Paying Attention to the Small Things
It is Monday at the shipyard: one more day to work on building Ceiba, each one of us fulfilling a function like the gears of a complex engine.
To help our local community, all the “yardies" (this is what we call ourselves, the people working at El Astillero Ceiba del Mar) decided to do a beach clean up before starting the week's boat building tasks.
Near the shipyard is the tranquil Playa Blanca. It's not a very touristic beach (in fact we are practically the only foreigners that visit it), but it is a beautiful place with a lot of coastal vegetation such as palm trees and mangroves. In addition, a river that descends from the mountains flows into the beach; it truly is a paradise. This beach is our place of recreation, and it is natural for our crew of sailors and shipbuilders to be attracted to the ocean. This beach is where, after a hard day's work, we go to relax, to swim for a while in the sea and where we gather to witness the wonderful spectacle that the Gulf of Nicoya gives us every day: the sunset in the Pacific. The gigantic fireball that hides behind the mountains paints a wonderful variety of colors and patterns over the sky, and the clouds dance and change shape in the air. It is a show that is different every day.
Three naughty environmentally-consious musketeers. L - R: Luuk (NL), Joaquín (ARG) & Charlie (UK). Photo by Finn Richardson
“This beach is our place of recreation, and it is natural for our crew of sailors and shipbuilders to be attracted to the ocean. It truly is a paradise. ”
We spend almost every afternoon here as a respectful audience, appreciating the atmosphere with a calm mind as the sun goes down. That's when the mosquitos and noseems come out to look for us, almost as if they were inviting us to return home to the shipyard.
On weekends, Playa Blanca is a destination for the local community and the people who live in the city of Puntarenas - about an hour and a half from Punta Morales. It creates a family atmosphere, where families and groups of friends go to the beach to rest and have a good time.
“The tide also takes part in this battle that we have declared with nature. In its incessant ups and downs, the ocean takes and brings back the waste that is abandoned in Playa Blanca and elsewhere. ”
Unfortunately this brings with it the custom of using disposable containers for fast food that is sold on the beach, such as ceviche and other typical dishes. The absence of trash cans on the beach mean that every Sunday night the beach is filled with empty bottles and cans, plastic bags, expanded polystyrene (styrofoam or telgopor) and other rubbish. The tide also takes part in this battle that we have declared with nature. In its incessant ups and downs, the ocean takes and brings back the waste that is abandoned in Playa Blanca and elsewhere. It must even bring to the beach garbage from perhaps thousands of miles away. It brings it here, to our beach, where many of us go to witness the wonder of nature, and where we dream about Ceiba and how its prow will some day draw its wake on the surface of the seas.
We organized ourselves and all the "Yardies" and went to the beach in the early morning to collect the waste that the sea returns us, so that we are taking care of nature and remembering that we are responsible for what we buy, use, and dispose.
When we arrived, at first glance the beach didn't look so dirty - which was a nice surprise. But when started walking and looking more closely for garbage, we noticed that hidden among the leaves and small branches that the tide brings to the beach there was a tremendous variety of large and small fragments of plastics. Many are not yet microplastics, though perhaps those are present too, but unseen. One can find parts of bottles that break in the hand, bottle caps, and a lot of styrofoam - in short, garbage that goes unnoticed by those who are not looking for it.
Some of the group head over the rocks to search for more rubbish on the other side. Photo by Finn Richardon
Charlie, Garry, Silas & Heather loading up the many bags of rubbish into Buckie the Bongo. Photo by Finn Richardson
With the passing of the morning we ran out of bags and, since the store was not open to buy more, we improvised to keep collecting the trash. Soon the beach brought us a surprise: Allies! A group of scouts had also come to pick up garbage. Fortunately we had a good feeling for each other and they shared some bags so we could finish the job together.
With so many hands, the cleaning became much faster, and we found some time to enjoy the sea and a gentle breeze that blew in from the water. To thank to the scouts for their help, we invited them to see the shipyard. It is an important task to communicate and expand the circle of people related to Ceiba. Many of us spend our lives sailing through different waters, and it is exciting to find so many highly qualified and enthusiastic people joining together in pursuit of a project that looks towards a green future: living with nature instead of exploiting it. Sharing the idea is a responsibility we take seriously.
“Many of us spend our lives sailing through different waters, and it is exciting to find so many highly qualified and enthusiastic people joining together in pursuit of a project that looks towards a green future: living with nature instead of exploiting it. Sharing the idea is a responsibility we take seriously.”
After their daily tasks, the scouts came to the shipyard loaded with a lot of questions. They were very surprised to see this project is happening in their country, and were eager to participate in some way. None of them had ever been near a sailboat, and they were all amazed at the possibility of seeing the very essence of a ship as big as Ceiba. The powerful machines that have just arrived to work the wood were also a novelty for them (as they were for many of the crew).
Tree-house with the scouts and the helm of Ceiba in the background. Photo by Finn Richardson
Tree-house antics - the scouts enjoyed exploring the keel and the ‘casa del árbol’. Photo by Finn Richardon
In addition, it was fortunate that they could interact with people from so many different countries who possess skills so different from those we are used to seeing in the city today.
It was a good experience for both the scouts and the "Yardies" to share, and to keep moving forward with Ceiba and everything the project embodies. You never know what the tide can bring...
Triumphant group photo of the scouts and team Ceiba with bags of rubbish all ready to be taken away. Photo by Finn Richardson
If you are interested in helping us continue to reach our goals with the construction of Ceiba as well as do more in the local community, please get in touch TODAY - just click the button below.
Our project is funded entirely by people like you becoming shareholders through investing. Support the change you wish to see in the world by getting involved with us here @SAILCARGO INC.
info@sailcargo.org
Together, we can #SeaShippingChange
Prestando Atención a las Pequeñas Cosas
We care about our environment, the green forests, all of the world’s beautiful landscapes and the deep oceans. Waste on the beach does not only bother us, but all the animals that have to suffer from it. So we decided to clean up a bit.
Es lunes en el astillero, un dia mas de trabajo en pos de construir a ‘Ceiba’, cada uno de nosotros cumpliendo una función, como engranajes que hacen que el motor funcione.
Para ayudar en la comunidad de la que ahora somos parte, todos los “yardies” (Así es como nos llamamos a nosotros mismos, las personas que trabajamos en Ceiba, ya que en ingles astillero es Yard) decidimos hacer una limpieza de playa antes de empezar con las tareas relacionadas a construir el barco.
Cerca del astillero se encuentra Playa Blanca, una playa muy poco turística (de hecho somos prácticamente los únicos extranjeros que la visitan), es muy bonita y hay mucha vegetación costera como palmeras y manglares. Ademas desemboca sobre la playa un rio que baja desde la montaña, es realmente un paraiso. Esta playa es nuestro lugar de esparcimiento, claro, es natural que al tener una tripulación conformada por navegantes y constructores navales el mar nos llame la atencion.
La Playa es donde después de trabajar muy duro todo el dia nos vamos a distender, para nadar un rato en el mar y donde nos reunimos para ser espectadores de la maravillosa función que la bahía de papagayo nos regala cada dia: el atardecer en el pacifico, La gigantesca bola de fuego que se esconde atrás de las montañas pinta sobre el cielo una maravillosa variedad de tonos y colores, y las nubes bailan en el aire cambiando de forma. Es un espectáculo que cada dia es diferente.
Playa Blanca, Punta Morales (a couple hundred metres away from the shipyard where the construction of tall-ship Ceiba is beginning in earnest). Photo by Finn Richardson
““Esta playa es nuestro lugar de esparcimiento, claro, es natural que al tener una tripulación conformada por navegantes y constructores navales el mar nos llame la atencion. Es realmente un paraiso.””
La Playa es donde después de trabajar muy duro todo el dia nos vamos a distender, para nadar un rato en el mar y donde nos reunimos para ser espectadores de la maravillosa función que la bahía de papagayo nos regala cada dia: el atardecer en el pacifico, La gigantesca bola de fuego que se esconde atrás de las montañas pinta sobre el cielo una maravillosa variedad de tonos y colores, y las nubes bailan en el aire cambiando de forma. Es un espectáculo que cada dia es diferente.
Nosotros, pasamos casi todos los dias ahi como una audiencia respetuosa que agradece con una asentada de cabeza cuando el sol cae. Ahi es cuando los jejenes salen a buscarnos, casi como invitándonos a picotazos a que volvamos a casa, de vuelta para el astillero.
Los fines de semana, Playa Blanca es destino para la comunidad local y la gente que vive en la ciudad de Puntarenas, que es una ciudad a una hora y media Punta Morales. Se crea un ambiente familiar, donde familias y grupos de amigos van a la playa a descansar y pasar un buen momento.
“La marea por otro lado, toma también partido en esta batalla que le hemos declarado a la naturaleza. En su incesante sube y baja, se lleva y trae de vuelta los residuos que se abandonan en Playa Blanca, y a la vez trae a la playa la basura que viene viajando quizás desde miles de millas de distancia. ”
Lamentablemente esto trae aparejada la costumbre de usar envases descartables para la comida rápida que se vende en la playa, como ceviche y otros platos tipicos, y la ausencia de botes de basura hacen que cada domingo por la noche la playa se llene de botellas, bolsas, poliestireno expandido (estereofón o telgopor) y otros descartables de plastico. La marea por otro lado, toma también partido en esta batalla que le hemos declarado a la naturaleza. En su incesante sube y baja, se lleva y trae de vuelta los residuos que se abandonan en Playa Blanca, y a la vez trae a la playa la basura que viene viajando quizás desde miles de millas de distancia. Y la trae hasta aqui, a nuestra playa, donde muchos nos dirigimos para ser testigos de la maravilla de la naturaleza y adonde vamos a soñar sobre Ceiba y cómo su proa dibujará sus estelas en el mar.
Nos organizamos y todos los “Yardies” fuimos a a la playa por la mañana bien temprano para recoger los residuos que el mar nos devuelve, para que nos hagamos cargo de ellos y que no nos olvidemos que somos responsables de lo que compramos.
Cuando llegamos, a primera vista vimos que no estaba tan sucia. Lo cual fue una buena sorpresa. Empezamos a caminar buscando basura, y noté que escondidas entre las hojas y pequeñas ramas que la marea trae hacia la playa habia una tremenda variedad de pequeños fragmentos de plásticos, los famosos microplasticos quizás? No, todavía no son microplasticos, pero uno puede encontrar partes de botellas que se quiebran en la mano, tapitas, muchísimo styrofoam, en fin, basura que pasa desapercibida para quien no está buscándola.
Con el transcurrir de la mañana nos quedamos sin bolsas y como todavía no estaba abierta la tienda para comprar mas, improvisamos.. Al poco tiempo la playa nos trajo una sorpresa.. Aliados! Un grupo de scouts llegó a recoger basura, y afortunadamente tuvimos un buen trato y nos compartieron algunas bolsas para que juntos termináramos de hacer el trabajo.
Siendo tanta gente, la limpieza se hizo mucho mas rápida, estuvimos un rato disfrutando del mar y una suave brisa que soplaba desde el agua. Como agradecimiento con los scouts, los invité a que conozcan el astillero, creo que es un importante labor el de comunicar y expandir el circulo de gente relacionada con Ceiba, durante la mayoría de mi vida estuve navegando por distintas aguas, y es la primera vez que encuentro gente muy calificada que se une en pos de un proyecto que mira hacia un futuro verde donde convivamos con la naturaleza en vez de explotarla. Compartir la idea es casi una responsabilidad creo.
Playa Blanca at its finest - clean and clear, for now...Photo by Finn Richardson
“Durante la mayoría de mi vida estuve navegando por distintas aguas, y es la primera vez que encuentro gente muy calificada que se une en pos de un proyecto que mira hacia un futuro verde donde convivamos con la naturaleza en vez de explotarla. Compartir la idea es casi una responsabilidad creo.”
Scouts and keel blocks. Photo by Finn Richardson
Luego de las tareas cotidianas, los scouts llegaron al astillero cargados con un montón de preguntas, muy sorprendidos de que este proyecto este sucediendo en su país, y con muchas ganas de participar en él. Ninguno de ellos habia estado antes cerca de un velero, y estaban todos maravillados con la posibilidad de ver la propia esencia de un barco tan grande como Ceiba. Las maquinas que acaban de llegar para trabajar la madera también fueron una novedad para ellos (como lo fueron para mi).
Ademas, fue una suerte que pudieran interactuar con gente de tantos países diferentes que poseen habilidades tan distintas a las que hoy en dia estamos acostumbrados a ver en la ciudad.
Fue una buena experiencia tanto para los scouts como para los “Yardies” de compartir y seguir avanzando en Ceiba y todo lo que el proyecto comprende. Supongo que nunca se sabe lo que puede traer la marea…
Triumphant group photo of the scouts and team Ceiba with bags of rubbish all ready to be taken away.
Photo by Finn Richardson
If you are interested in helping us continue to reach our goals with the construction of Ceiba as well as do more in the local community, please get in touch TODAY - just click the button below.
Our project is funded entirely by people like you becoming shareholders through investing. Support the change you wish to see in the world by getting involved with us here @SAILCARGO INC.
info@sailcargo.org
Together, we can #SeaShippingChange
