Chapter 8: Getting lost

I woke up at dawn and got ready without disturbing the Captain. I was concerned at first by her complete lack of movement but her breathing indicated that she was fine and so I sought out the toilet, then a shower, then breakfast.

The Captain stirred as I came into the room carrying two trays laden with food.

'Before you ask, I am fine', she told me as she swung her legs out of her bed. The Captain was a little exasperated with me trying hard to look after her, and when I offered to help wash her in the shower she screamed that I was a 'cabin boy and not a fucking nurse'. After being threatened with the whip I was sent to the Navigation Room.

The Captain appeared a few minutes later and told me to minute the meeting, but afterwards Commander Helen persuaded her to rest on the Upper Deck with a chair from the Navigation Room and take it easy, which the Captain reluctantly agreed to.

I went to check on Amanda, who was still in my quarters and examined the slash of the sword she had taken. It was in her thighs and was quite deep which meant she had trouble walking. Sarah saw me in my own quarters and kicked me out, telling me that I had forfeited them and not to disturb Amanda again.

The Captain eagerly watched Tara and I fighting with the rubber-tipped swords on the main deck and after I lost a few duels on the trot, threatened to come down and fight me herself.

The effect of the Captain watching the crew was measurable, with a lot more activity being done and everyone appearing to be much busier. The Sun was out, but kept being hidden by clouds overhead that cast dark shadows over the ship, but it was cool enough to do physical exercise in without feeling too hot.

The first drops of rain hit the deck during our lunch period, and by the time Tara and I re-emerged from inside, the main deck was completely soaked and the girls were frantically trying to bring in one of the sails that was flapping dangerously in the strong wind.

It took twenty of us to bring the sails in and I was totally drenched by the time I was finished. Strong winds made my clothes feel like ice and blew me around the deck as I tried to walk.

'Get inside', yelled the Commander and I ran to the Navigation Room, guessing that is where I would find the Captain.

Tara scowled at me as I traipsed inside, dripping water onto their clean floor. The Captain was sat at the table and smiled at me as I came in.

'John, get a towel', she yelled across the room at me and Georgina passed me one from a little stack in the corner of the room. The faded navy garment opened out into a huge beach towel that easily dried my hair and absorbed the worst of the water from my clothes. I gazed out of the window at the dark grey clouds lashing water down onto the roof of the room I was in and couldn't help admire the full force of the storm.

I was sent on a number of errands that afternoon, through the powerful storm and to the Commander who was in the main body of the ship. The crew had mostly changed and everyone was undercover except myself, Angela in the Crows Nest and Tara who was steering the ship on the Upper Deck.

The rain was coming down harder and stronger than before and was bouncing off the wooden decks but I still couldn't resist stopping and marvelling it. It seemed so magnificent and powerful, and I knew that we were just pawns, bouncing up and down off the huge waves.

Tara yelled at me to 'GET INSIDE' as I sauntered up the steps to the Upper Deck before she joined us in the Navigation Room.

'Locked on, still heading in the same direction, but we can't see the Sun so we will have no idea where we are going', Tara warned Anne when she came in.

Lieutenant Anne looked at the charts.

'We are OK unless we head due South as there are rocks there.

'The wind is pulling us in that direction, I've locked the rudder on to go away from them'

'As long as we stay out of the St Willems Reef will be fine', Anne told her and Tara left the room.

'Cabin Boy ... dry yourself', the Captain told me and I took my old towel that was still damp and removed most of the excess water.

'What are the chances that we will hit the reef?', the Captain asked Lieutenant Anne.

'Low, but possible. We were fifty miles away this morning but we are being pulled due South. If we steer around them then thats fine, but if we hit them then we'll rip our boat in two.

'Cabin Boy ... tell the Commander to get someone with you ready to do ship repairs in the hold'