Event period: from 11 to 12 June 2016

  I've finally given in to temptation and popped in at the weekend to have a look. It’s not wise to do so with deadlines just around the corner, but, look, I’ve got some scholarship money left over and I’ve been working hard all this time. Once in a while won’t hurt.

  Like I was saying, I looked for a cheap place to stay and spent the entire weekend there. The beach in question is... Nice? I guess. Don’t take too much notice of my judgement, I’m not much of a beach person. I’ll sum it up by saying that, in my opinion, the place is fine; it seems quiet, and the area is quite green.

  But let’s get to the point: I found little. I wandered around taking advantage of the low tide hours and visually I can tell you that there is nothing noticeable. That was lame because, I confess I had slight hope. I mean I hoped there might luckily be something there but, being rational, the logical thing is that, with the movement of the waves and the beach, what interests me, if it exists, is under a more or less thick layer of sand, and even if I were lucky enough for the peat bog to be superficial, I doubt very much that what is interesting would also be in the upper layer.

  Of course, in this situation, I was a bit loss about what to do next. Now that I have confirmed that the peat bog is not on the surface (if it really exists and is there), the only thing left to do would be to find it with a surveyor or a test pit, but legally the thing is complicated: I would need authorization from the Xunta, a project, a budget, a scientific director to endorse the project and a myriad of other things... I’m just an ignoramus who hasn’t even finished his bachelor (and penniless, by the way).

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  In short, I was at an impasse, but in the end, despite everything, I’m going to choose to do a test pit on my own. It’s easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission. Anyway, hardly anyone comes here and what I can get is worth the risk. I have even located an interesting area with potential on one side of the beach. Basically, it’s a rocky area which, I guess, is where the pieces that brought me here in the first place turned up. Hopefully, that means that the sea or something washed them up in that area, but it’s also true that the waves could have displaced the remains from their point of origin and that, in reality, there’s nothing there at all. Be that as it may, it’s the best clue I have, so I’ll have to follow it and see where it leads me. This week I’ll look for work tools and I’ll come back as soon as I have time.

  I know it’s not the most ethical thing to do; I know I’m imitating those burial mound raiders in search of Mouros’ gold, but I’m too curious, and if I manage to rescue something, maybe I can get a project done with a bit more substance. At the very least I’ll get more than promises that something interesting with potential might turn up. I will try to be as methodical and scientific as possible, and if I find something of interest, I won’t touch too much to avoid decontextualizing what comes out.