La cantidad de historias que habrá vivido este barco. Todo lo que ha conseguido. El montón de gente a la que habrá acogido. Todas sus aventuras, sus anécdotas. Sería estupendo poder entrar, pasar una noche con ellos, escuchar sus relatos mientras observas atentamente todo aquello que te rodea, pensaba ella mientras lo miraba.

Eran las 23:30 de un lunes. Desde el otro lado de la Ría se veía a una pareja, hombre y mujer, sentados en uno de los bancos de babor. La joven que les observaba desde el muelle montada en bicicleta solo pensaba, ojalá algún día sea yo quien este ahí. Ojalá tuviera la oportunidad de embarcarme en una aventura de ese calibre.

Quiso acercarse más. Solo tenía que cruzar un puente. Comenzó a pedarlear y subió por el bidegorri del puente Euskalduna. Cruzó y bajó la inclinada pendiente frenando desde el principio. El suelo estaba mojado. Llovía y aquellos frenos no estaban en su mejor momento.

Según se iba acercando notaba unos nervios en el estómago. El Esperanza, ese importante navío que tan lejos había estado. Incluso había trabajado en regiones polares. Y lo tenía ahí, tan cerca. Su casco hundido en las aguas de la Ría Nervión, lugar donde realizaba la última parada. Último destino de esa campaña en la que trataba de aportar soluciones contra el cambio climático. Un barco tan significativo, y estaba ahí, en su ciudad, a 500 metros de su casa, y a menos de 2 metros de ella.

Abandonó la bici en la valla y se acercó caminando lentamente. Impresionante. Era muy grande, más de lo que esperaba. Aquel gigante verde luchaba por el bien del planeta al mismo tiempo que surcaba sus aguas. Observó todos sus detalles. Su pintura, sus pequeñas ventanas, su ancla, la gigantesca cadena que lo mantenía ahí retenido. El arcoíris, la paloma, la orca dibujaba en el castillo de proa. Era solemne. Incluso intimidante.

La escalera estaba echada, y la puerta abierta. No había nada que le impidiera entrar. Se moría de ganas por poner un pie ahí arriba. Se acercó sigilosamente. De repente escuchó un ruido. Un chico salía de la zona de los camarotes. Disimuló y deambuló observando la popa. El muchacho la miró y continuó su camino. Cruzó el trampolín de salida y se alejó paseando por el muelle de la Carola. Ella seguía con la mirada en el barco.

En ese momento entró en escena otro joven. Tenía el pelo largo, muy largo. Moreno de piel y ojos. Su llamativa sudadera color naranja le delataba en medio de la noche. Caminó hacia delante por el pasillo de estribor se detuvo frente a ella y le saludó. Ella devolvió el saludo y añadió una sonrisa. Fascinada con aquel detalle la muchacha continuó hacia proa y tomó un par de fotos de la amura. El arcoíris y la paloma son todo un símbolo. Recogió su olvidada bicicleta y, antes de empezar a pedalear, se ajustó la chaqueta. En ese instante escuchó un sonido. Se dió la vuelta y era el mismo chico de sudadera vistosa que volvía a salir a cubierta. Es mi oportunidad, pensó ella. Giró el manillar 180 grados y se acercó sigilosamente, pero los frenos, una vez más, le traicionaron. El hombre observó la ruidosa maniobra con atención.

“Hola” le dijo ella. ¿Hasta cuándo estáis aquí?

El tripulante la observó con gesto extrañado. Se tomó unos segundos y contestó:

Do you speak english?
Sorry. When do you leave? repitió para que le entendiera.
Tomorrow, at 17,00 p.m.
¿Tomorrow? And, could we visit the boat tomorrow morning?
No, sorry. Aseguró el ecologista siempre sonriendo.
Oh! Ok. Sorry. So good night. Se despidió agachando la cabeza y se dió la vuelta.

Se acabó. Cogió su bici y se agotó cuesta arriba. Maldiciéndose por dentro por no haber tenido la destreza suficiente para preguntarle algo más. ¡Con lo que es ella! Por otro lado estaba contenta. Contenta de haber ido hasta allí. Haber estado cerca. Haber visto el barco, sola, sin masificaciones ni turistas. Ha hablado con uno de ellos y, ¿quién sabe?, quizá algún día sea ella quien tenga el placer de poder invitar a algún interesado a echar un vistazo a bordo.

El Esperanza MV, esa última incorporación que desde 2002 sustituye al licenciado Greenpeace MV combatiendo los problemas medioambientales. Esa nave que fue construida en 1984 y utilizada por el Gobierno Ruso como barco de bomberos. Un barco que tenía una misión clara, el salvamento. Un buque luchador que, junto a sus dos compañeros Artic Sunrise y Rainbow Warrior, continúa su tarea inmerso, y nunca mejor dicho, en sus campañas de defensa y protección. Gracias por esa labor que tanto sacrificio cuesta y tan poco se valora.

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The number of stories this ship must have lived through. Everything it has achieved. The many people it will have welcomed. All their adventures, their anecdotes. It would be great to be able to go inside, to spend a night with them, to listen to their stories while attentively observing everything that surrounds you, she thought as she looked at it.

It was 11:30 p.m. on a Monday. From the other side of the estuary you could see a couple, man and woman, sitting on one of the port side benches. The young woman who was watching them from the dock on her bicycle was just thinking, I wish someday it would be me there. I wish I had the opportunity to embark on an adventure of that caliber.

She wanted to get closer. He just had to cross a bridge. He started pedaling and went up the bidegorri of the Euskalduna Bridge. He crossed and descended the steep slope braking from the start. The ground was wet. It was raining and those brakes were not at their best.

As he approached, he felt a nervous feeling in his stomach. The Esperanza, that important ship that had been so far away. She had even worked in polar regions. And there she was, so close. Its hull sunk in the waters of the Nervion Estuary, the place where it was making its last stop. Last destination of that campaign in which he was trying to provide solutions against climate change. Such a significant boat, and it was there, in his city, 500 meters from his home, and less than 2 meters from it.

He abandoned the bike on the fence and approached it walking slowly. Impressive. It was very big, bigger than he expected. That green giant was fighting for the good of the planet at the same time it was crossing its waters. He observed all its details. Its painting, its small windows, its anchor, the gigantic chain that held it there. The rainbow, the dove, the orca drawn on the forecastle. It was solemn. Intimidating, even.

The ladder was down, and the door was open. There was nothing to keep him from entering. He couldn't wait to set foot up there. He crept closer. Suddenly he heard a noise. A boy was coming out of the cabin area. She stealthed and wandered around looking at the stern. The boy looked at her and continued on his way. He crossed the exit trampoline and strolled away along the dock of the Carola. She kept her eyes on the boat.

At that moment another young man entered the scene. His hair was long, very long. He was dark-skinned and dark-eyed. His striking orange sweatshirt gave him away in the middle of the night. He walked forward down the starboard aisle, stopped in front of her and waved. She returned the greeting and added a smile. Fascinated by that detail the girl continued forward and took a couple of pictures of the tack. The rainbow and the dove are quite a symbol. She picked up her forgotten bicycle and, before starting to pedal, adjusted her jacket. Just then he heard a sound. She turned around and it was the same boy in the colorful sweatshirt coming back out on deck. This is my chance, she thought. She turned the handlebars 180 degrees and crept closer, but the brakes, once again, betrayed her. The man watched the noisy maneuver carefully.

Hello," she said, "How long are you here?

The crewman looked at her with a quizzical expression. He took a few seconds and answered:

Do you speak english?
Sorry. When do you leave? he repeated to make himself understood.
Tomorrow, at 17,00 p.m.
Tomorrow? And, could we visit the boat tomorrow morning?
No, sorry. assured the ecologist, always smiling.
Oh! Ok. Sorry. So good night. He ducked his head and turned away.

He was done. He picked up his bike and exhausted himself up the hill. Cursing herself inwardly that she wasn't skilled enough to ask him anything else. What a girl she is! On the other hand she was glad. Glad she'd gone up there. To have been close. To have seen the boat, alone, without crowds or tourists. She had spoken to one of them and, who knows, maybe someday she might have the pleasure of inviting someone interested to take a look on board.

The Esperanza MV, that latest addition that since 2002 replaces the licensed Greenpeace MV fighting environmental problems. That ship that was built in 1984 and used by the Russian Government as a fire-fighting ship. A ship that had a clear mission, salvage. A fighting ship that, together with its two companions Artic Sunrise and Rainbow Warrior, continues its task immersed, and never better said, in its defense and protection campaigns. Thank you for that work that costs so much sacrifice and is so little valued.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

La imagen ha sido tomada por mí // The image was taken for me