Fateful ferry

06/28/08

There are 13 people crammed into a boat the size of a large living room sofa. This is the “ferry” that will take us across the water from Santa Cruz Island to Isabella. We’ve already prevented two other passengers from boarding by shouting “no room” very loudly.
As the boat makes it’s way out of our safe harbor, and the boat begins to pitch and roll, we all have second thoughts about the safety of such a passage.
None of us are wearing life jackets because the co-pilot has stashed them all in the storage at the front of the boat. The captain is situated in the back of the boat and can not even see ahead because the nose of the boat is higher than the rear. He is relying on his assistant to peek around the boat by sticking his head out to the side. As we leave the dock the co-pilot dons a rain jacket and glasses even though there is no sun.
As we pick up speed and the boat begins to smack into the oncoming waves, Lilli lets out a yelp with each hit. Everyone is now braced and cringes each time the ship launches into the air, knowing that a hard crack will follow when the underside collides again with the rough water.
The people surronding me make an interesting picture.
I have an Englishman to my left who is getting showered with the spray of the waves. One hand is protectively across his chest where his cigarettes are. He has mumbled to me that his “fags are ruined”. He looks like he is enduring his lot. Next to him is a young student from Florida who is studying at an oceanography institute on Isabella. She looks the most rested, staring peacefully into space and listening to music on her IP3. She is sitting next to a 20 something lad with his IPOD and earphones on, in a zone with glazed eyes. Beside him is a stout girl who is looking after her boyfriend who seems to be hyperventilating and keeps gulping air and looking nervously about. His girlfriend holds a plastic bag ready. Next to nervous boy is a drunken fellow sneaking plastic cup fulls of some liquor out of his backpack. Later on he gives up the guise and starts drinking straight from the bottle. He takes his video camera out no less than 7 times to film the same scene he has seen on the previous 6 shots. Next to drunk guy is the cool dude. He is well tanned with shades on and his music plugged into his ears. Beside him is a latin fellow clutching a satchel. Besides him is a large man who has sweated through his shorts and shirt and the salt rings are already beginning to show. Besides him is a beefy guy who calmly passes around mints to the needy. And then comes the young girl who doesn’t want to be there, here hooded parka pulled over her head and staring out to sea. Lilly has a towel draped over her shoulder to avoid the spray and is beside me. I have just removed my hand for the 5th time from the leg of the british bloke who I just can’t help squeezing for some reason every time Lilli lets out a squeek.