Riding The Wave of Danger

Cruise ships have been a popular topic, or at least one that I've been running into, lately. At work, a bill that we were campaigning on would have established law enforcement - "Ocean Rangers" - on cruise ships since these floating cities have been known to run rampant with all sorts of crime and for the violation of environmental regulations. The bill died earlier this week. Speaking of death and cruise ships, the play I attended last night, Murder On The Nile, made me think that crime on cruise ships must be a long standing problem since it was based on a book by Agatha Christie.

Personally, I think the idea of going on a cruise sounds boring and pointless. It's the exclusive nature of this form of travel that is a major turnoff. Doesn't it just sound more logical to travel the land and experience your foreign surroundings rather than keep yourself confined to a boat full of tourists and crew that cater to their every whim?

So it was a huge surprise to me when I found myself shopping around for a cruise a couple of years ago while in Ecuador. I had planned to visit the Galapagos Islands, but I had it in my head that I would be able to see the islands by ferry with stayovers on land. I learned that would be impossible due to strictly enforced protections of the delicate habitat. In fact, most of the islands only allowed for day trips which had to be led by certified guides on designated paths.

I found the cheapest cruise and booked it. And, as they say, I got what I paid for - the best "roughin' it" adventure one could hope for on tourist boat.

To start with, the booking agency had opted with making some extra money by selling spots to eleven of us, though the ship only had cabins for five pairs. While none of us minded the coziness of the ship, one tourist was unfairly stuck in the crew cabins at the front of the boat. Getting to his room required acts of dexterity as he swung along the outside holding on to railings. This came around to bite him after a dinner that featured lobster soup. His hands must have been greased from the lobster legs causing him to lose grip on the railing. While the rest of us were still at the dining table, he slipped overboard, under the ship, and was left bobbing in the wake behind us. At least five miles from the shore of the nearest island and quickly disappearing behind us, this passenger could have easily been lost at sea if two other passengers hadn't spotted him in the nick of time.

Another close brush with death occurred during the night as I tried to sleep in my cabin. Feeling ill due to something I drank or ate in addition to seasickness, I was spending much of my time on board in bed. Becoming weaker each day, I could have expired completely when the engine malfunctioned causing exhaust and whiffs of diesel fuel to flood through the vents in my room. Barely saved from carbon monoxide poisoning, Rob convinced me in the middle of the night to abandon my bed for a lounge chair on the deck.

In fact danger was upon us since the middle of the first night when the boat's steering column broke off. I was woken as the boat spun uncontrollably in circles, causing lounge chairs to fly overboard and an older passenger to fall into the stairs while getting whacked by one of the chairs. Rob luckily held onto a railing while the rest of his body became air born. Not to worry; the innovative crew found a large stick to attach to the rudder. One man on deck gave guiding directions to the other in the engine room below. The stick method worked for the rest of the voyage.

I must say it came as little surprise when I learned that I had taken the second to the last voyage that the ship would see before retiring. While all of this must sound horrible, I really did have an incredible time. The animals and sights I saw were out-of-this-world. Besides, it was so much more adventurous and memorable to travel on a ship like ours rather than one of the posh, but boring ships docked near us.