Fixing the Prop
Tonlé Sap, Cambodia

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Debris is a problem when traveling by propeller-driven boat in Cambodia. Strangely, boat operators often toss tangled rope or garbage back after freeing the prop. This photo captured a stop near the end of the day for propeller replacement. It was, in fact, one of at least a dozen stops for prop work on the trip (though this was the only time replacement was required).

The brown color in the background is the Tonlé Sap, shallow and muddy at the end of the dry season. When our crew paused to replace the prop, we were miles from the lake's nearest shore. It was thus with some surprise that we watched one of the boat operators hop into the water - and stand chest-deep while making repairs.

If you haven't done so elsewhere, be sure to see the text describing the unusual Tonlé Sap (accessible alongside the corresponding map).

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