The Mazirbe Boat Cemetery

 Well, Cap'n.  This should be something you enjoy.  We are headed to a boat cemetery.

A boat cemetery?  That sounds pretty intriguing.  I wonder if we will meet any ghosts?  And can the boats be commandeered to sail?  After all, I am a pirate!

You just pretend to be a pirate.  We all know that you have no sailing experience.  Anyway, these boats have been placed in the woods.  They are not in the water.  The forest is taking over the boats.

Wait a second Spike.  The boats are in the forest?  How is that even possible?  Boats should be in the water so they can be used!

Well, it's like this.  You have to know the modern history of Latvia.  From 1944-1991, Latvia was under the control of the Soviet Union.  Because of its location along the Baltic Sea, where there was plenty of fish, the Latvians used wooden fishing boats.  In the 1960s, the Soviet Union banned individual fishing.  Since the fishing boats were not allowed to be used, they were abandoned in the woods.

Of course, you would know the history.  Sometimes you are such a know-it-all, Spike!

And they woods have kind of taken over these old fishing boats.  Since they are made of wood, and wood rots, there is not much left of some of the boats.

What about now?  How do they fish?  I suppose people are still fishermen in this area.

Nowadays, the fishermen use modern boats with motors.  No need for an old wooden boat. 

The cemetery is interesting.  You can see what is left of 7 different boats.  Soon there won't be anything to see though.  I still would have liked to take one of the boats and go sailing.....