Five Weeks to Jamaica (Oudin)

Five Weeks to Jamaica:  A Novel
Doug Oudin, 2015
iuniverse
353 pp.
ISBN-13: 9781491763025


Summary
When four friends discovered a "luxury" five-week cruise to Jamaica being offered for a mere five-hundred dollars, they considered the offer too good to pass up. On first sight of the vessel, their expectations diminished to the point where they questioned the logic of going through with the voyage.

Larry, always the optimist, persuaded Kurt, Madison, and Marcos to stick it out. Their adventure would turn into much more than they could have ever imagined, and ultimately changed their lives forever.

Joining a group of thirty eclectic souls aboard the 147 ft. Explorer, the friends departed Ensenada, Mexico, bound for Jamaica. From the beginning, it soon became obvious that the cruise would not be luxurious, and in fact, it was doubtful that it could even reach their intended destination. As they became acquainted with their shipmates, and began the journey down the coast of Mexico and Central America, through the Panama Canal, and on to Jamaica, friendships emerged, as did romances.

It soon became obvious to all that the five-week time-frame could not be realized, and several passengers departed at various ports along the way. Those who remained aboard began to discover a multitude of unique and interesting pastimes to immerse themselves in, inspiring laughter, tears, danger, and drama; and always, the sea buoyed their spirits, and carried them on its majestic presence.

When the ship did finally reach Jamaica, another odd twist to the journey developed. Kurt, Madison, and Larry agreed to set sail with a crusty Englishman on an old steel-hulled sailboat bound for Florida. Although the Englishman, Jeffrey Smythe knew the sea well, they had no idea what dangers and personal interactions lie ahead.

For those who love the ocean, know or wonder about tropical destinations, or merely enjoy the colorful interactions of a lively set of characters, Five Weeks to Jamaica is a story that will pique your curiosity, captivate your imagination, and entertain from its uncertain beginning, right through to its rather surprising end.

It's a great read for anyone with a yearning for wanderlust, a passion for adventure, or a glimpse into the very human relationships that bond men, women, and the ocean.