Squeeze It Till It's Hard

A short early adventure in Oak Ridge, Roatan, Honduras about 1982

A very long time ago in the early 80s we left our sailboat anchored near Happy Landing and went to a party at Reef House. Had more than a little beer and we left pretty late to go back to the boat. Well, the outboard started and got us out into the middle of the harbor behind Reef House and no further. We drifted up against Aunt Vivian's rent house, one with solid wood shutters hinged at the top instead of windows. Well, I kept trying to start the motor and kept yelling to Betsy to "squeeze it till it's hard." Of course I was referring to the priming bulb on the outboard fuel hose. She yelled back, "I'm squeezing it and it is hard." Well, the shutter over the window shot up and someone asked "what is going on down there." I can see how he thought it was something more interesting. About then another boat came along and towed us to our sailboat. It turned out to be water in the fuel.