Eyes that seek the Unseen
The flat South banks banks of the Tagus, close to the sea, show the amazing effects of the Atlantic tides. Last Saturday morning I had a chance to make some photos by the river, in Seixal Bay. A very peaceful morning with bright sky and the flat river bed usually covered by water. The poet Kate McGovern wrote that
“… Low tide reveals the soul of the sea-
Its secrets, its treasures
its sorrows…”
A short poem from Guillermo Veloso
Winter boats are
shrink-wrapped ghosts
haunting the docks as
they await the sea
Reviewing some old negatives from more than 15 years ago, I found some images from the salt pans of the Tagus South bank. They seemed abandoned then, probably they are now out of business. But old tools and machines were still there, and also the big salt mounts – as if the people working there had suddenly gone away. Some boats were on the river – and seagulls too, of course…
Trafaria is a small fishing harbour on the South bank of the Tagus. It is the last river port before the sea. Fishermen use small motor boats to place or bring in the nets that they leave overnight at the mouth of the river, or in the sea near the coast. There are always some of those boats arriving or leaving. A huge silo was built by the water, and big cargo ships often stop there to be loaded with grain. It is not a tourist spot but it is a pleasant place to take a meal by the river. Seafood is excellent and the restaurants, although not very sophisticated, are very popular.
A variety of scenarios in the banks of the Tagus
João Avelar images 