The four of us were on a zoom call each sipping his evening cocktail. Tim, Bob, Larry and I had all been sailing for twenty plus years and we all owned sailboats at one time. We had delivered boats from Mexico to the Gulf Coast; chartered sailboats in the Caribbean as well as the San Juan Island in the Pacific Northwest. Three of us had delivered a sailboat from Fort Lauderdale to Colon, Panama and we all had raced from Pensacola Florida to Havana, Cuba. Bob even held a Coast Guard Captains License. With that amount of experience what could go wrong?

            The decision was made that we would charter a sailboat out of the Abaco’s for a week in June. Bob’s, Tim’s and my wife Bobbie, were experienced sailors and could easily help with the boat duties, like cooking, making cocktails and even sunbathing while we stood watches. Larry was a recent widower so he invited his 22 year old grandson, who all knew and admired, especially the wives, as Deagan was very handsome. What could go wrong?

            I had a few concerns about the boat. Bobbie, had injured her leg years earlier and had difficulty getting on and off boats. Bob picked the boat and it was perfect. It was a 44 foot Bali Catamaran with a fantail that was a foot above the water. Perfect for Bobbie to step on from the docks. It had four large cabins with bathrooms. A large galley with house size refrigerator, stove, oven, ice maker and freezer. The front, instead of the typical trampoline, was one large comfortable cushioned area to lay on. An additional area of similar size was right behind the raised helm. We could not have asked for a better boat and this was the first time this boat was being chartered. What could go wrong?

            The day before we sailed we all drove over to Fort Lauderdale to catch our flight on Silver Airways to Marsh Harbor in the Abaco’s. We stayed at the Hilton Marina Hotel which we had stayed at before and it was very nice. Highly recommend it if you are going to Fort Lauderdale.  Dinner was excellent and we were all in good spirits, not having consumed too much in the way of cocktails. We took our sailing very seriously.

            The next morning did not start great for me. I had a premonition about the trip which raised my anxiety level. I have PTSD and take medication for anxiety and never has it been a problem, but this morning, something did not feel right. I had my pills and my wife and great companions. What could go wrong?

            Arriving at the airport three hours before our flight we checked our bags and walked to gate A-8 at the far end of the terminal. Plenty of time and the walk was nice. Since we had two hours now we all got comfortable. A little girl of about six was staring at me so I began winking at her and quickly switching eyes. She mimicked me. Her and her family were also flying to Marsh Harbor. With one hour before our flight, “Ladies and Gentlemen on Silver Airways flight 68 to Marsh Harbor, your gate departure is now gate C-8,” came over the PA system. C-8 was on the opposite side of the terminal.

            Arriving at C-8 almost breathless from the run, we see that not only was our gate changed but the flight is now delayed one hour. Instead of departing at 2:30pm we are to depart at 3:30pm. At 7:30pm and hourly delays, they announced that our flight was now cancelled and we all had to rebook. In fact all six Silver Air flights were cancelled and everyone had to rebook. Mass confusion played out at the ticket counter for the next three hours. While the ladies rebooked our flights, the men retrieved bags and sought out a hotel for the night. Once we secured the bags we moved to where the hotel bus would pick us up. I had a large bag with my snorkel gear and worldly possessions over my shoulder. The manhole cover that was in the side walk sat three inches below the sidewalk and when I stepped down with the extra weight on my shoulder, I took a tumble. Now that wasn’t so embarrassing even if I did bounce my head off the sidewalk, but the fact (and I really hate to admit this) that diarrhea stuck at that moment. When we got to the hotel I got cleaned up and settled in for the night.

            The next morning, I woke and the premonition of nothing good to come was with me. My digestive problem was still with me. My anxiety level was climbing like a NASA rocket. We arrived back at the airport to begin checking in for our flight….”Oh, Hell I have got to find a bathroom,” and I took off at a very fast, tight cheek (and not my mouth cheeks either) walk to find a bathroom. Never fails that when you are in a hurry you will be behind some oversize women that is strolling. “Excuse me Lady….” I barely made it, well almost made it. Leaving that pair of underwear I decided that I could do the rest of the trip, commando. When I rejoined my wife, she handed me another anxiety pill. “Take that and you are going to get a gin and tonic. You need it.” I had given up drinking alcohol but she knows best and I always follow what she says.

            Our 2:30pm Silver Airways flight departed right on time at 3:30pm. Fortunately our designated Captain Bob and his wife, Yvonne, got out on the 9:00am flight and had everything ready when we arrived at the Marsh Harbor Marina, which was very nice compared to the rest of the island that we had seen. March Harbor Marina is a first class operation. We were all excited to get on the boat until we got to the boat. Yes the back of the boat was easy to step on, if the dock had been a floating dock but it was not. The tide was out and the boat was resting three feet below the level of the dock. How were we going to get Bobbie aboard. Deagan had the solution and picked her up like a feather and deposited her on deck. As soon as she was aboard, Captain Bob fired up the engine while the rest of us cast off the lines and we headed out. “We’re on a boat!” we all yelled on our departure. We were looking forward to smooth sailing, good snorkeling and pleasant sunsets. What could go wrong now?

            Reaching a small cove the decision was to pick up a mooring ball rather than dropping the anchor. As Captain Bob approached the ball, two of us hung over the bow with a boot hook to retrieve the line to the mooring ball. “Oh hell, the boot hook is about six feet too short to reach the line,” we announce to our captain. Young Deagan steps up and with Larry, Tim and I holding his legs, Deagan hangs over the bow and reaches the line. The wives assisted by making cocktails while we secured everything for a comfortable evening. Okay it is just the first day, we should be good for the rest of the trip. What could possibly go wrong now!

            Monday morning is slightly overcast but does not damper our mood. “Where’is Tim?’ Captain Bob asks Tim’s wife as she serves the morning blood mary’s.

            “Tim is in bed. He is not well. Has a bad cough, aches all over and did not sleep,” DD responded. “He does not have a fever so he should be okay in the morning. Just let him sleep today.”

            Bob turns to my wife, “Where is he?”

            “Ah, Montezuma’s revenge has him in the bathroom most of the night and right now?” She announced.

            After breakfast we got underway. The sailing was smooth but rain showers could be seen like walls of water coming down from the sky. We managed to avoid them and once clear decided it was time to hoist the sail. After an hour of attempting to untangle the sheets, halyards and lazy jacks we finally got the sails up. We really were the first people to ever put the sails up. She sailed beautifully once we got it all straightened out. That evening we anchored off a point that we were cautioned could be dangerous. Our Captain made a wise decision as the wind had shifted and caused major problems on the other side of our little island. We slept well but with three-foot seas no one snorkeled.

            The next day, Tim was up and chipper. Tuesday woke overcast skies, light rain showers and three-foot seas. Hey, we’re on a boat so all is right with the world. This day we sailed into New Plymouth and chose a dock for the night. Still the boat was three feet below the dock so Bobbie stayed aboard. Larry anxiously climbed over the side, hung his foot on a spring line and crashed onto the dock. “Way to go Larry,” then I did the same thing. What else can go wrong…Damn where is the bathroom. That evening, the captain’s wife was not feeling too good. The next day she stayed in bed and so did I. (Separate beds) We were both down with whatever it was that Tim had. I was also up frequently…what the hell did I eat to cause this?

            For the next two days not much changed. High winds, rougher seas and flue like symptoms across the crew as well as my problem. But, Hey we’re on a boat!

            Friday saw us pulling back into the marina. Now I recognized the tides and saw that if we got off the boat on Saturday morning, the boat would again be three feet below the dock. But if I could get my wife off on Friday afternoon, the tide would have the boat deck level with the dock. A fast call to the marina hotel and I was in luck…one room left and I got it. Friday evening was good comradery and dinner with Tim and DD leaving early in the morning and the rest of us leaving at 2:30pm on Silver Airways. Tim and DD got off just fine and we did too, at 8:30pm that evening. We were back in Fort Lauderdale and back in a hotel by 10:00pm.

Despite it all, We Were On A Boat and it was a trip…that I do not want to repeat!

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