The sheltered waters between the Floss Islands and the Enavadi coast, Edko Sound is the heart of Enavadi's fishing industry. Named for Edko the Anchor, a legendary fisherman who supposedly mapped every current in the sound by feel alone, these protected waters produce the finest catches on the Seacleft Coast.
The sound's geography creates ideal fishing conditions. The Floss Islands break up ocean swells from the north, while the curved coastline of Enavadi shelters the waters from eastern storms. Complex current patterns concentrate fish in predictable locations, though "predictable" is relative. Reading Edko Sound's moods is what separates a master fisherman from a merely competent one.
Fishing Grounds
The sound's currents create distinct fishing zones, each with its own character and traditions. The northern grounds near the Floss Islands produce cold-water species, firm-fleshed fish prized for preservation. The central sound, warmer and calmer, yields the delicate catches reserved for Enavadi tables rather than export. The southern approaches, where the sound meets Prince's Bay, hold the largest fish, the "princes" that give ambitious fishermen stories to tell.
Enavadi families have worked the same grounds for generations, their territories determined by custom rather than law. Disputes are rare; everyone knows which waters belong to which family, and the penalties for poaching are social rather than legal, but no less severe. A family caught working another's grounds will find their boats unwelcome at every dock in the sound.
The Sound's Moods
Edko Sound is not always calm. When storms break across the Floss Islands, the resulting chop can be deadly to small boats. The currents reverse twice yearly in ways that affect fish movements for weeks. Certain wind patterns create standing waves that can swamp an unwary vessel.
Every Enavadi fisherman learns to read these moods. The old tide-charts maintained by Krizan village record generations of observations: current patterns, storm approaches, seasonal shifts. These charts are copied but never sold; they represent accumulated knowledge that outsiders cannot simply purchase.
Outsiders who attempt to fish Edko Sound without local knowledge rarely succeed. The waters look deceptively simple: calm, sheltered, full of fish. But the fish move in patterns that follow the currents, and the currents follow rules that take years to learn. Visiting fishermen typically give up within a season, convinced their Enavadi counterparts are using magic. They're not. They're using a thousand years of watching the same water.