Excerpt from "My Girl" Book Page 296
Hagop and his wife Regina accompanied us that season and they remember some stories.
Hagop is the one who tells: “When we arrived in Angra, I heard that Amilcar, Adriane’s father, was there and I asked for authorization at the hotel to dock beside his boat. They authorized because they knew we were friends. I docked close and, immediately afterwards I was invited to board and say hi. That was when I had the opportunity to meet Senna and sat down next to the couple. We scheduled to hang out the next day and so it was in those days. I remember that on a wonderful afternoon we went to Dos Meros Beach, and all of a sudden, we saw signs of a storm, and it is dangerous there! I said: Amilcar, let’s go!
But Ayrton was playing with the jet ski and it took us a while to signalize him to return to the boat. Then the storm started and the barbecue ended up in the sea. We ended up losing several items from our boat that day. When we managed to leave, halfway there, the jet ski fell off the boat and, over the radio, I said: Amilcar, I have two children here!
The storm was too strong and I could not stop the boat, so we made circles. Amilcar asked: What do I do? What about the jet ski?
It was his jet ski. I said: Leave it and let’s go!
Sure enough, Ayrton, when he heard it, jumped into the sea in the storm and caught the jet ski while we rode in circles. Then he hitched the boat again, went up and we left.”
Regina completes this memory: “It was a strong storm, but now when we remember, we laugh, right? Because the wind and the waves crashed too hard! But Ayrton had no doubt, he jumped into the water, it was unexpected. Then Amilcar said: Hagop, let’s make a circle!
Because if we stayed still, the boats would sink. Then we started to ride in circles where we thought Ayrton would be trying to get the jet ski, but that was not easy for him. So Amilcar picked up the megaphone, which was the resource he had on the boat, and started shouting: Ayrton, if you do not come now, I will leave you there!”
Hagop continues: “Amilcar was super worried! But Ayrton managed to get on the jet ski, started it and tied it to the boat. Our vessel had no radar, only Amilcar’s. I wanted to leave, but I could not see a thing. It was pitch black.”
Regina also recalls: “I do not know how Ayrton did it, I was scared to death! I was in the boat with my two small children, praying because it was crazy. At that time, the stern of our boat, which was a Carbrasmar 39, was covered with canvas and the wind ripped it off completely and there was nothing left.”
In Hagop’s memory, rescuing the jet ski was an adventure for Ayrton: “He played it cool and today is nice to remember it.