Memoir

Margo Johnston 705                                                                                     12-12-12

Memoir

           

It is a warm, bright, sunny day in Jamaica, like every day. As I walk on the soft burning hot sand the refreshing smell of the ocean fills my nose. I run over to the seashore, awaiting for our boat to arrive. I see a small canoe with a motor on the shore and stop right in my tracks.

“Is that our boat?!” I asked my dad, expecting a no.

“Uh…er…I guess…? He stuttered.

I slowly walked into the swaying boat. I eyed the old life jackets stuffed into a corner as I got myself comfortable on a flimsy bench. I looked out into to the ater, it was going to be a burning hot 25 minute ride, with 9 people on a boat that holds 6. After waiting, I soon saw the other family I was vacationing with scurry out on to the sand. Finally after some squeezing and shoving, everyone somehow found their way on the boat.

It was a tight fit and for all 25 minutes we were trying to make sure we didn’t get to bad of a sun-burn and at the same time make sure we didn’t fall out of the boat. By the time we got to the place we wanted to go, a little fish shack on a sand bar, we were burnt to a crisp from the bright sun. We ran out, relieved to be safe at shore. We dipped in the cool refreshing ocean and ate delicious food from the shack. But soon, it started to grow darker. We were forced to go back on to the wooden death trap. We squeezed in again as me, my sister and my dad took a seat on the floor of the canoe-type boat. Everyone else got a seat on the benches.

“Alrighty, folks, it may be a little bit choppy on da way back,” The driver yelled in his thick Jamaican accent.

 I kept a firm grip on the bench beside me. At first the ride was smooth and pleasant, but soon the boat started to sway, left to right, left to right, left to right. The waves got rougher and rougher as we skidded across them jumping up into the air and down again. I looked back to see if the driver was worried, but instead I saw him smiling, sitting on the edge of the boat.

“Are ya alright?! I told yeh it might be choppy!” I could hardly hear him over the wails from the people as the boat rocked left and right.

 I started to sweat and think about what might happen if we drowned. I couldn’t even swim, what am I doing on a boat like this? I could tell everybody was freaking out too, because all 8 of us had to grab onto something so we wouldn’t slide off the edge when the boat practically turned on it’s side. Everybody shrieked and immediately moved to the opposite side of the boat, just to be rocked towards the opposite side again. I turned my head to see the water practically right next to my face. I was almost smiling I was so shocked that I was actually in a situation like this.

“Hold on!!” yelled the driver as we leaped in the air for half a second and come back down again, almost turning completely sideways.

“Almost there!” I looked out and saw the beach and let out a relieving sigh.

“Finally home!” I heard the driver yell.

We all quickly jump out of the boat and walk up the beach, shaking from terror.     Home again, Home again.