I wrote this for the blog while in the Atlantic en route to the Faroes.
This is one of the last long ocean journeys commonly taken. Not only are people along for the ride, but different gulls are surfing the draft alongside our vessel. They soar and plummet, soar and plummet. One of them compared to the more conventional type gulls swooping along looks like it`s wearing a leotard. Its wing and body shape is long and sleek, and its coloration of black and white with a sandy-yellow head is boldly solid compared to the others.
(This turned out to be the Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus).
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/Northern_Gannet_2006_2.jpg
It is the largest gannet in the world with a wing span up to 71 in. Apparently there are large colonies of them on Bonaventure Island in Quebec, but most of them live off of Britain and in this region. Very exotic-looking).
The ocean is bouncing this seven-floor goliath of a ferry on its salty knee like a babe. We have cruised past a number of oil rigs. One can see their long fiery tonges from a great distance away. It`s cold on deck, but there`s nowhere else to sit with the same view and fresh air to combat sea-sickness. The wind is violently stretching the surface of the ocean, leaving spindly streaks of foam.
The grace and haunting power of the seagulls who have been flying along with the boat for so many kilometers has made me feel especially landish. A dirt-walker. Or, if you prefer, a street-walker. Just kidding.
I`ve been playing with the idea that humans are these taller versions of legendary dwarves. We mine the earth for whatever sort of treasure is in demand.
"You need a big boat?.... arh, argh, argh!"
"You want to travel fast?...arh argh argh!"
"You want something to entertain you?....arh argh argh"
It´s not a lasting opinion, but a sudden humorous impression I received by comparing myself to the gulls. And I think we can all agree that humans without projects don`t know what to do with themselves.
Arh, argh, argh.
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The bottom dweller
- Pidge
- A highly civilized and refined animal limited mostly to the bottom of the atmosphere and prone to over analyzing what it's worth.
3 comments:
You couldn't have chosen a better time to get away. Keep writing. Give us hope. Phil
So, last night I was getting my evening's fill of live music at one of Allston's less-charismatic bars. It's only October and glove weather already, but I lingered outside to roll a smoke with a couple guys from the opening act. Get this: a folk rock group from Bergen, NO (!) They're called the "Real Ones." Tons of fun, good for dancing, and I told them you'd say hey next time they playing in town.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYBG1TEBMlM&feature=channel
Ah, the coincidences....
Yea, they sound great. Need to go dancing sometime soon.
They are playing tonight at a club in Ostra (way the f up North of here). Would be neat to go to a club up in nowhere arctic land....I asked them to come back here soon.
Just got hooked on a new group.
The Fiery Furnaces. Nick says that some of their stuff really blows, but Blueberry Boat is such a cool album. Really trying to update my tastes here:-)
Turned Nick onto the Avett Bros...
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