In an unusual turn of events, a group of fishermen from Azhikkal in Kannur came ashore with more coconuts than fish. Venturing out early Tuesday morning aboard their boat Shivaganga and two smaller crafts, the crew expected a regular fishing run. But 4 km off the Payyambalam coast, heavy monsoon rains and rising winds forced them to cut the trip short—only to stumble upon hundreds of floating coconuts.

“We didn’t find fish and were returning via Kannur Harbour due to rough sea conditions at Azhikkal,” explained Byju K K, the boat owner. “That’s when we saw coconuts scattered in clusters amidst driftwood. We collected over 300.” The soaked, darkened coconuts had likely been swept into the sea from upstream rivers swollen by the monsoon.

Word spread fast. As the first team offloaded their unexpected harvest, others followed. Another crew returned with over 800 coconuts, helped by calmer weather later that day. “It’s rare to see so many floating coconuts,” said Byju, noting that they retained some for personal use and sold the rest, providing a much-needed income boost as fish stocks remained low.

Fishermen believe the coconuts were washed out via the Azhikkal estuary, a common seasonal phenomenon. While the sea didn’t yield fish this time, the bounty of coconuts brought relief and surprise to the community—an unplanned harvest from the monsoon’s chaos.