La Lampa

La Lampa, doing its job

A few days ago I saw Nelson wrestling a long aluminum ladder down the steep path next to the ferreteria (don't go there to pick up a replacement ferret; it’s a hardware store). I kept an eye open for what construction this activity might portend. 

Noontime, the ladder was propped against a pole down at the seaside pavilion where the hombres gather in the evening to sit and spit. Next day, a clutch of cowboy electricians lashed una lampa muy grande to the top of the pole and strung wire to the nearest hot box. That night all the pangas anchored just off the playita were brilliantly spotlit.

Construction detail

“Porque?” you or I, might ask. Ronco filled me in.

Motores were being stolen several nights running right off the local boats. Beautiful Sea lost both 200 hp outboards. That’s nearly $20,000 US each! Yelapa was just the latest of villages around the bahia to experience these thefts. I asked Ronco who could be the culprits. “Mafia,” he speculated. In the generic sense most likely.

La Lampa (love these cognates) seems to be doing its job. No new losses, but we're keeping our dedos crossed.