I circle the parking lot twice before finally catching a spot just as someone pulls out. By the time I step out of the truck, the noise around the harbor is louder than usual.
As I walk past the groups of tourists, I hear bits of conversation drifting through the air.
“Our tour got delayed.”
“They said the harbor’s closed right now.”
“Something with the Coast Guard.”
A couple of fishermen stand near a bait shop talking quietly.
“Harbor’s temporarily shut down,” one of them says. “Coast Guard only.”
My stomach tightens.
I push the feeling aside and keep walking until I reach the office.
Inside, the place is packed.
People crowd around the counter, voices overlapping as everyone talks at once.
“We don’t have a departure time yet.”
“We’re trying to figure out rescheduling options.”
“We’ll send email confirmations later today.”
I weave through the small crowd and approach the counter, forcing a calm smile.
Elizabeth stands behind it, her cheeks flushed and her hair pulled into a messy bun, looking overwhelmed.
“Hey,” I say gently. “I’m here for the two o’clock. What’s going on?”
She exhales when she sees me, her shoulders dropping slightly.
“Hi, May. I’m so sorry, today has been a mess.”
“What happened?”
“The weather shifted faster than they expected this afternoon,” she says. “Swells picked up earlier than forecasted, and the harbor’s been closed temporarily for Coast Guard operations.”
“Oh.”
“One of the whale watching boats had a mechanical issue just outside Otter Rock,” she continues. “Nothing catastrophic, but they lost propulsion and started drifting. The Coast Guard’s out there transferring passengers to another vessel so they can tow the boat back.”
“That sounds chaotic.”
“Yeah,” she sighs. “And about forty minutes ago, a small recreational fishing boat sent out a distress call, too. Engine failure. They were drifting farther out than they should have been.”
My stomach twists slightly.
“Fire department marine crew went out to assist,” she adds. “But something apparently went wrong during the response, and now the Coast Guard’s coordinating everything.”
She gestures toward the harbor outside.
“So all tours are cancelled for the rest of the day.”
My mind immediately jumps to Aiden.
