Jerry began the smuggling business in a 27` Sea Ray, traveling alone from south Florida to Jamaica. It was basically a large ski boat, not meant for open water, and he nearly paid with his life for the decision. I said he was alone but he began the journey with three others, one dropping out in Florida, the other two in the Bahamas, leaving him alone, without any experience, but determined to see it through. By the time he reached Haiti, the storm was showing its teeth, and the next morning it began to bite, forcing him to seek refuge behind a tiny, uninhabited island. He said the storm was the worst he could imagine---at that time, as it turned out---and didn’t seem it would ever relent.
The next morning, he resumed his journey to Jamaica. When he reached where the suppliers were supposed to waiting, they weren’t there, not surprising because he was late. When he went ashore, the Jamaican police arrested him—they called it detainment to check him out---and took him to Kingston. After verifying his credentials, and not finding any marijuana, they released him. After making repairs to his boat, which had been damaged by the storm, he prepared for the long return trip to Florida. Then, a surprise happened! He was approached by a young man who whispered that they were waiting for him outside the harbor with the marijuana.
He followed him in his boat, loaded the bales, and set off into the approaching storm. Many things happened in this storm that the book will detail, so I’ll only say it made the previous storm seem like a summer rain. When finally, and miraculously, he reached the Bahamas, he was arrested, beaten, robbed, and told to leave and never return. And that was the end of his boat days in the smuggling business.
As I listened to his story, I was impressed by the courage it took for such a venture. I could not imagine how it must have felt to be battling a raging storm at night in a small boat. But by now I knew that he was one of those people who genuinely felt that if you weren’t living on the edge, you were just taking up space.
A funny side to this story is that the next boat he purchased was a 77` foot yacht, complete with captain and full crew.
The next morning, he resumed his journey to Jamaica. When he reached where the suppliers were supposed to waiting, they weren’t there, not surprising because he was late. When he went ashore, the Jamaican police arrested him—they called it detainment to check him out---and took him to Kingston. After verifying his credentials, and not finding any marijuana, they released him. After making repairs to his boat, which had been damaged by the storm, he prepared for the long return trip to Florida. Then, a surprise happened! He was approached by a young man who whispered that they were waiting for him outside the harbor with the marijuana.
He followed him in his boat, loaded the bales, and set off into the approaching storm. Many things happened in this storm that the book will detail, so I’ll only say it made the previous storm seem like a summer rain. When finally, and miraculously, he reached the Bahamas, he was arrested, beaten, robbed, and told to leave and never return. And that was the end of his boat days in the smuggling business.
As I listened to his story, I was impressed by the courage it took for such a venture. I could not imagine how it must have felt to be battling a raging storm at night in a small boat. But by now I knew that he was one of those people who genuinely felt that if you weren’t living on the edge, you were just taking up space.
A funny side to this story is that the next boat he purchased was a 77` foot yacht, complete with captain and full crew.
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