|
|
|
|
|
|
Resources |
|
|
|
Shared Waters: The Fishermen of Sayulita, Mexico
| Article
# : |
23244 |
|
|
Section : |
CULTURE
|
| Issue
Date : |
8 / 2003 |
906 Words |
| Author
: |
Cynthia Gillespie-Smith
Cynthia Gillespie-Smith is a freelance photojournalist. |
From repairing nets to cleaning and selling the catch, fishing remains a man's profession in Sayulita. The craft passes down from fathers to sons, and women are rarely involved in any aspect of the business. It has been that way, locals believe, since the village was founded. Home to no more than six hundred people, Sayulita sits beside a small bay on Mexico's Pacific west coast (north of the tourist resort of Puerto Vallarta) and remains remarkably unspoiled.
Six mornings a week, a dozen or more small fishing boats push off from Sayulita's beach. Depending on the time of year and which way the fish are running, the bay and nearby Pacific are soon busy with men tossing and dragging nets in the water. Their catch is primarily dorado (mahi-mahi), huachinango (red snapper), other pescados (small fish), and shrimp (in the wintertime). Noisy swarms of gulls, frigate birds, and pelicans form around the boats when they return to unload and clean their catch.
As picturesque as these scenes might be, fishing is always risky. Supply and demand are inconsistent, and natural disasters can be devastating. Hurricane Kenna destroyed Martin Padilla's new boat in October 2002, for example. He had struggled for years to buy the craft. The loss forced him to abandon the way of life he had followed for twenty-six years. Padilla now waits tables in Captain Pablo's restaurant on Sayulita's beach. His workdays are longer--he comments that he barely sees his family--but the pay is reliable and more plentiful. He also grudgingly acknowledges that the work is safer.
Down the street from the restaurant, Félix and Herasmo Cade–a Rodr’guez live in a cement house with their
... (2000 of 5459 Characters)
Read Full Article
|
|
