Peril aboard The Elimy

Looking at that picture of Kris and Nate on Block Island really brought up a flood of memories that kept me from sleeping last night. First, it was such a great weekend, it was hot, we were on boats that had enough beer on them to sink them. Block Island is such a wonderful place, there isn't anywhere like it in the world. We had taken the ferry out because everyone else left on the 2 boats earlier in the week. We saw parts of the parade, hit the beach and then went out to the harbor to meet up with everyone. On 4th of July weekend, thousands of boats come to Block Island and moor up in the harbor and you go to the launch and tell them which boat you want and they take you out to it- it's so fun. Anyway we had a great day, left the boats and went ashore for dinner, went to some bars and came back out to sleep. It was so gorgeous and so much fun; it's one of the best days that I'll ever remember.

Kris didn't have enough salt on his Margarita apparently

Becky and Emily aboard The Elimy

This boat isn't The Elimy but look how relaxed and happy they appear- they will not look this way 15 hours later.

Unfortunately it immediately proceeds one of the worst. We woke up the next morning, and it was pretty day; but we knew it was supposed to get bad around noon. We had a two hour ride back to Jamestown/Newport and we wanted to get out early. I distinctly remember everyone aboard throwing up over the side at least once before we left. As we were pulling out of hte harbor in a line of boats it started to drizzle. And then 15 minutes later rain. And then wind. We are all below deck getting increasingly sick because A. we are hungover B. seas are rocking and C. we have to stay there because Jon is having trouble getting the boat on plane. The seas get worse, it was predicted that we'd have four foot waves- we are at least at six. At this point; Kris, Becky and I can't take it any longer, we have to go up top or we will die. We are still not on plane. Then it gets really bad. If you've seen the movie White Squall with Scott Wolf, this is what I'm talking about. Except this time Ryan Phillipe still dies, and takes Scott Wolf and Balthazar Getty with him.

The wind begins to HOWL. It starts pouring. The waves are now at about 8 feet. I'm looking at Jon at the wheel and the waves above and behind him are at least 10 feet above him. I am so scared and so sick and the boat is bucking. It's a 28 foot Bayliner and it doesn't have any business being out past six feet of waves. I look at a spot in the water and think to myself, "That's where I'm going to die." I'm not even scared anymore. I picked my spot and was resigned to a watery grave- as long as it ended the hellish ride. I go down below briefly, where Dan and Emily are gripping the cushions ready to use them as flotation devices. From their view the waves look like they're going to crest over the boat any minute. Emily who has made this trip ten times a year for all 24 years of her life, has never seen anything like this; she is certain we are going to die. Jon is at the wheel exhausted from gripping it so hard. 1/2 the people on the boat are still throwing up. Above all miracles, we make it back to their marina in Jamestown and still have to ride the launch back. I feared that minnow would be lost as well. So all in all, we survived and can only slightly chuckle about it now- it's not even really that funny. The most unbelievable part about the whole journey and evidence that we were 24 when it happened? Not a single person on The Elimy had a damn life vest on.