I’ve always thought of vehicles on water as boats, with the larger ones being ships. My exposure to fishing trawlers during an inspection, where we ventured 2 or 3 kilometers into the sea (or however distance is measured), was a nerve-wracking experience. Over time, traveling to the USA exposed me to various types of watercraft: catamarans, sailboats, cruise boats, ferries, freighters, and so on. I probably only understand about ten percent of these terms.

My aversion to water dates back to my teenage years when a self-styled astrologer unsolicited told me I had a “water curse” or “jala dosham” in Tamil. He ominously suggested that it meant I could drown if exposed to water. I asked if I could still drink water, to which he said that was not affected. Despite this, the idea of such a curse made me avoid water bodies. At beaches, I would only dip my feet and quickly pull away, and I avoid bathtubs, preferring buckets instead.

Despite this water-related anxiety, I ended up on various boats. For instance, during our first visit to the USA, I saw many cars with boats on top or being towed. Seattle and its surroundings have numerous lakes, and people go boating in the summer, which was a new concept to me.

Soon, I found myself on a boat. It was my elder son’s birthday, and my younger son, visiting from university, was also with us. We planned a trip to Vancouver and Victoria, Canada. The drive to Vancouver was fine, but to reach Victoria, we needed to take a ferry. I had only read about ferries in books and had no idea what to expect.

At the ferry terminal, I watched as a huge vessel arrived, and cars poured out like ants. Our car joined the queue, and soon we were inside the ferry, parked in a vast parking area with two levels. We climbed steep steps and entered a beautifully designed deck with comfortable seats.

What other surprises awaited us on this journey?

Continued in 143. Fears Not Watered Down - Part 2