Randall Castaways: Students take on storm at sea

Christian Nicholson, Shea Johnson, Chelsea Yohn and Zoie Marks gather after a stormy sail to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island this summer.

Journalism students walked the streets of New York City in route to the pier. It was the last night of their summer tour of the city and only one thing remained on the itinerary, a two-hour sailboat ride to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. As the boat left the dock, rain clouds casted subtly overhead. The boat crew passed out complimentary ponchos. However, it wasn’t long before the group found themselves engulfed in a full-fledged storm. The boat rocked back and forth as heavy rain pelted passengers from overhead. Thunder roared, ponchos threatened to take flight and umbrellas flipped backwards in protest of the wind. When the front sail of the boat ripped, the captain had no choice but to cut the trip short. The only glimpse of Lady Liberty would be clinching the side rail with the footing of a drunken seaman. The boat eventually made it back to port with wet, frazzled and some seasick passengers.