On The Boat

Friday the 28th we went to PaP with our translator and chauffeur to claim the 2007 Toyota Pickup and Honda motorcycle we were given for use by UMCOR/GBGM when the PaP office closed in December. The Haitian Methodist Church took care of the titles and tagged the pickup and provided insurance. We had some minor repairs done to the pickup and loaded the motorcycle in preparation for and early morning trip to Achiayes port for a boat transfer to La Gonave.

Villian, a skilled driver on La Gonave "non-road" roads only managed to get lost one time leaving Petion-Ville.When we arrived at the port it only cost $7.00 US to get the gate open to the place they would load the pickup. Villien negotiated the cost of port taxes down half, to $137.50 US and he had already arranged the boat for $385.00 US.

We had no idea how the pickup was going to get from the pier to the huge sailboat and watched in awe as it "happened." The nearly empty boat slowly came long side the dock which was significantly lower than the rear deck of the boat. Once the boat was securly tied to the dock they swung the giant mast over the side above the pier which tilted the boat level with the dock and a mariner drove the pickup onto the boat..with no room to spare!

The boat then went back to the loading dock where at least 100 tons of rice, beans, flour, and corn were loaded along with hundreds of bags of produce, soda pop, beer and oil. At least 50 large drums of gasoline was also put aboard before they loaded over 200 passengers. (Joe will not allow my normal hyperbole for this blog - and it isn't needed!) I was in shock as we loaded and every possible inch of the boat was covered before we pulled away from the dock.

As soon as we were at sea with two large boat motors they raised the tall mast and put out a huge sail that caught the strong wind and pushed that very large, heavy boat smoothly acrossthe bay to Anse a Galets. Less than 2 hours crossing left us wandering just how the truck would make the 4 foot leap "up" the the dock at AAG.

We waited as the entire boat was unloaded including the bilge water, then amazed watched as the boat was secured to the pier, the large mast an sail swung out to the side, tilting the boat until it was even with the pier. The same mariner skillfully if ungracefully drove the truck ashore!

What is lacking most in Haiti is technology and natural resources, BUT the Haitian ingenuity is a thing of wander and delight. I think that boat could carry 3 semi's and half of Kansas! What an adventure! Special thanks to Villien and Feguiere for making it happen for us. And sadly to GBGM and UMCOR who are so badly needed in Haiti.