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| Sunrise on the Atlantic |
So, there we were. 12midnight Saturday morning, ready & eager for our 1st night time sail, & 1st time in the Atlantic. 12:20am--hard aground on a sandbar. Luckily for us, it was low tide. We tried to get the boat off ourselves but ultimatley had to wait for the tide to come back in. And when I say by ourselves, I mean of coarse with total help from Dan & Cheri. Dan had to lower his dinghy in the dark, row over & help us. At 2:20am we were free & headed out for our long day. And it was long. 15hrs with the wind in our face. So not able to sail. The waves started getting big & choppy as we were finally pulling into very busy, fast current channel in Atlantic City when disaster struck. Our engine died. We were just floating with a huge seawall of rocks waiting to turn our boat into toothpicks on the shore. Scott & I have never been so scared. I screamed on the radio to Dan & Cheri. Then we screamed on the radio for "Boat U.S." to come get us immediately. Dan was turning his boat around & Cheri was giving us instructions--all over radio. It was horrifying. We almost called a may-day to the coast guard. Dan & Cheri got their boat to us & actually towed us in that busy channel into the anchorage. By then, everyone had heard our cries on the radio & we actually had a police escort. It is impossible for me to describe with words the level of fear we had. Dan & Cheri too. Once again, thanks to their experience, they knew exactly what to do in that emergency. Cheri admitted to me this morning that losing the engine in that scenario has always been one of her biggest fears. We all were a nervous wreck when it was over. Never a dull moment on a boat!
4 comments:
WOW!! Happy to hear you guys are safe!!! So...are you now going to become boat motor mechanics?? I have no doubt you can do anything!! :>) Sounds like you have great friends out there with you. How fortunate!
That's a little too exciting ! so glad you are safe and your boat survived! Thank you Dan and Cheri for taking such good care of our friends.:)
I have no idea why my picture comes up when I comment, maybe from our Africa blogspot ? Anyways you won't forget what I look like..take care
Awsome!!! Nothing like some good old adventure on your journey. If it was just smooth sailing, then what fun would that be. I always say, every time you put yourself in a situation were you are faced with the prospect of losing your life, you become closer to God, because you realize at that moment what truly is important in life.
Keep taking the road less traveled and you will find your pot of gold (or Corona with a lime☺).
A.M.D.G
Xavier
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