Panic aboard the Titicaca

It started out as a peaceful, sunny day as I chased down the President of Bolivia on the Isla del Sol. However, as we loaded on the seaworthy boat ¨Titicaca¨ for the return trip back to Copacabana, things turned bad. A storm was brewing out on the lake and our boat was headed right towards it. The waves got bigger and bigger and there was plenty of nervous chatter on board as people debated how far they could swim before the froze in the frigid waters. I don´t think anyone was really worried until one of the workers on the boat began to nervously hand out life jackets while he spoke in rapid-fire Spanish to (I think) someone on shore. At one point, the captain tried to steer into the waves and the boat felt like it was at an 90 degree angle. The motor went out a couple times and a few tourists started to freak out but we made it back safe and sound. (By the way, the Virginia hat is being worn by a German lady who lived in Richmond for five years, small world.)