Reflection

But I was in Massachusetts for a few weeks, and my blog is Maine, Window to the World. Was it possible to connect the two? Yes—if we travel back in time. Maine was actually part of Massachusetts until 1820 when it became the 23rd state in the Union. So, with artistic license, I can say our lands could be considered “one.” More important, as I looked across the water, I thought how little the view differed from what our forebears saw in 1820—or even 1020! What has changed is the perception of what lies beneath those rippling waters!

Were we to travel back to 1020 and board a Viking ship, we would sense a feeling of fear and trepidation among the crew. Were they to verbalize their thoughts, we might hear: “Will today be the day the god of the sea Aegir surfaces and sees us as his prey?” Viking sailors knew this rarely happened, but when it did, mighty Aegir left no witnesses. He just wrapped his arms around your boat and took you to his abode at the bottom of the sea. Take a look at this depiction of Aegir. Can you imagine surviving such an encounter?

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(PS: Aegir’s wife, Ran, is right there with him—beneath the waves.)

Now, let’s travel back another thousand years and veer a bit south to the Mediterranean Sea. There we would see Roman vessels traveling from port to port. Were we to board one of these ships, we would hear at least one crew member whispering the name Neptune. His crew mates would smile for they knew this master of the sea and many honored him as lord of all its water-loving creatures. Greek sailors navigating these same waters called him Poseidon—same deity, same characteristics, just a different name.

To be sure, this towering sea god may not seem as “scary” as Aegir, but he, too, was known to throw tantrums and sink hapless sailors. Neptune, however, did have what might be called a “lighter side.” In fact, both the Romans and the Greeks enjoyed portraying him cavorting with nymphs, as in this mural uncovered in Pompeii, a resort town south of Rome that was destroyed during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.

But let us not think that sea creatures were confined to what is known as the “West.” The “East” had theirs as well. For example, in centuries past, the Chinese believed in sea dragons and assigned each a specific area to protect. But “protection” here meant keeping the waters safe for humans. Some of these beings were quite fearsome in appearance, with human bodies and dragon heads. Others were more anthropomorphic and used dragons as their mode of transportation (see illustration here).

The chief sea dragon was Longwang, and he controlled all the creatures that roamed the world’s waterways. However, unlike Aegir and Neptune, Longwang was revered as a beneficent creature, whose mission was to help humans. Should a drought arise, he and his fellow dragons worked to lessen its effect. Should the winds blow a tempest, he was there to calm the waves. No wonder the Chinese, as well as many who lived in the neighboring regions, respected and loved Longwang and all those who called his watery kingdom home.

Now, let’s travel a bit closer to the present time, to the late 1800s. The waterfront along Buzzards Bay and the Gulf of Maine is a beehive of activity. The sound is deafening with captains barking orders, riggers preparing huge sails, crews bumping their sea chests along wooden wharves and decks. Were we to step into the scene, all would seem quite foreign to us, so accustomed are we to the whirring sound of electronics, the lights signaling port and starboard, and the multitude of gauges and buttons recording depth, visibility, distance, and much more.

Were we to get a little closer and listen to the sailors, we would hear one or two talking of past encounters with sea creatures! Are the tales true or just a way to entertain themselves and scare the “landlubbers” coming aboard? We will never know the answer to that question, but imagine you are a landlubber and don’t swim (historical records show that on the whaling ships heading out from Buzzards Bay to the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, many of the crew did not!). As your ship leaves the harbor, an “old tar” hands you two wrinkle-worn pages. You take a look at the illustrations (see below). What would you do?

Back now to my little abode here by Maine’s Sheepscot River. Snow still covers the ground, and the winds of winter chill the air. Sure, summer is just a few months away, but for now let me enjoy the brisk winter winds, the “paw” prints left by creatures scurrying to find their next meal, and land trust trails just waiting to showcase their quiet beauty.

Join us next time when Maine—Window to World trains its lens on another part of the world. Comments are welcome: rosalie@ivycloseimages.com