Tuesday, August 5, 2008

She is a captain of a boat.

When working in the office of the Fuso Szulc a large window offers a generous view.
As the expedition vehicle is parked on a north-south axis the view enjoyed is of the Pacific Ocean.



What has been noticed over the last weeks is that never a boat has been spotted.



A simple-minded person would think that some coastal boat traffic would pass by.

Any boat coming from Central and South America and heading for the USA and Canada, is supposed to pass by here.
And vice-versa.



Or one would think that sailing boats would come by taking advantage of the calmer seas and winds this time of year.
To go to the Panama Canal or the Sea of Cortez.

But never a boat has been seen.
Even not with the binoculars.



This gives a kind of Robinson Crusoƫ feeling.
The protagonist in Daniel Defoe’s famous story who shipwrecked on some island and waited for years to see a boat.
In the presence of a regional inhabitant he called Friday and ruthlessly colonised psychologically.

There is no Friday at “Estero del Tomate”, except on Friday, but similar to Robinson CrusoĆ« only an empty horizon fills the eyes.

It would be nice to see a ship.
And to have the thoughts travel to the bridge where a mature mate steers straight ahead.
While the cook prepares the lunch and the captain has a nap.
But on the after-deck is a sailor weeping for his love too far away.

What is the reason that never a boat can be spotted from here?

It is simple.
When we look at the map of Baja California, we see that boats pass in a straight line between basically the south tip of the peninsula, Cabo San Lucas, and Puerto Magdalena in the north.
However, the coastline of Baja California is not in a straight line.
It is like a half moon.
Bending to the East.



Boats do not travel necessarily along the coast.
They calculate the shortest route to have the maximum benefit of time and fuel consumption.
Hence, they go in a straight line along the southern Baja coast and pass by “Estero del Tomate” at a distance of at least 50 miles (80 kilometres).
Too far away to be seen.

But they can be imagined.
There is the logical awareness that boats, although invisible, do pass by.

While the captain on the boat has no idea who thinks of her 50 miles away.



.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Beautifully written, Michel.