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!!!