The visit of a Goodwill Mission of Indian fishermen to Sri Lanka to discuss the problems related to trans-border fishing by Indian boats in the Palk Bay and Palk Straits, was a memorable event for all those who were involved. That such a mission was being organised entirely outside the Government system created doubts about its feasibility in the minds of the fishermen as well as the organisers. When a series of events conspired to delay the mission, not once but twice, there was anxiety that a good idea was not going to be really tested. However, once the mission was finally ready for departure, the fortunes changed. Providence seemed to step in to help us every time we faced a problem. Instead of the usual “If anything can go wrong, it will”, it became a case of “If everything can go wrong, it won’t”. The mission almost did not take off on the 30th May when the fishermen leaders had assembled trustingly at Trichy, unaware that a drama was being staged in Trivandrum, where immigration clearance was being denied due to lack of sufficient documentation.