Attack of the pirates in the Atlantic
I love paddling at night. During the day the heat is unbearable but the refresh is a joy to sit at the oars. After twelve hours of deadly god Ra, I wish is to wrap myself in the gentle sea breeze sundown. I am a night owl, I like the peace of darkness, his silence and cozy side. The scorching sun stops my Braincap, my neurons become creative and released; think and feel fast.
The sea and I become complicit. I dissolve in liquid blackness as a blight. Feel the tranquility, harmony; I'm like an atom, as another drop. No birds flitting, I see fish jumping. Everything becomes simpler, most primitive, basics. The day seems monotonous, as if he could dominate; instead, night is secret, unknown, quiet, disturbingly appetizing.
The day seems monotonous, as if he could dominate; instead, night is secret, unknown, quiet, disturbingly appetizing
Yesterday, sleep well before the distance I saw a white light across the horizon I was checking to see where it was going-night, a code indicating lights will boaters the size and direction of the boats with crossing-. In finding your red light on my port side would I neglected thinking towards the Canary Islands and come from, probably, of Cape Verde. Faithfully following the mnemonic verse known night navigation, everything was in order: "If gives green with green, or embodied with equal, then nothing is lost, follow a course each ... ». So until there, all good.
I stopped rowing; my turn and the boat had just left from that time four hours at the mercy of the current and wind. Before going to bed Santiveri devoured an energy bar and brushed my teeth with seawater enjuagándome. It is easy, just about get his hand over the side and fill the glass as we live less than half a meter above the water.
I startled awake, I left the cabin and there, unless 10 meters, I observed a boat. Dangerously close because of storm
Navigation light lit for while rowing is more comfortable doing me in the dark. Also, as usual, connected the radar detector-a device that identifies the signals emitted by the radar of another vessel and acoustic and visual warning us of a possible collision course-. Was beginning to fall asleep when I suddenly alerted the short but sharp beep detector. The red light was activated indicating that something was happening to our stern. I startled awake, I left the cabin and there, unless 10 meters, I observed a boat. Dangerously close because of storm. Su diesel engine was, heard was perfectly ... almost on top of us! With a bound and naked as he was sat at the oars fearing the worst. I thought I was about to ram us but then I realized that we were following stealthily yacht.
- Fuck, Pancho! —chillé—. It's a pirate ship, navigation light has betrayed our position and come after us! Why ...?
Before closing the question and I could not imagine, My heart raced. Shouting insisted my partner:
- Pancho! Pancho! Pick up the phone and call the Organization! We have at our stern a pirate ship!
He, I was completely asleep, raised his head and looked at me confused. Once aware of the problem, with confidence, I said: Do not worry, man, possibly we've hit a cruise ship or a point.
I was amazed at his cool, but I was convinced it was a pirate ship and coming after us.
- Why is silent to our stern like a tiger stalking its prey? Why not identified or say anything? Diablos!
Do we try to flee? To what?, we will not go very far, I worried as he raised his paddle like a lance in rest. How absurd! If you have guns, We are lost!
I remembered that we had no weapons, no knives or nothing to defend.
- What we do? Call whoever and tell him we are here!
My brain activated all defense mechanisms; a rush of adrenaline invaded my body. I was puzzled, I felt helpless and stupid. So much effort to end well!, I repeated.
After radioing the alleged attackers, sitting with the oars in hand, their persistent and horrible silence was interminable waiting. What we do?
Do we try to flee? To what?, we will not go very far, I worried as he raised his paddle like a lance in rest. How absurd! If you have guns, We are lost! It seemed that my heart was going to explode. Agotado después de siete días de remo, with mind numb and our stern pirates. Not reply to our radio calls and all indications ratified my fear. We were near the coast of Africa, one of the places where these criminals still roam, but not those of eyepatch and wooden leg movies, but the address you, te matan, plunder the ship and sink to remove all kinds of tests.
After a few minutes of maximum tension the yacht was placed to our starboard and a man grabbed one of the bands began to shout in British English:
- We have finally found you, it was time!
We took a good hour looking for you!
¡Ah, what a relief! Tranquilicé me. It was one of two sailboats Race Organisation was visiting the area craft. By not bring connected navigation light, not found until we turned it on to go to sleep.
—¡Uf, scared to death often have given me! - Rebuked the British.
Pancho and I laughed, after talking with them for the channel 72, fin to me relajé. Yes, Jure back in the surf without weapons to defend myself from a possible attack. But I keep wondering: Why those eternal minutes were left without saying anything? I could have saved a hard time ...
