Seafarers and productive work (Eng/Esp)

Whenever I visit the beach, I can’t help but take lots of photographs, as the scenery is well worth capturing. This time, the water was as smooth as glass, a vivid reflection of the sky, which was a beautiful blue, whilst the sun was just peeking out from behind the mountains.

Whilst others are resting, the early hours of the morning are the perfect time to set out fishing, as in the darkness the shadows of the boats are not visible, which makes the task easier since the fish cannot spot them; furthermore, the moon helps to guide the shoals towards the nets. Very early on, you can see the boats returning to sell some of that fresh fish right on the pavement of Avenida Perimetral or in Valentín Valiente Square.

On the beach, there were lots of young people and adult men waiting for the boats to arrive so they could help unload them, as the reward is usually a few fish – a way of contributing to the family’s livelihood.

I stopped for a while on the seafront promenade to take in the beauty of the landscape unfolding before me. To the fishermen, I was a stranger in their world; they couldn’t understand why I was so awestruck by the sights the sea offered me, whilst for them it is an everyday scene – that’s what happens when something becomes routine.

Suddenly, in the distance, a boat could be seen moving slowly; it was a vessel carrying more than 12 passengers and a considerable load, and you could tell the engine was struggling. I imagine it arrived early, unloaded part of its cargo and is now heading for the Boca del Río area to sell most of it to the owners of refrigerated lorries, taking the opportunity to take several local lads along as helpers. I found the scene fascinating and I liked how it turned out; each crew member was busy with their own task, as the work isn’t done until the entire catch is safely on board. I’ll continue to share the wonders I discovered during my visit to Caigüire beach.

Cuando visito la playa es inevitable tomar muchas fotografías, pues el paisaje merece ser inmortalizado. Esta vez el agua lucía como un plato, vivido reflejo del cielo, que mostraba un hermoso azul, mientras el sol apenas se insinuaba detrás de las montañas.

Mientras otros descansan, la madrugada es el momento perfecto para iniciar la faena de la pesca, pues en la oscuridad no se aprecia la sombra de los botes, lo que facilita la labor ya que los peces no los distinguen y además la luna contribuye a guiar a los cardúmenes hacia las redes. Muy temprano se pueden apreciar los botes de regreso para vender parte de ese pescado fresco en plena orilla de la avenida Perimetral o en la plaza Valentín Valiente.

En la playa había muchos jóvenes y hombres adultos esperando las embarcaciones para ayudar a descargar ya que la recompensa suelen ser algunos pescados, una forma de contribuir al sustento familiar.

Me detuve un rato en el malecón a contemplar la belleza de paisaje que se mostraba ante mí. Para los pescadores yo era una extraña en su mundo, no entendían porqué me maravillaba tanto ante las imágenes que me regalaba el mar, mientras que para ellos es un escenario habitual, es lo que sucede cuando algo se vuelve rutinario.

De pronto, a lo lejos, se apreciaba un bote que se desplazaba lento, era una embarcación con más de 12 pasajeros y una carga considerable, se notaba el esfuerzo del motor. Imagino que llegó temprano, dejó parte de la carga y está rumbo al sector Boca del Río para vender la mayor parte a los dueños de camiones cavas, aprovechando la ocasión para llevar de ayudantes a varios muchachos del sector. Me pareció interesante la imagen y me gustó como quedó, cada tripulante estaba en lo suyo porque la faena no termina hasta que toda la pesca esté salvo. Continúo mostrando las maravillas que encontré en mi visita a la playa Caigüire.