coins and went back to the cockpit. He handed the gold to Antonio, and Antonio handed it to the merchant.
Working quickly, Jay, Hermann, and Antonio moved the goods from the dock to their storage points inside the boat. They made sure that at least one of them was in the cockpit at all times.
They repeated the task time after time, until almost dark. “Last one, except for fuel and water,” Antonio said. “We need to motor over to the fuel dock. We’re paying a premium, so we should get in and out quickly.”
Jay nodded, and then followed Antonio’s instructions to get the boat untied from the dock. Hermann started the engine and they motored slowly out of the slip and headed for the fuel dock.
Antonio was on the bow of the boat and waved at someone loading fuel. There were some harsh words exchanged, in about seven different languages, the best Jay could tell, as Fraulein Betta was fuelled before the line of boats waiting.
Antonio and Hermann had their own argument when several drums were rolled out and the dock hands started to load them onto the foredeck of the boat. Hermann didn’t like the idea, and let Antonio know it. But whatever argument Antonio used was effective. Hermann finally said, “Ja, Ja! Load. Secure as if lives depended on it.”
Antonio looked at Jay and Jay jumped to help get the barrels placed just so. Antonio secured each one with multiple lashings. Jay didn’t think they’d come undone in a hurricane. Jay looked over the side of the boat. They were sitting deep in the water. But as they motored over near the group that was already setting sail, Jay saw that all the boats were. “Guess it’s worth the risk,” Jay said to himself.
As soon as they were clear of the bay, all the boats lifted sail and cut their engines. Jay jumped to obey every command Hermann or Antonio gave him, making sure to note each thing he did, under what circumstances, so he’d know what to do in the future, without being told.
With a lot of shouting back and forth, and constant radio exchanges, the flotilla was finally arranged to suit each of the captains. Speed was adjusted to match that of the slowest boat. It wasn’t the Fraulein Betta.
As he learned more about the boat during the trip, he found out that Fraulein Betta was a sixty-five foot MacGregor, one of about one hundred built that were some of the fastest small motorsailer yachts in the world, under sail or under power.
Life on Fraulein Betta fell into an easy, simple routine. Though the boat wasn’t equipped as a one handed sailor, the way some of her sister ships, she was still easy to work and handle. Jay quickly learned to handle the helm, during the day, and took that watch most of the time. Betta could work the helm when the sailing was smooth. Antonio and Hermann shared the night time watches. Betta cooked, keeping everyone fed.
Things went very well, initially. Several of the boats, including Fraulein Betta, had state of the art electronics and were able to get satellite navigation information. But that suddenly stopped.
The flotilla of boats closed ranks somewhat, with no one wanting to get out of sight of at least two other boats, even with the radios still working just fine. At least locally. The HF marine band radios weren’t picking up anything. Two days after the failure of the satellites, the clear blue sky slowly dimmed slightly, behind a thin layer of dust that Jay, and the others, all assumed was fallout.
There was little falling, and all the boat crews were careful to wash down the decks and themselves regularly, to avoid any accumulation. But it seemed to panic several of the boat owners. The carefully orchestrated flotilla began to stretch out, the faster boats pulling ahead, leaving the slower behind, despite the agreement to stay together.
Jay supported Hermann’s decision to stay with the slower boats. “We agreed. Hermann Hoffer honors his agreements,”
Working quickly, Jay, Hermann, and Antonio moved the goods from the dock to their storage points inside the boat. They made sure that at least one of them was in the cockpit at all times.
They repeated the task time after time, until almost dark. “Last one, except for fuel and water,” Antonio said. “We need to motor over to the fuel dock. We’re paying a premium, so we should get in and out quickly.”
Jay nodded, and then followed Antonio’s instructions to get the boat untied from the dock. Hermann started the engine and they motored slowly out of the slip and headed for the fuel dock.
Antonio was on the bow of the boat and waved at someone loading fuel. There were some harsh words exchanged, in about seven different languages, the best Jay could tell, as Fraulein Betta was fuelled before the line of boats waiting.
Antonio and Hermann had their own argument when several drums were rolled out and the dock hands started to load them onto the foredeck of the boat. Hermann didn’t like the idea, and let Antonio know it. But whatever argument Antonio used was effective. Hermann finally said, “Ja, Ja! Load. Secure as if lives depended on it.”
Antonio looked at Jay and Jay jumped to help get the barrels placed just so. Antonio secured each one with multiple lashings. Jay didn’t think they’d come undone in a hurricane. Jay looked over the side of the boat. They were sitting deep in the water. But as they motored over near the group that was already setting sail, Jay saw that all the boats were. “Guess it’s worth the risk,” Jay said to himself.
As soon as they were clear of the bay, all the boats lifted sail and cut their engines. Jay jumped to obey every command Hermann or Antonio gave him, making sure to note each thing he did, under what circumstances, so he’d know what to do in the future, without being told.
With a lot of shouting back and forth, and constant radio exchanges, the flotilla was finally arranged to suit each of the captains. Speed was adjusted to match that of the slowest boat. It wasn’t the Fraulein Betta.
As he learned more about the boat during the trip, he found out that Fraulein Betta was a sixty-five foot MacGregor, one of about one hundred built that were some of the fastest small motorsailer yachts in the world, under sail or under power.
Life on Fraulein Betta fell into an easy, simple routine. Though the boat wasn’t equipped as a one handed sailor, the way some of her sister ships, she was still easy to work and handle. Jay quickly learned to handle the helm, during the day, and took that watch most of the time. Betta could work the helm when the sailing was smooth. Antonio and Hermann shared the night time watches. Betta cooked, keeping everyone fed.
Things went very well, initially. Several of the boats, including Fraulein Betta, had state of the art electronics and were able to get satellite navigation information. But that suddenly stopped.
The flotilla of boats closed ranks somewhat, with no one wanting to get out of sight of at least two other boats, even with the radios still working just fine. At least locally. The HF marine band radios weren’t picking up anything. Two days after the failure of the satellites, the clear blue sky slowly dimmed slightly, behind a thin layer of dust that Jay, and the others, all assumed was fallout.
There was little falling, and all the boat crews were careful to wash down the decks and themselves regularly, to avoid any accumulation. But it seemed to panic several of the boat owners. The carefully orchestrated flotilla began to stretch out, the faster boats pulling ahead, leaving the slower behind, despite the agreement to stay together.
Jay supported Hermann’s decision to stay with the slower boats. “We agreed. Hermann Hoffer honors his agreements,”
Similar Books
