, we had her since 1978. Built in Vredenberg, by Sagel, good boat-builders, very good people. A lot of boats came out of there. Before that, we had other boats -- Mary and Dawn, Ana Amelia. Our family always tried to build up boats.

My dad and his brothers, they worked [on] other people's boats first -- Mr Williams, Mr Klein. Then my uncle said, no, let's work for ourselves. So they bought Tessabee, worked her off, renamed her Ana Amelia after my grandmother. From there the family grew into boats. At one stage we had four. Now we only got two left...