Wham!!

June 17th 2025

The next morning dawned bright and peaceful. The crew of the *Chasing Destiny* enjoyed a leisurely start, savoring the calm before their journey back to Marsh Harbor. After some final moments enjoying the tranquility of Tahiti Beach, they began the familiar process of preparing for departure. Soon enough, they were pulling up the anchor, the chain rattling briefly before the boat was free to move. With practiced ease, they raised their sails, catching the gentle morning breeze.

As the *Chasing Destiny* glided across the water, Greg decided to set the sails wing on wing, a configuration his dad had always loved. This setup, with sails on opposite sides of the boat, was perfect for downwind sailing. As Greg played around with the sails, he moved to rig the preventer, a line designed to control the boom and prevent accidental, forceful jibes—a potentially dangerous swing of the mainsail across the boat. However, this time, something went wrong. The preventer failed to hold. Yikes! Thankfully, as they had noted the previous day, the winds were light. Despite the failure, the mainsail still swung abruptly, slamming hard to the port side with a loud WHAM! The crew exchanged concerned glances, immediately discussing the potential damage such a forceful jibe could inflict if the winds had been stronger, perhaps snapping the boom or even damaging the mast. It served as a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of sailing and the importance of well-maintained equipment.

Later that day, the *Chasing Destiny* pulled up to the fuel dock in the bustling harbor of Marsh Harbor. They were greeted by Brian, one of the friendly members of the dock crew. As they chatted while fueling up, Brian mentioned that his family owned the Conch Inn and Marina. He spoke with pride about the extensive rebuilding efforts after the devastating impact of Hurricane Dorian, which had essentially leveled the marina. It was a testament to the resilience and spirit of the Bahamian people.