Aboard No Boundaries
July 15, 2009
This evening as we were relaxing after dinner, we noticed that a gull was hovering above the cabin roof of a nearby boat. Looking around the anchorage, we could not see any gulls on any other boats. This gull had picked this boat for a place to rest, and the boat’s captain objected. The gull hovered above the boat, flitting from one end to the other, as the captain ran the length of the boat waving his arms and shouting, trying to drive the gull away.
You know, of course, that if the gull had landed on the boat, it is likely he would have left his signature there before he departed. This outcome the captain strove mightily to prevent.
After a few minutes of intense confrontation, the gull swooped off and circled the boat high in the sky and flew away. The captain appeared relieved and went back inside. No sooner had he disappeared than the gull returned with a friend. Apparently, they did not have the good sense to keep their mouths shut. Gulls are truly arrogant birds, and these two must have announced themselves in their own unique screaming way. We couldn’t hear anything, however, because the wind was blowing so hard. We could see the beaks of the birds opening and closing. The captain reappeared with his dinner plate in one hand, shouting and waving at the birds with the other. We couldn’t hear what he was saying, either, which is probably a blessing for our sensitive ears.
the birds retreated momentarily. The captain remained on deck looking this way and that.
Soon the two gulls returned with another friend. Two landed in the water and the third impudently plopped himself on the dinghy motor. Again the captain charged at the bird and drove him away – about two feet away where he settled in the water, insolently close to the dinghy. The captain stood on deck snatching bites of his supper as the birds drifted around in the water watching to see if he would disappear again.
After a time, the birds appeared to give up. One by one, each flew off into the distance and swooped over a nearby hillside. When the last one disappeared, the captain retreated inside the boat.
The birds may have disappeared, but their antennas were still up. As soon as the captain disappeared inside they reappeared as if by magic. Again they flew over the boat and circled preparing to land. However, again, they could not be silent. They had to announce their glee, and when they did, the captain ran out again. He had his after-dinner coffee in one hand, and he waved and shook his fist at the gull with the other. One gull settled on the cabin roof for a few seconds, but the captain really got in his face and away he flew.
The last I knew, the captain had sat down on the aft deck with his coffee. It was pretty cool and the breeze was brisk. It probably wasn’t the most relaxing cup of coffee he will ever drink, but that is what it took to keep the gulls at bay. Man and beast met, and at last report man was on the winning side. We didn’t stay up all night to watch. We don’t know what happened after everyone went to sleep.
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