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A float that is stronger than waves

The three rescued fishermen standing on top of the float that was towed ashore by local fishermen, at Gopalpur beach.

BERHAMPUR: Bamboo has again proved to be one of the strongest mediums of nature to withstand its vagaries and corrosive power.

A float made of bamboo meant to be anchored in deep sea near Myanmar for fishing could keep afloat for more than two months three poor fishermen from Myanmar. These marooned fishermen along with their float were saved and brought to coast by local fishermen of Gopalpur from deep sea on Tuesday. Local police interrogated these fishermen and contacts are being made with the Myanmar embassy to decide the future of these fishermen.

Budhia Nahak of Berhampur who was earlier working in Myanmar was used as an interpreter to find out details about these fishermen who knew no other language other than Burmese. The three rescued fishermen were Zo Ou, Zo Loe and Ko Len. All of them thanked God and strength of bamboo for their miraculous survival.

According to them these special double-decker bamboo floats are anchored in deep sea by fishing merchants of Myanmar. On these floats they put fishermen on three-month shifts. The fish caught by these fishing labourers are collected by boats that make regular rounds. On the floats the fishermen have cooking material and a distillation unit to prepare potable water from sea water.

The three rescued fishermen were also on a three-month shift of seclusion and fishing on their float in November, when a major cyclone hit Myanmar and Bangladesh coast. Their float got detached from its anchor by the high waves and they were marooned in the sea. As they did not have anything to put the float into motion in any direction they left it float around at the mercy of sea currents. Their only fear was possible corrosion of the float which could have meant their death. But the bamboo proved to be stronger than the waves. The fishermen even used parts of bamboo used in the float as fuel to cook the fish they caught from sea during their days in sea. Even after facing the wrath of angry waves of the sea, travelling more than 600 miles and remaining marooned in the sea for over two months the bamboo float seemed to be unscathed and ready for another voyage.

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