Wikipedia: A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of all vessels, and whatever their mode of locomotion is.
It was around 10 years ago when I still lived in a "Ghetto Ass" area know as Colon Shitty and wondered around the bushes looking for people to hang out with. Was a tough place, considering Colon has about 200,000 people of which 90% are fully non educated and living in extreme poor conditions. It was hard to feel too comfortable when kids were mostly interested on stealing, smoking crack, cocaine, guns, gangs, playing basketball and the ocean had a negative mythological meaning of death in their lives. Related to being Liberia or an Apocalyptic Hell...
For P11 (me) it was like being a red blood cell trying to become a white blood cell and execute as an antibody. Not sure what this means, but the point is, I lived somewhere "I could not relate to most people within their cultural activities". Anyways, due to the influence of the American culture around where I lived, I started speaking English, riding BMX and surfing. Back then, there were only about 4 surfers in the whole city after the Americans left Panama (2000). Besides from that, most of these 4 surfers did not lived as close to the funnest spot (ISLA GRANDE) as Nino del Mar and I did.
Around the year 2000, I was starting to experience the sport of surfing and was ignorant to many hazards, specially the unstable Atlantic Ocean. Little situations like, the first time you get trapped in a strong current going "I will change my name to Gilligan", cutting your self for the first time with sharp reef going "Fuc@ing Shampoo Hurts!", getting your board pulled out in a micro second by a heavy set going "You suck Cris Angel!" and being in the ocean under a storm with nothing around going "I am not scared but I could be". All of this while heavy 8 footers close out at a few feet from you. Once those things happen repetitively, you tell your self "hum, I think I should find a surf buddy to at least witness this". So, I did, Bolivar Andres was my new buddy to surf the lonely waves of Isla Grande.
Bolivar Andres was just a little chubby kid holding his rotten 1980's waterlogged SPECTRUM surfboard with a rotten white brown color. This is what I call a classic tool for most sailors (old rotten board) waiting for someone to surf with. El "nino del mar" was right on the spot and he recognized it. As soon as he had a chance, Bolivar could be seen trying the cutbacks, snaps and regardless of his weight he had a good flow. His dad brought Bolivar on a sailboat from Chile and decided to stay on the Atlantic Coast of Panama . Every time I went to this spot, I would see a short shirtless wrinkled over tanned guy selling handcraft on the pretty much lonely town of Isla Grande (Bolivar's dad) and Bolivar wondering in circles like a cat around the Island.
Now days, Bolivar or "Nino del Mar" has proven knowledge as an experienced sailor and surfer. I can say with confidence he understands the ocean, vessels and boards more than he understands society and public relations. After all, what is most important, knowing your self or others, right? Deep in the core, Bolivar is a good hearted person with a lot of skills who is now sponsored by mayor brands like Reef and Byrne Surfboards. I manage and own a website with about 80 vessels (www.PanamaCruise.com.pa) and among the list of captains Bolivar has proven to be the most knowledgeable and responsible among them. What could you not know about navigation when you were almost born and fully raised inside a floating vessel? While most captains were raised on the main land, later taken to a boat for proving grounds, the psychological transition drives them NUTS and while they drink large amounts of alcohol and starts seeing topless mermaids, Bolivar surfs and looks at his beautiful girlfriend who charges with him...
BOLIVAR ANDRES INTERVIEW
PSP: Where are you from Earth or Extraterrestral?
B: mars i think
PSP: When did you start surfing and why?
B: 98 wit my family
PSP: What was your first surf board like?
B: super retro and ugly
PSP: If there was something about your first board that you would like to put on your latest what would it be?
B: nothing haha
PSP: I know you were almost born an a sailboat, tell us a little about how you ended up living in a sailboat, how big was the boat and for how many years?
B: 30 ft and i live on board like 15 years really cool times
PSP: what was it like when you needed to use the bathroom on stormy days? did you just go overboard for n1? what about n2 at AM?
B: hahahha was not fun
PSP: what is the relationship between being a sailor and surfing? do you think it helps you at a competetive level?
B: i daunt compete so i daunt now butt is like a bigger surfboard
PSP: Out of all places and people in the world, you got to throw a private party at your house "in the bushes" with legends like Rob Machado, Mick Fanning, Lossness and others, what are your first thoughts to those memories and what do you think it meant in your life?
B: hell off a party butt just people like you and me
PSP: If there were things you would change about your personality what would it be?
B: be cooler like coolio hahah
PSP: If there were things you would need to change about your surfing what would it be?
B: you all ways have to improve and change
PSP: Boxers or briefs?
B: boxers
PSP: Do you think there is a relationship between someone's personality and its surfing style?
B: not at all
PSP: Do you practice any type of training, diets or supplements to improve your surfing?
B: yoga at the bocas yoga studio
PSP: Do you believe a good sexual intercouse would be beneficial before contest?
B: no you be so tired
PSP: We recently got to share a session with Nick Rosza, the guy completed reverse airs on 2 ft waves and 1 ft of depth on mellow reef, do you think he sold his soul to the devil ?
B: yes
PSP: Giving Nick the authority to be one of the best aerial performers out there what was the highlighted lesson of that session?
B: go just go
PSP: If you wanted to ask GOD a mystery in life, what would that be?
B: wen do i get rich ? nah so many things to ask well do you relly exist ?
PSP: what are your honest thoughts about my RAW blog on surf photos? do you think I should sell out, put advertizing and worrying about the words I use and how I write?
B: HELL NO
PSP: Is there a message you want to leave the readers of PanamaSurfPhotos.org?
B: smile :)
BOLIVAR PHOTOS TAKEN BY P11
BOLIVAR ANDRES SURF VIDEO
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