“Incoming vessel, turn hard to port next to the jetties as close as possible! I am coming fast on you, but I can’t see you, over…” Came a voice over the radio at the very moment Andre turned the VHF on.

“What did he say?…”  “Was that for us?…”  I asked.

“I’m not sure…” responded Andre, as he fiddled with the squelch nob.

I began cutting the wheel hard to port…

Suddenly, as if it materialized right there in front of us, was a very large commercial fishing ship with it’s long outriggers stretched wide.

“You got to be kidding me!!!” I growled as I thrust the throttle forward.  Although we were able to avoid the ship, its outrigger stretched much further out, and was coming fast toward our 50ft mast.  Just as I had to turn from hitting the rock jetties, I looked up.  The ship’s outrigger missed our mast by a couple of feet as we swayed up and down over it’s large wake.

“THAT’S IT!… I’m claiming a safe peaceful trip from hear on out!!!” I declared.

As we motored peacefully into the harbor, I pondered on the amazing way that G-d manages to redeem the most unredeemable of situations.  Andre who was so distraught from having put his family in grave danger, was suddenly restored to being responsible for saving us, with a simple but very timely turning of a radio dial…  Even more important then being restored, Andre realized a priceless lesson; heroes are not people born with the ability to do great things all the time.  Rather , they are people who humbly realize all our actions are in the hands of G-d, and it is only by His grace that we are able to move heroically …

As we approached an empty dock, we were greeted by a dazzling fan fair of happy, flashing casino lights of every color all around.  We had arrived at Atlantic City.

Although the weather conditions were fine for the next several days, Lisa needed some time to rest from the traumatic experience we had gone through.  In truth, I’m certain we all could have used some time to gather ourselves and rest…  Who would have thought;  Atlantic City… a place of rest, and indeed we rested.

During our stay, we went several times to get provisions in the heart of the city and came across a variety of noticeable acts of kindness.  One in particular that moved me; Andre and I were waiting in line at a very fancy McDonald’s next to the Taj Mahal when a scruffy looking man approached.  He had been approaching other people before he came to us.

“Do you have a few quarters you can spare?” He asked.

“Sorry…” I replied, “I don’t have any quarters.”

There was a “woman” sitting close to us.  When she saw I didn’t give the man any quarters, she got up, reached into her pocket and handed him several dollars… “Here man, is that enough?…” She asked with a very deep voice…

“More than enough, thanks! Now I can take the bus home.” The man replied as he walked away.

I realized the woman was actually a man dressed as a woman when he sat back down to continue eating his bacon cheeseburger… He was the only soul moved to help a stranger in that crowded place.  I was reminded of Yeshua’s words when he said to the Pharisees : “Prostitutes and tax collectors will enter the kingdom before you do…”

After enjoying a wonderful three days of rest, we decided it was time to head out.  Across from where we were staying, there was a fueling dock.  With the excitement that can only be understood by a crew that is ready to set sail, every one did their part to prepare the vessel for departure.  We motored across the way to the fueling station, and tied Aleph Tav effortlessly to the dock.

“Uhgggghh!” I mumbled in disgust as I looked into the window of a locked Marina.  “Can’t anything go according to our plan? EVER?…” I asked as if anyone who cared was listening…

To be continued