wait in line for the next available ride. It was almost their turn when Mia heard a familiar young voice call her name. “Mia! Dad, that’s Mia!”
She turned and saw Becky and Sarah running toward her with Sam walking quickly behind them.
“Where are you going?” Becky asked.
“Are you going for a boat ride?” Sarah added.
Sam said nothing, but looked curious to hear Mia’s answer.
“I am. We’re taking a small boat to get to a bigger sailboat that belongs to my friend Ben’s friend.” She turned to Ben. “This is my friend Sam and his daughters, Sarah and Becky.”
“You’re going on one of these big boats?” Sam looked at Ben and then back at Mia.
“Which one are you going on?” Becky asked.
Mia realized that she had no idea. “I don’t really know. Which one are we going on?” she asked Ben.
“That red one, straight out, next to the smaller blue boat.”
Mia’s jaw dropped. She knew some of these boats were big, but the one they were going on was massive.
“Wow. How big is that boat?” Becky asked.
“That’s a fifty-footer,” Ben said as they were directed to move up and get onto the next boat.
“Say goodbye, girls. We can wave as they sail off.”
“We’ll wave, too,” Mia said as she followed Ben. They climbed onto the small boat that was shuttling people back and forth. A few more climbed in, the boat took off and a few minutes later pulled up beside the big red boat. Ben climbed off first, and then took Mia’s hand and helped her onto the sailboat. His friend Nate and the rest of the sailing crew were already there. Ben introduced Mia, and showed her around the boat and where she should sit when they got underway.
Ben chatted with the others while Mia looked around and took it all in. The harbor was full of boats, all getting ready to go. At a few minutes before nine thirty, Ben told her to take her seat and tossed her a life jacket to put on. She zipped it up and settled into her seat, feeling a sense of excitement. A moment later, the whistle blew, and the race was on.
Mia saw the girls waving furiously and she stood and waved back as they began to move.
The boat glided out of the harbor and quickly picked up speed as the crew members expertly raised the spinnaker, turned the boat into the wind and the boat surged forward, cutting through the waves and sending a spray of water flying through the air, splashing across Mia’s face. She laughed as it caught Ben, too.
“This is something else, huh?” he asked.
“It’s amazing.”
“Sit tight. I’m going to see if I can help.”
Ben went to help the others as they steered the boat, tacking back and forth into the wind, to keep their speed up.
At a certain point, Ben came back to let her know that the race part was over and now they were just continuing on to Hyannis, where Nate kept his boat at the Hyannis Marina.
“When we sail, it’s not in a straight line,” Ben explained. There’s a lot of back and forth to catch the wind. So it takes longer.”
Mia didn’t care how long it took. She was happy, feeling the sun on her face and the wind in her hair and the occasional misting or heavy spray of water as they cut across the waves. It was loud on the water, with the wind whistling so she wasn’t able to talk much to Ben, and he was busy helping the others as much as they’d let him. By the time they entered Hyannis harbor the wind had died down, and they pulled the spinnaker in and slowed way down. Mia always loved the view as she entered Hyannis harbor on the ferry, with all the gorgeous waterfront homes and the other boats coming and going. Even though it was the same view, it was even more exciting somehow from the sailboat.
Nate had a slip at the Hyannis marina and they smoothly glided in to his spot. Several of the crew members hopped out once they reached the dock and helped pull the boat into position and tie it up securely. Mia unzipped her jacket and handed it to Nate. “Did you have fun?” he asked.
“Yes. Thank you for letting me tag along. This was really amazing.”
He grinned. “I never get sick of it.”
Nate and one of the other guys both had cars at the marina. Ben and Mia rode