Sand Boats

Every summer, boats appear in Baia Ranella, the beach that I live above, tied to anchors. They are brought in by folks who will be spending the summer here, and are used for leisure boating, fishing, and to a certain extent showing people that they own a boat. They are usually tied up in the bay before the people arrive, and are usually moved to safer ground after most folks have moved themselves back to their winter home. Sometimes they are left tied up a little too long, and a little too loosely.

We had a huge storm here in September, which is early, and just as in years past, some boats were lost. Fran used to call them sand boats, because often they would sit on the beach and slowly fill with sand, break apart, and finally be removed the next spring. Usually there is one sand boat a year. This year, we had a bumper crop. 4 boats were lost.

While it is sad to see the boats destroyed, we wondered what was wrong with the people who knew that this might happen, as they simply left their boats there too long. I have known two people who lost boats this way, and they were both philosophical about it. They also had their new boats out of the water when the storm came. This year, as I was taking some of the pictures, a man came over and complained that no one had saved his boat. In fact, he said, no one had told him the weather would turn bad. I am so sorry, but I had little sympathy.

I do, however, salute Sr. Licata, who keeps his boat in the bay all year, and everyday he comes and make sure that it is tied to its anchors and to a post on shore, so that the sea will not batter it or move it onto the beach. It is good to see someone take good care of his boat, and I wish him good fishing as he takes his boat out two or three days a week.