Sailing with the Preacher: Part Two
 

Well, I’m back, safe and sound from my return trip with my Pastor from Martha’s Vineyard. Every year, he takes his sailboat (38 ft. Erickson) from the Severn River to M.V. in early June, and makes the return trip in early July back to Maryland.
Two years ago, I made the trip up with him and chronicled it on Tidal Fish. We had miserable weather (rain and thunderstorms); and butted heads on several occasions. This year, I knew more of what to expect, and the weather cooperated to make the trip much more enjoyable.
I suppose on any six day trip, there is going to be some contention and a few laughs, so if you are interested, follow the threads as I give the highlights of each day.
Day 1 (Getting to M.V)
Well I had the alarm set early. I never like to be the last person to arrive, so I set the alarm to allow me to eat some breakfast before heading to the BWI train station. The ticket window opens at 5am and the train was to arrive at BWI at 5:15. Not much time for picking up the tickets at the window.
Luckily, we made the train to Boston without problems. The trains South to Washington appeared busy, but our North bound train was nearly empty. At the front of the car, there are four seats; two facing forward and two facing rear. There is a lot of space between them, so I sat on one side of the train, and the Pastor and another crewmember took the opposite side of the train so we could all face forward.
As we traveled north, the train filled and eventually a young man got on board carrying two car seats, a big bag, and a double stroller (collapsed). He flopped down across from me, and I said “God bless ya, my son has twin girls (7 months old) and I know how hard it is to travel with them.” He said the rest of the family was following behind shortly. Soon; the wife and two children (ages 5 and 2) made their way to the seats. The 5 yr. old took a seat, the father had a seat, and the mother had a seat while holding the 2 yr. old. Because there was an empty seat on the other side of the train (where my other crew was sitting), I asked the mother if she wanted me to move across the aisle and sit with my friends so the 2 yr. old could have a seat of her own? “That would be lovely” was her response. So I moved, the family of four spread out, and we continued our journey.
Things went along nicely. I was reading a book, the pastor was working on his computer, and Ed (the other crew) was watching the scenery go past as we worked our way north. About an hour later, the youngest of the girls started to get cranky. I guess she was hungry or tired and soon nothing would satisfy her. As you might expect, the next sound we heard was a loud screaming baby who wouldn’t be consoled. I had to laugh, if you have ever seen the TV commercial with the two kids looking at the possum playing dead, when the possum finally gets up, hisses at the kids, and the father says “ and there it is”. Well that’s exactly what Ed says after the first cry, “and there it is”. At that moment, I knew Ed and I were going to get along on the six day journey.
And the best of day one is yet to come. Preview; the Pastor decides he needs to go diving!!!

Of course you were going to get along with him...every Ed is easy to get along with.

In high school I was very good friends with the special one. :o