Water Transportation – My Personal Experience
Living on the mainland and working on the Island in Lagos can be quite daunting, from the hustling and bustling to the herculean task of getting a bus to the stubborn son of the devil: Traffic. These and many others are the perks of what you go through when you chose to commute by road.
I live in Ijede, Ikorodu axis of Lagos mainland and I’ve had enough experience to talk on the subject. Is it the late night spent in traffic or the early mornings? The binge breakfast in traffic or almighty Pepsi and gala or plantain chips to sustain you in the tiring night?
The unbearable odour of passengers next to you or the irrational bus conductor and his non-challant driver with their unnecessary price hike?
Oh! you take the BRT? How about the long queues, bottlenecks of getting a bus ticket and the long wait for buses to arrive? For me, the BRT buses only cover some distance and I’m left in the hands of the no-mercy danfo drivers.
For me, using water transportation has been quite fun and hassle free. It’s fast and cost efficient, plus the thrill and fun of the mass body of water excites me. For an adventurer like me, it’s more like a getaway from the normal, boring, stressful and irritable road transportation.
I enjoy seeing the water splashes caused by the fast movement of the boat’s turbine, the whirling sound of the engine gives me a relaxing sensation, the sea gallops too. Yes, there are bumps on the sea too, and the breeze.
Oh! The feeling of the cool breeze on my face is heavenly. Most times, you get to see fishermen rocking the sea waves and going about their business. The most pleasing part is the time factor, commuting via water for me saves time, a lot of it!
It takes just 7 minutes to cross from the mainland to the island and about 30 minutes to get to the office unlike the 5 to 7 hours of road transportation. You think I exaggerate? Perhaps you haven’t been following or you haven’t been to Lagos, Nigeria.
I know you might be thinking, blah, blah, blah… say all you want, that’s for you. I’m aquaphobic, I can’t and will never try it. Here’s a little secret, I used to be like that. I dreaded the sea, even the thought of it scared me until I tried it.
The truth is, most times we fear the unknown and all my life I’ve been afraid of what really gives me such satisfaction. I built my assumptions on the premise of others who perhaps have not had the experience of using the water transportation, just hearsay.
[tweetshare tweet=” You’ll never know you can until you try.”]
Well, it’s not all that rosy commuting by water I’ll agree. Using water transport has its own perks which I’ve experienced enough to be able to inform likewise.
There are times the wind is strong and unfavourable, most times, the sea level has risen above normal and the tides are heavy especially after a heavy rainfall.
I’ll love to share with you one major experience I’ll never forget briefly.
It was after a heavy rainfall, and the tides were strong as usual, the boat was full and balanced as it should be.
We took off from the jetty and ferried quite a distance into the sea when the tides became strong, I was sitting at the left side of the boat, the direction the strong tides were coming from and clashing on the boat like a charging bull.
The terror I felt is best imagined and not experienced, the only thing I could think of was God, not work or my parents, not my siblings or my friends. I didn’t think of my bank account status and love didn’t cross my mind either.
My life was before me in a flash. Like every typical Nigerian, I started checking my conscience for any known sin and asking God for forgiveness so I can at least find rest in his bosom away from life’s troubles, if it eventually leads to death.
The boatman had to put off the engine twice. He had to gain control of the boat so it doesn’t capsize because the tides were drifting us farther off course and we were moving against it. Eventually, we went with the tide and drifted off the more until the tides were merciful.
Yes! I’m alive. I didn’t die that day, we got to harbor safely although I was very frightened.
Remember the saying “What doesn’t kill you will make you stronger”? Yes, it’s true. I became more of an evangelist and comforter for frightened first timers after that day, sharing my ordeal and conquest on the sea.
So, let down your guard and fears and try water transportation soon, I can assure you’ll love it as I do. By the way, what’s life without risk and near death experiences like that?
Friday’s are for fun, do have a pleasing weekend.
Happy FriYAY!!!
Awwwn! Well defined words! Beautiful story! Makes me wanna try it out, just not yet though.
My Kome!! Thanks for stopping by. You should actually try it.
I really had fun the first time I used a boat though It wasn’t a long distance kind of thing. This story has succeded in scaring the living day out of ne😁
???it a nice and hilarious aqua experience. Keep it up bro ✊, the lord is your ???
The article has made eager to go on an adventure on ? water# aquaphobic demon?down
Nice one. Great experience shared! Perhaps, I’d try it someday.
True talk Mr Ope
Do keep this up!
Thanks Sir
Cool….. Have tried it once or twice buh the ferry wasn’t open, I couldn’t see or feel the water, maybe I will try that soon sha….?
Thanks Bimpe, You should try it soonest.
Hehehehehehehe. The explanation of how you felt during the turbulence is quite funny. If you don’t know how to swim, maybe you should learn how to.
Thank you, Kiitan. I only know how to swim in the books (hehehehehehe), I only tried actual swimming once and it was exhausting. Thanks for the advice anyway, i’ll consider taking it.
Amazing story with great lessons too. I remember the days we used water transportation each time we wanted to visit my grandma. The bridge was bad then, but abeg, it was a river, not a stream, and my parents were always there with us. I can’t come and kill my self. Experience is not always the best teacher, sometimes it’s a hard teacher. Before I engage in any form of water transportation, have to be there with a trusted friend (male), because I don’t even know how to swim. The phobia no be here o 😂😂😂
Hi Mira! It’s a good thing you’ve tried water transportation before, that’s half of the supposed phobia gone. You will fare better the next time you try it, and hey, in case you need a guide (Male preferable as you implied), I’m all yours dear. Thanks for the comment.
A great piece bro. I love your play on words and how you were able to aptly express the scene. I’ve never tried water transportation except for a couple of flood cases when I had to use a canoe. I do hope to travel by sea soon.
Hi, Olamide! Thanks for the compliments, I’m really honored. You should actually travel by water soon, it’s a pleasurable experience.
Beautiful beautiful writeup!!! Interesting way of putting it! Very narrative!! But I am totally totally aqua phobic!!!
Thank You Gloria. I used to be too until I overcame the fear, it has been a pleasurable experience ever since.
Lovely write up 😍. I really should try this water transportation thingy soon. Thanks for sharing your experience sir.
Nice one. Great experience shared! Perhaps, I’d try it someday.
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