88
MAY 2013
•
HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM
CASTAWAYS
Heroes can be found in the most unexpected places
Our entire family wasmarooned off the Isle ofWight. The captainwho’d
brought us out there had deposited us on a shipwreck—a rusty, pocked
vessel—with the understanding thatwewouldhave a picnic andhewould
pick us up later.
The captain lost track of time somehowand the tidewent out, meaning
the boat we’d sailed out on couldn’t ferry us back. It was getting dark.We
were coldandhungry.We’dhave towait hours for the tide to comeback in.
The thing you want in a situation like this (other than a more diligent
captain) is a newboyfriend, someone eager to demonstrate his worth to
an otherwise dubious clan. Luckily, my cousin had just such a person in
tow, and he was happy to lower
himself into the sludge and slosh
his way over to a nearby dinghy
that could carry us back to shore.
My cousin no longer dates
this fellow, but he retains a place
in family lore for his heroics—
even if the shore was only 100
yards away.
—
JAMES BARTLETT
AreWe There Yet?
Thoughts on universal exasperation
When my middle-aged parents, my brother and I
decided to hike down several hundred stairs from
a cli op Greek village to a fishmarket, we did it for
the view and the fish—not for the exercise, as my
momandmy stepdad arehardlymidlife-marathoner
types, and it was 95 degrees outside. We’d planned to
ride donkeys back to the summit but my mom felt
sorry for the hardworking creatures, so we decided
instead to walk up the “easier” sloping path recom-
mended by the fishmonger. “Easier for
him
,
maybe,”
saidmymom, as thewhole family trudged, red-faced,
upwhat turnedout tobe a treeless, unmerciful 2-mile
hill. We stopped periodically to take solace in the
Mediterranean vista; during one of these
breaks, my brother cajoled my stepdad
into posing for a picture of “his awesome
vacation.” In it, he’s making a rude ges-
ture—but the background is unbelievable.
—
JACQUELINE DETWILER
Canoeing on a
lake in the foot-
hills of the Great
Smoky Mountains
while staying at a
Tennessee farm/
luxury resort
(
blackberryfarm
.
com)
Snorkeling with
sea turtles,
waddling with
penguins and
kayaking over
manta rays in
the Galápagos
(
blueparallel
.
com)
Hiking, biking and
rafting throughout
Jamaica—with the
occasional stop
for swimming and
sunbathing,
of course
(
rowadventures
.
com)
Building streets
or digging wells
as part of a
“
volunteer immer-
sion” experience
during a walking
tour of Myanmar
(
classicjourneys
.
com)
Trekking across
Ireland on foot
over the course of
10
days, marking
elevation gains
of as much as
2,000
feet
along the way
(
rei.com)
Mountain-
biking through
the remote and
rugged beauty
of Zion and
Bryce Canyon
national parks in
southwest Utah
(
trektravel.com)
THE THRILL-O-METER
HOWMUCH EXCITEMENT IS RIGHT FOR YOUR BROOD?
CODDLED
ADRENALINE-
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