Photo Journal/ A-Z Photo Challenge: N is for Nautical

Tuesday is one of our favorite days of the week as we join Frizztext’s A-Z Photo Challenge. Letter this week is N, and our featured photographer, Blanche Berzamin-Acabado has chosen the theme Nautical as she shares her photographs and stories with us today.

“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Nothing says nautical like a bunch of boats. Yachts, canoes, speedboats, or navy ships. Regardless of how big or small they are or what their purpose may be, people have always been fascinated by these wonderful vessels of the sea. They are nice to look at whether they are zooming across the sea or bobbing quietly on a lake. So I guess it is natural that I, like a lot of photographers – amateur or professional, have always been attracted to taking photographs of these aquatic transportation. Here are some of my favorites.

Wooden Boat in Halong Bay

In 2009, we got very lucky and got accepted for the Vietnam visa on arrival program. We visited Halong Bay in Vietnam, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The view was simply majestic, but what caught my attention the most were the beautiful old wooden boats used to ferry the tourists around. It was impressive how they were able to preserve these wonderful symbols of their heritage and at the same time use them to show a lot of people the beauty of Halong Bay.

A Little Boat by Perfume Pagoda in Vietnam

This is one of the most peaceful scenes I have ever encountered. To reach the Perfume Pagoda, people must go on a half-hour ride on one of these small and quaint-looking boats. The river is not too deep, you can see the bottom if a space is afforded by the many algae underwater. On our way to the pagoda, we saw this one abandoned boat and our boat-paddler said that the boat was probably left because it is damaged.

Fishing Boat in Bicol

One of the things I like about boats is that they are created more for functionality than for beauty. For me, the beauty comes not only from the designs, but from the fact that these boats are so useful to us. In the Philippines, most little boats are used for fishing just like this little boat in Tinambac, Camarines Sur. Tinambac is a small fishing village in southern Luzon. This is where my husband grew up. He says a lot of the people there still earn a living by fishing. This fishing boat caught my attention because it looked so festive with all its colorful little flags.

Ro-ro at Nato

To visit the famous Caramoan Islands in Camarines Sur, people can go on these large ships that can carry not just passengers but also vehicles. Since it is best to leave very early in the morning, you can get a very picturesque view of the sunrise. This is another one of my favorite pictures. An enchanting silhouette of the ro-ro ship with the sun rising behind it.

Subic Bay Yacht Club

Of course, boats are also known to be more than beautiful and functional. There are also boats that are beautiful, functional, and luxurious. These boats are best known as yachts. Last summer, my son Jared got an eyeful of these fascinating things at the Subic Bay Yacht Club in Olongapo. I can still feel his excitement in seeing so many yachts just by looking at this picture. In fact, he wanted to bring one home!