Oh, that is an *excellent* quote, and yes. A sea-looking alternate history. (Or any, any fantasy set in South and Southeast Asia, with a focus on maritime travel, please... I will write it myself eventually if no one else does.)

The sea erases all records of its traverses, whereas the land preserves them.

Now *that* is poem worthy. The sea erases the past, the sea is the eternal present.

On the other topic, will that small-world connection result in a place for you to live, maybe?