Craig Boehman

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My Favorite Ship in Mumbai

As a few of you know, I usually don't create work without people. Though I find myself highly interested in the abstract of late, I hope to work more along these lines soon. But the odd object may attract me from time to time, like this grounded clunker of a ship. I can't call it a ghost ship because even ghosts would want something a little more seaworthy. And what's the fun of being tied down year-round? I've been taking regular photos of this ship for several years now. It's located just south of the Juhu Jetty near the fishing area of Danda Village. I haven't ever seen it floating but I presume it does when there are high tides and monsoon storms. Either that or the Arabian Sea just beats it up year after year like the proverbial mountain beaten down by the daily tides. Except this colorful heap of wood and rope won't last for eons. I expect to see it gone or bashed to pieces every visit. But it remains the same, tilted in its usual slanty pose like it's questioning its own existence. Despite its shortcomings as a seaworthy vessel and its numbered days, I consider this ship my favorite in all of Mumbai, if not the world. Is it so strange to have a favorite ship? That's a topic for another day.

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