By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

AFTER two harrowing days adrift in open waters without food, water, or communication, Huberto Miller, Sr, feared that he and his cousin, Kenroy Rolle, would never make it home.

Their ordeal ended Friday morning, when they were rescued in waters off Bimini after drifting far off course during what was meant to be a routine boat retrieval.

Mr Miller, 35, and Mr Rolle, 28, both of Great Harbour Cay in the Berry Islands, were returning a vessel from Chub Cay after accompanying a captain back there. Once the captain disembarked, they were meant to bring the boat home — a task Mr Miller, an experienced boatman, had done many times before.

 Expecting the trip to last no more than two hours, Mr Miller did not pack food or water. Though the fuel gauge showed full, they added 12 gallons of gas as a precaution because the meter seemed unreliable.

 But the journey quickly turned into a nightmare. Midway to Great Harbour Cay, the boat began taking on water. There was no anchor on board. As rough seas battered the vessel, Mr Miller steered while Mr Rolle bailed water by hand.

 “By the time we got control of the water situation, I had steered the course to get back to Great Harbour Cay. When I checked the gas, we were on E,” Mr Miller said.

 With the boat now adrift, they tried to signal for help by waving their shirts at passing boats — but no one stopped. Out at sea with no cellular reception, Mr Miller turned off his phone to conserve its 50 percent battery life.

 As darkness fell, they braced themselves against the worsening conditions. Mr Miller watched through the night with the bayou lights on, focused on one thing: getting home to his wife and children.

 He said he had taken the trip to help a family member, expecting a short journey, but instead found himself in the worst situation he’d faced in 15 years of boating.

 Around 2am Friday, a faint signal gave them a lifeline.

“I happened to see a tower and some blinking lights and I turned my phone back on –– and I was catching some service,” Mr Miller said. “I thought we drifted around Coco Cay area because I knew I was on my way home. But the wind switched in the night and I didn’t know it took me off to Bimini.”

 He sent his location via WhatsApp to a local fisherman from Great Harbour Cay. Mr Rolle also shared their coordinates with authorities in Bimini.

 The men were located and rescued in Bimini waters by officers from the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.

 Mr Miller said he was ready to jump overboard and swim for land before help arrived, fearing the boat might drift again. Seeing the authorities approach, he said, brought a wave of relief and gratitude.

 Both men have since returned to the Berry Islands in good health. Mr Miller admitted the experience was a wake-up call.

 He acknowledged his mistake in not checking for an anchor before setting off and called the ordeal a learning experience. He also said there were moments when he began to lose hope — especially after seeing only one boat the entire day.

 What kept him going, he said, was his faith, his compass, and the signs they were nearing shallow waters.

 His wife, Sherkelia Miller, said she knew something was wrong when her husband — who told her he’d only be gone for two hours — didn’t return.

 She alerted authorities and relatives, fearing the worst.

 She said she couldn’t bear the thought of losing the love of her life.

 When Mr Miller finally returned, the first thing he did was hug and kiss his wife and children.

 He said he had missed them deeply.