"Every time you set to sea on a boat, a windsurfer or whatever it may be, it's always different... every time is a challenge... I think that's what drives me..."
Chris Le Masurier lives life in-keeping with the rhythms of the tide.
"I started boating with my grandfather when I was very young. He would take me over to France and we used to go out doing a few lobster pots.”
"I’m doing shellfish now, but it was my grandfather that started in the shellfish industry here back in 1970. I’ve always been around the beach and on the water."
Jersey lies in the bay of Mont St-Michel, just 15 miles from the French coast. The channel tides show rises and falls of up to 40 feet – some of the most dramatic tidal shifts on Earth.
"When I invite people to the Island my first instinct is to drive them around the coast. The south and east coasts have been designated a wetlands site under the Ramsar Convention on conservation; they are internationally renowned.”
"It’s lovely, very open. Oyster farmers follow the tide as it goes out, working back up as the tide moves in. But every day is different; you're completely in the hands of nature."
The strong tides mean the water round Jersey is continually refreshed, creating ideal habitats for shellfish. Naturally, Chris is a connoisseur of the remarkable creatures he nurtures.
"The more you work the oyster the better shape the shell is and the more plump the meat becomes. We’re down here for hours every day. We’ll load oysters to be graded and turn the oyster bags, encouraging the oysters to grow.”
"We’ve created an ecosystem, a habitat for smaller fish. It's full of life: prawns, shrimps, bass – they come up the gullies and round the oyster tables.”
"And I eat oysters every day! My favourite is raw, straight from the shell, but they are also very nice on the barbecue or grilled, with a bit of garlic butter."
Chris Le Masurier's life is shaped and defined by the sea. When he is not working with it for his living, he is playing in it, practising the water sports that form his other consuming passion.
"If I need to unwind I’ll either windsurf or row. It's a complete break from the day's work, because you’ve got to concentrate 100% on what you’re doing. You can’t be thinking about a delivery or thinking about something else – you’ll fall off, or capsize your rowing boat."
With oyster farming in his blood, Chris Le Masurier's own heritage is woven into the fabric of Jersey life.
"We're very lucky to live over here. It’s completely peaceful; you have the sea birds and sometimes we can be here with the tide coming up and see dolphins swimming past, no more than a hundred yards away.”
"It’s a partnership with nature; a lovely environment to work in."
www.jerseyoyster.com