Chapter 3

Pippa woke slowly, disorientated at first. It was dark in the fore-cabin; the bed was harder than she was used to, but she was warm. 'Why am I awake?' She lay there as she caught up with herself. 'Of course. Serendipity. My sailing holiday. But it's dark, so why am I awake?'

Quiet sounds of movement over her head, not enough to wake her, especially mixed in with all the usual sounds of a boat at anchor: water against the side of the boat, flowing past or waves lapping. The tapping of halyards against the mast in the wind. Quiet creaks and groans and an occasional jolt against the anchor-chain. Sea-birds – gulls and the piping sounds of waders, the eerie sound of an owl some distance away.

'Bother. I'm awake, and I need to wee. But I'm warm and I don't want to get up.'

She gave in to the inevitable and slid out of bed, trying to remember where the switch was for the light in the 'heads', then, blinking in the dim glow, to remember how to use the sea-toilet. Sitting there, she was aware of quiet footsteps on the deck above, barely audible.

Finished, she pulled on trousers, pullover and deck-shoes. 'Perhaps it's CC... '

She made her way aft, through the saloon, out into the cockpit. It was cool in the pre-dawn, but pleasantly so and she peered ahead; a human form moved about the foredeck, then dropped smoothly into a sitting position.

Pippa climbed out of the cockpit and made her way forward. She found Cherry sitting in 'lotus' on the foredeck, facing east. Serendipity, being 'tide rode' was pointing east, held so by the incoming tide. Cherry looked round.

"'Morning, Pippa. I hope I didn't disturb you?"

"Not really. More it was being in an unfamiliar bed. What are you doing?"

"Waiting for the dawn. The best part of the day. At least, if it's not raining. I sit and think; meditate, really. Something Ted taught me. Join me?"

"Yes, please. But I don't think I can sit like that."

"It takes practice. But you can sit on the coach-roof, or lean against the mast and stretch your legs out. Here..." she handed Pippa a towel. "Choose your spot and mop up the dew or you'll have a damp bum."

The sky was lightening in the east as she spoke; barely perceptible at first as Pippa dried a spot to sit on. There was little wind, and what there was was from the south-west, behind them. Pippa watched the sky lightening until, quite suddenly, there was a sliver of burning, liquid gold, showing on the horizon; she drew in a breath, more of a gasp. Cherry chuckled. "Incredible, isn't it? Gets to me every time."

They sat there, silent, a little longer, then Cherry rose to her feet and dowsed the riding light above her head. "I'm going to do a little t'ai chi," she told Pippa. "No point in rushing things if you want to go back to bed for a bit."

Pippa, to her surprise, found herself saying, "No, thanks. Can I join you? I've never done anything like that."

Cherry smiled in approval. "Sure. Just copy my moves for now. Relax and don't try too hard."

Having seen some practitioners of martial arts on t/v, Pippa didn't think it would be too hard, but was rapidly disillusioned. Mainly, it was difficult to follow, but the smooth, graceful movements were tiring to one who had avoided physical exertion for years. But she persisted, and Cherry's smile of approval amply rewarded Pippa's fine sheen of perspiration as they moved to return to the saloon for breakfast.

Pippa looked at her with eyebrows raised when Cherry said with enthusiasm, "I want a sausage sandwich. Several sausage sandwiches."

"How do you stay so slim?"

"Active life, fresh air, no central heating, t'ai chi."

"Oh."

Cherry looked round. "Seriously, you'll have to work to not lose weight on board a sailing boat."

"I could stand to lose some weight."

"Uh uh. You're not really overweight, just soft."

Pippa snorted. Cherry frowned. "Look, love..." she paused, still frowning. "I ... oh, Lord. How can I put it? I've been blessed with looks, but I never really liked myself until I spent a holiday on board here. It's more important that you like yourself than that you look a particular way. CC obviously likes you."

"He told me ... he said I wasn't fat. I don't know if he really likes me, I thought he was just being kind."

"There you go. You don't really want to lose weight, just tone yourself and turn some of it into muscle."

Pippa didn't respond to that, but followed Cherry below, where they found CC busy at the stove.

"I thought you might want to get under way at high water," he said to Cherry.

"That was the idea," she smiled. "I see you're taking care of the inner man."

"Actually, the inner woman," he grinned. "I've had mine while you two were dancing on the foredeck. Coffee's made ... unless you'd like tea, Pippa?" he paused long enough for Pippa to shake her head, "Bacon, egg and toast in a couple of minutes."

"Very good!" Cherry was obviously making an effort to maintain a serious demeanour as she went on, "You'll make some girl a useful husband some day. Perhaps even a useful seaman."

"Gee, thanks," he replied wryly. "Nice to know I'm appreciated. Why don't you sit and I'll bring your breakfasts any minute now."

Pippa looked at her plate when CC delivered it. "I'm hungry, but I'm not sure I ought to be eating this..."

"Trust me, you need it," CC told her. You'll burn off the calories anyway, and the protein will satisfy you better. It might be quite a while before we get to have a substantial meal as we'll be sailing at lunch time..." he looked at Cherry, "won't we, Skipper?"

"That's the plan. You said you didn't want to just mess about in a river, Pippa. With this wind we're not going to move fast. It should strengthen later, but Serendipity, fond as I am of her, has never been a fast mover. We might make five knots over the ground with the current with us. But that's alright. I'd like to be at Pin Mill by high water, say nineteen hundred; sandwiches under way."

"How far... ?" Pippa asked, quietly.

"Pin Mill ... about thirty miles. If we make good time, we might head further up the coast. Should be good sailing."

On deck, breakfast over, it was slack water and Serendipity had swung round until she was wind-rode. CC went forward and Pippa was about to follow, but Cherry stopped her.

"That anchor is heavy, but CC can manage and I want you here in the cockpit."

"What's it weigh?"

"Forty pounds. Ted likes his security. Then there's the chain as well, and the pull of the boat on it. If CC has to go back to the barges we can manage it, but today you're going to get under way."

CC was hoisting the mainsail.

"You could get the mizzen up if you like..." Cherry told Pippa.

That achieved, Pippa was back in the cockpit with Cherry and CC was heaving on the anchor-chain. "Ted doesn't like electric winches," Cherry commented, "but one would be useful just now. If we were going to anchor this evening, I'd have CC flake the chain on the foredeck, but I told him to stow it; we ought to be able to pick up a mooring at Pin Mill ... Ah. Getting there, I think. Just release that furling line, Pippa, will you?" She pointed at a thin line cleated at the side of the cockpit, "And pull on that sheet..." The staysail unrolled... "Pull hard, take a turn round the barrel of that winch and hang on."

Pippa did as she was told. The wind pushed on the 'wrong' side of the sail and Serendipity tugged on the anchor-chain just as CC called "Up and down!"

Serendipity paid off ... pivoted ... drifting backwards a little, and the mainsail swung across as the wind caught it.

"Now let go, Pippa, come across and heave on the sheet this side ... that's it ... good enough. Three turns round the barrel and cleat ... Good!" They were sailing. "Right," Cherry was eyeing up their heading, which was more or less due east. "Okay. Remember what I told you about sail setting?"

"I think so..."

"Good. Show me with the staysail first, then the main, please."