From Belgaum, Baba proceeded with the group to the town of Vengurla, where Don had made their arrangements for a stay of four or five days. As he had done two years previously when they visited this seaside spot, Baba permitted the women to swim in the ocean. Once, Baba himself waded in the sea with Eruch, though Baba did not know how to swim.
During his stay in Vengurla, he again wished to contact the fifth-plane Lala Mast.
The mast was living far away in an isolated area, and Baba asked Eruch, "Isn't there any shortcut?"
Eruch reported, "There is an inlet, but it is full of brackish water. It would be difficult to cross, and it smells awful. There are tiny canoes that ferry passengers, but it is rather dangerous."
"We'll take the shortcut," Baba decided. "Why spend an hour driving this long, zigzag way?"
They left the car, and Baba walked with Eruch to the inlet.
Eruch told the young fisherman's son plying his canoe that he would be paid well, but that he should be extra careful taking them across. The boy agreed, and scrubbed his boat well for the distinguished gentleman. Baba took off his coat and, handing it to Eruch, stepped into the hollowed-out palm tree canoe wearing only his sadra. Eruch was carrying a satchel containing a water bottle, soap, a towel, washcloth, and so forth. While traveling with Baba to contact masts, these things were necessary to wash the mast, and clean the often squalid area where they stayed. In addition, the bag carried sweets, clothing, cigarettes, paan and other items a mast might ask for.
Eruch got in and the canoe pushed off. But after going some distance, the boy's friends, who were swimming alongside, began teasing the boy and roughhousing. Suddenly, the canoe overturned, and Baba, Eruch and the boy were thrown into the water. The channel was not deep, but Baba had gone under and Eruch had to dive down and pull Baba to the surface. They had to wade through the dirty water to reach the other side. Eruch held the bag in one hand, and with the other helped Baba across and out of the smelly water. Their clothes and the bag were drenched.
After being helped up on the bank, Baba turned to Eruch and said something to him which he never forgot: "Just as you have helped me out of this dirty water today, so also one day I will help you out of the filth of maya!"