A Boat Ride May 24, 2013 10:00
The boat ride over to Capri was an event in itself (hence why it is in its own journal entry). At the time I'm writing this, the event took place over three weeks ago, but I remember it as if it were yesterday. Brace yourself.
First of all, I really do enjoy boats. Although reflecting on this statement, I think the only reason why people don't enjoy boats is because they had a bad experience on one. So really, I should say, I have never had a bad experience on a boat. That is, until today.
Other than a relatively high water level in Sorrento (so I was told), it seemed like a pretty normal day as we were waiting on the dock for the ferry over to Capri. As the ferry was pulling in, I couldn't believe how big it was! Before I knew it, there were cars and trucks driving off of the boat onto the dock.
After the previous passengers got off of the boat, we started filing in. This process was somewhat chaotic given the sheer number of people trying to board. But, we made it on and even managed to secure window seats!
The ferry started to fill up fast, and pretty soon, people were standing. So, I ended up giving up my seat to an elderly couple. I figured I could just stand or sit on the floor. It was supposed to be a relatively quick ride, and given the fact that the boat was so large, I was expecting a rather smooth ride.
Wrong.
Before we actually started moving, people were muttering about the fact that large boats are the worst for sea sickness because you can't tell that they are rocking back and forth. While this is probably true, I think that sitting inside on a boat is the real problem. Either way, I think we were probably safer sitting inside on this ride.
It was crazy. Turbulence would be an understatement. We were getting some major air. And keep in mind, this is a really large ferry – not one of those small motor boats.
The worst part wasn't the actual turbulence though; the worst part was people's reactions. It didn't take long for people to start making runs to the bathroom. Although, this was easier said than done. I was sitting on the floor at the front of the boat next to the bathrooms, so I had front row seats. At one point, a boy and his brother opened the bathroom door at the exact moment the boat hit a wave. Needless to say, the both went sliding through the door like one of those comedy skits.
Pretty soon, the bathroom wasn't an option anymore. There were only so many toilets and sinks – and floors. So out came the bags. When asked who wanted a bag, nearly everyone raised their hand. It reminded me of one my favorite Spaceballs scenes.
I'm not going to go into any more details, but people's reactions definitely made me fell a bit uneasy. Luckily, I didn't get sick, but it was certainly a ride that I will never forget.
When we finally got on land (what seemed like days later – although, it was probably only a half-hour or so), it felt great. Next time, it would be nice to know that water is a bit rough before embarking on such an adventure, but I'm not even sure anything could have prepared us for a ride like the one I experienced today.