Our Trip to Lake Volta
So, I was anticipating this nice little boat trip back across the lake, right? Oh yeah, I forgot, I'm in Africa- where you never know
what is going to happen next!
Finally our boat was ready to leave, so Sherri decided she wanted to sit on the very front of the boat, and I was near the front also (but I was inside the boat). We pushed off from the shore, just as the ferry was making its way in. This day was pretty windy, in fact after it was all over, they told us it was too windy for these smaller boats to be out. Good thing I didn't know that before hand.
Anyways, as we were pushed off, they were still trying to start the motor, but were having no luck. So since it was windy, the wind was taking us
straight towards the ferry. Well during this little episode, I was not worried at all, and Sherri was having a great time
having "the best log ride ever" on the front of the boat.
I learned something about Ghanaians that day- they are deathly afraid of water. Instead of my digital camera in my hand, I was holding the video camera, and as I am recording, the woman next to me starts crying. At first I wasn't looking at her, so my first reaction was that she was
just joking around, but after about 10 seconds I realized that she was scared to death! Meanwhile, Teacher Yaw is at the back of the boat
checking with the boys about that motor not starting, all while we are getting closer and closer to the ferry, and louder and louder cries
from the woman next to me!
The back of the boat was against the ferry first, and the next thing I know, Teacher Yaw is aborting our boat and jumping onto the ferry!
My first reaction was "Oh, he's going to get something to help the motor" but soon learned that he doesn't know how
to swim, and was scared to death, so he was running!
Meanwhile, Sherri and I are at the front wondering what is all going on with Teacher Yaw, and I am wondering what is going to happen if this boat tips over and how I'm going to save my camera bag! The waves are coming in harder and harder and we are getting closer and closer to the ferry. Finally we could hold on to the ferry for some stability, when they brought us a "rescue" boat to take us to the other side.
So we all switched to the new boat, and Teacher Yaw decided to join us again!
It was quite the adventure- Sherri thought it was the greatest time, where I decided that if I did not have any of my equipment with me, I would
have loved it, but it still made me nervous, as you will see on this next picture.
It was still a pretty rocky and windy ride across the lake, and I was holding on with both hands (and getting soaked in the process).
The woman behind me in the flowered shirt was the one crying frantically. I was very amazed she even stayed on the boat
to go across!
Safe at last!
I thought this boat's name was pretty humorous!