Water. Adventure. Luck! That’s my story!

My sister and I are standing on the wooden dock in Road Town Tortola in the Caribbean! We traveled so far and are now staring up at the tall ship we are going to board.
“Rusty Bucket” someone muttered in the crowd. Shrugging our shoulders, we clamber aboard, eager to explore Yankee Clipper, our home for the next week.
We are excited because this is our first vacation “sans parents” and we are going scuba diving in the crystal clear Caribbean Sea!

We are now enjoying the welcome party on the fantail complete with 151 proof rum when our rum numbed brains hear “there will not be any scuba diving on this trip!”
We quickly went up to the captain, this tall, tanned figure in dress whites, “Captain Burke, we came a long way to go diving”, we gushed, “Could we borrow or rent some tanks to take on the cruise so we can dive?” He looked out into the quiet island harbor, stroked his chin, and was slow to respond. But, then he said “Well you can pack your bags and in the morning you can jump ship. That’s the Yankee Trader and she’s going to be sailing across the Caribbean on a delivery cruise to Belize and you can do all the diving you want. Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Cozumel, Belize . . “.
“What about . . . how much” we stammered
“Don’t worry, I will tell the Captain you are coming aboard!” We were breathless with exhilaration. So unexpected. We would be gone all summer instead of one week.
What should we do? We could get fired! What about rent? Can we do this should we do this . . .?
Oh my god oh my god . . . what should we do? We did it!!! We lost our jobs and got in a lot of trouble. But for days we dove in the clear blue Caribbean and lived a free and sun-filled life!

We did it! We lost our jobs and got into a LOT OF TROUBLE, but for 21 days, we dove in the crystal clear Caribbean Sea. You know what? Before the year was over . . . we BOTH got jobs on Windjammer’s ships, living a Free and Sun-filled life”. Will I always feel so free?