Page 78 - August Sun Rays_Flipbook
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was able to get through to our captain strong headwind, Martini Alley was going okay, he just needs stitches.”
friend, who explained that one of the locks more backward than forward. The duo
on the intra-coastal had been closed, so revised their destination to Rockport, a “Where?” I demanded.
they’d gone out into the Gulf of Mexico trip which should have been around three
where they encountered a fast-moving hours. With poor Stephen, however, it “Above his left eye. Hurry.”
cold front and swells measuring four feet. took nearly five.
The captain reported that Stephen would Upon arrival I found Stephen below deck
have been hanging over the side, but the Nearing the Rockport marina, Stephen with a white bandage wrapped around his
probability of him falling over was too called me to come get him. I was only a head, his eye nearly swollen shut and his
great. He was definitely not the happy 45 minute drive away, and figured they left thigh missing lots of skin. With help,
camper that he was 24 hours ago. would be docked by the time I arrived. I was able to get him to my car and to the
nearest urgent care clinic.
By sunset they had traversed through Ten miles out, the boat captain called me.
the Matagorda Channel and docked in “Stephen’s had an accident.” As we entered the waiting area Stephen
Port O’Connor. The generator was still began to heave. The physician announced
not working, but house battery power was “What happened?” I asked, calmly he could not treat him because of the
holding fast – until morning, of course. assuming he had crashed the boat into instability of his head wound. The EMT
But the engine batteries were good to go, another dock. was called-again-and Stephen was on his
so they did. way to the neuro ER, 30 miles away.
“According to the paramedics,” he yelled,
The sea gods were really against them “he needs stitches.” Now he had my After many hours in the ER, Stephen was
because the engines started sputtering attention. The captain continued: “As we (thankfully) pronounced okay: no brain
not long after they left dock. With the were docking, Stephen slipped off the deck bleed and no leg fracture, even though his
and hit his head on the dock. I couldn’t leg had doubled in size. Twelve external
ONLINE: SCTEXAS.ORG find any bandages, so I called 911. He’s and numerous internal stitches later, he
looked at me solemnly and said, “I give.
This boat has it in for me. Martini Alley
2: Klutz 0. I don’t care what it sells for,
we just need to get it GONE.”
This boat could have given the deathcar
Christine a run for her money. It didn’t
need a blessing, it needed an exorcism.
I, for one, was not going to bother. The
devil could take Martini Alley−we were
through.
The end! No more boats!
What about land cruising? But-that’s
another story.
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