Manoel is captain both on land and at sea. Being a captain comes with much deserved respect. He earned respect from the sea for not wanting to rush in, and earned respect from the land for making his home a safe place for those who lack shelter. He has a deep voice and speaks slowly. Ah!, how he likes to talk, even if it means being silent. “People think that silence is an emptiness in the universe, but silence tells us more than loose words in the voices of those who don’t think.” says Manoel to one of his companions when this one recognises the time he stays looking into the horizon.

One day, a little boy who loved to hear his stories asked him if he wasn’t sad for getting old. He replied promptly: “You know, son, one shouldn’t be nostalgic. To face the sea one needs bravery, and to face people one needs firmness, and if you wake up every day with the desire to face these two, you will reach my age with the feeling of fulfilment.” The boy looked curious, not quite sure of what he meant, only certain that old Manoel was the wisest man of the entire village.