Chapter 12

A sane person would have turned to port coming out of Rabaul and ran the west coast of New Ireland. It’s possible to hide in any of a number of mangrove cuts or run up one the small but deep creeks and cover up. At the beginning of the war in 1941/42 many small steamers fleeing the Japanese military succeeded in reaching Australia and safety by doing just that. Even small ships draw more water than the Sailbait. If it could be done fifty years ago ... it could be done today.

Admittedly, many were sunk, captured or run aground ... and their end wasn’t pretty, but a sane person would have immediately fled north. If there were pursuers that’s the first place they would look.

I went south and sailed past Cape Saint George ... then I turned north and sailed north up the EAST side of New Ireland. Then it was days of passage making ... knots over the ground and staying out of trouble. When the wind was right, we sailed ... when it was contrary or non-existent ... we motored.

Clearing Samo, New Ireland, we made for Put Put, a gold processing plant on Lihir Island. They were glad to replenish stores and fuel. Management took the time to show us the plant and its strip-mine. Interesting ... but no cigar. No matter how scantily the girls dressed they didn’t get one free nugget.

Laues, on the east end of Manus Island was our next stop for stores. The town was big enough for a soccer/rugby dual purpose field, reminders that this was Australian territory for years.

The Carolines were next ... and it was a long haul from Manus to Oletel in the Elato Atoll. Oletel wasn’t cheap ... but necessity...

With still no sign of pursuit I pointed directly for Guam. I intended to pass them by ... but ... Zoe came down with a new island illness and Guam has facilities. I dumped our weapons and contacted the hospital. If it hadn’t been for the monkey sex I’d have dumped her along with the guns.

I lie.

I’d grown rather fond of the girl ... I may keep her.

The Coast Guard powered out in an ocean going cutter ... cutter has always meant ... at least to me ... a small boat ... not a hundred feet long, but the ship that took Zoe away had the look and size of a WW2 Destroyer. They called it a cutter ... who am I to tell them no?

They hauled ass.

We were informed that we were in quarantine until such time as we were cleared by Medical. Capital M.

As we approached Apra Harbor we were directed to the east end ... Sasa Bay. There we found a single mooring ball. As instructed, we moored and flew the Q flag.

Regularly queried by radio as to our health we were isolated until a recovering Zo was returned to us. The Guard delivered her. Zo was accompanied by a doctor in the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. The doctor was an Ensign. New doctors are Ensigns.