Thursday, October 12, 2006 Speak out: Meeting God, almost By Alfredo J. Sipalay Cebu City
Monday last week, I woke up at 4:15 a.m. in order to catch the 6 a.m. ferry to Tubigon, Bohol.
I noticed that the winds outside my window were howling and I expected the seas to be rough.
I was pleasantly surprised that the sea was very calm when I arrived at the port area an hour later.
The winds have died down and the sea was as calm as the Pacific Ocean when Ferdinand Magellan first saw it.
I greeted my friend Atty. Boy Alo in the ferry. I would have enjoyed exchanging witticism with Boy but I was tired. I’m getting old and my energy level is not what it used to be.
However, Boy and I managed to jump onto the pier before the ferryboat’s ladder was hoisted down.
After earning my keep, I was aboard the ferryboat Donwill 2 for the 2:15 p.m. trip back to Cebu.
Boats servicing our 7,107 islands range from good to there’s-no-way-this-thing would-float. Donwill 2 looks good enough.
The problem is that it’s a riverboat, not designed to ply the open seas.
Midway trough our trip, the seas became slightly rough, with three-foot waves and swells.
A sturdy wooden banca with bamboo outriggers can easily handle this kind of weather. But not a riverboat.
On two occasions, Donwill 2 tilted precariously.
The second time it did, the passengers grabbed the life-vests stacked overhead. The crew gallantly assured the passengers everything was normal.
They passed plastic bags for those who were vomiting, and “White Flower” ointment for the dizzy passengers to sniff-up.
I assessed the situation. I know how to swim. I was wearing a life-vest. We were near Cebu.
It was only around 3 p.m. and visibility was good as it was only raining sporadically. Still, you can never tell.
One of my dreams if and when I retire is to buy a small sailboat, wake up at dawn, and fish for an hour and a half before heading home – hopefully with enough catch for a tinola and sinugba breakfast.
And I remembered that dream then because I realized that I may not realize it.
If that riverboat sank, I expected some of the passengers to die, as there were elderly people and small kids there.
Some of their relatives will sue.
It will take years and years to litigate their claims.
And they will be fortunate enough to be awarded two thousand dollars for each dead relative.
Well, we can always believe that it’s our destiny and it’s the will of God, can’t we?
