Page 10 - summer book

Gliding over the Sea of Cortez
Gliding over the Sea of Cortez

photos & story by Joe Pier

It was early morning in March, the sun had not risen yet as I parked my car at the
North end of the Malecon. I stood on the sidewalk barrier the protects downtown San
Felipe from the sea, my only companions were the pelicans and seagulls enjoying their
breakfast off the rocks under the white abandoned casino. I turned and realized that it
was too early for Rosita’s restaurant to offer me one of their delicious hot coffees. So,
with that yearning for caffeine, I turned back to face the Sea of Cortez as a sliver of sun
broke the horizon. It cast the usual yellow and orange wash over the dark sky. The
birds, unperturbed, kept eating and squawking, but suddenly I felt the change. It was
the sounds of young voices and laugh-
ter as the San Felipe Olympic Rowing
team emerged from the fenced area
that stores their boats. They started
across the sand with their boats slung
over their shoulders towards the water.
The first to come by me were two wom-
en each carrying their own single scull.
Shortly three sets of double rowers with
their sculls passed me. I learned that
scull boats are the ones that have two
oars, and the term scull came from the English word for washing with the back and
forth scrubbing motion. This is similar to the symmetrical movements of sculling oars
through the water. The boats had been placed in the water and the oars secured in their
holders, as the sun fully emerged over the water. In unison all the team members set
out for their morning workout. I was left standing on the beach with coach Jose Man-
uel Loyola, who has been working
with the team members for over 19
years preparing them for competi-
tion. He explained “There is some-
thing about gliding quietly across
the water at five in the morning that
subconsciously satisfies the very
depths of the soul. Peace is found
during morning practice, shared
only with their teammates.