Writing about a boating mishap reminded me of a story I recently read in The Abaconian, the wonderful semi-monthly newspaper of the Abacos.
A man had just purchased a new 31-foot boat with twin 300 HP engines. He had been in the islands for only a few days and was near Great Guana Cay when he noticed that one of his antennas was not in the proper position. With the engines idling, he climbed on the gunwhale and hung on to the T-top to fix the antenna. Then he slipped. As he fell, he knocked both the throttle controls causing the boat to take off at high speed. He clung to the boat for a few moments but the seas were choppy and he was soon thrown off.
Another boater witnessed the mishap and rescued the man. The boat ended up 45 feet above the water in the yard of a Guana resident. It now has a gouged out hole in the hull.
The boater who rescued the man took him up to where his boat had landed. The man grabbed his jacket, cell phone and briefcase, and said ”How do I get to the Marsh Harbor Airport? I want out of here now!” He flew out of Abaco the very same day.
As far as I know, the boat is still on land at Guana Cay!
