My dad, Mike, and I were vacationing on Nantucket Island off the coast of Massachusetts. We had left from home, which is Concord, New Hampshire, and had arrived at the ferry boat Nantucket Queen the next day. We rented a boat and sailed into Grebers Bay. The voices of other sailors, the sound of the water beneath us, and the flapping of the overhead sails were pleasant. Suddenly, the peaceful scene was interrupted by shouts from another boat that had turned and was heading right into us.
"Watch out," two men yelled excitedly, "we've lost control of our boat."
"Grab the tiller, John!" Dad yelled to me, "pull it toward you when I give the signal."
"All right, Dad." I responded.
Dad grabbed the sail and, as he adjusted it, he yelled at me "Now, John pull back." I did what he said not a moment too soon. Whew, what a narrow escape! The other boat passed within twenty two inches of ours.