Chapter 59. Barrels of…Fun

After dinner cleanup took a while.Cooking shrimp was a messy business but well worth it.Tomorrow would be busy, catching more shrimp, storing them for transport.Then full speed to Newton.

The sun was beginning to set when everything was done. The barrels were ready for tomorrow, so the crew made an early night of it. The Rose was secured at anchor again, hopefully no surprises this time. Will enjoyed a last cuppa in the galley while Min and Naomi fought a card battle ending with Minnie victorious. “Well done Min, good fight Naomi.”, yawned Will, “I’m off to bed, make sure the lights are out and the stoves too.”. He was waved to as the cards were dealt again, this time for cribbage. Even as he was in his cabin, preparing for sleep, he could hear them laughing. It was so relaxing and he drifted off. He felt rather than heard Minnie come in later. She snuggled up and fell asleep quickly, so did he.

He rose early, with the dawn, eager to get on with their day.Moving as quietly as he could he dressed, washed and left Min to sleep.In the galley he lit the stove and started the kettle for tea.While waiting for the kettle to boil he idly wondered about tea bags.Unknown here, everyone used loose tea or a tea ball.What are they made of, he thought.Can’t be paper, that would melt to mush, not plastic, not cardboard…how odd.Personally he used loose leaves loaded in a bronze tea infuser.Kettle boiled, tea made he ambled up on deck.A fine day, sun just up over the horizon, a fresh breeze from the north.The wheelhouse was warming because of all the windows so he opened a couple to keep it cool.

Drinking his tea he made plans for his part of the day.Minnie and Naomi knew their tasks so he decided to start on a couple of things that he had let slide. First was a wiper system for the wheelhouse front glass.The main window didn’t open, just the side windows on either side.When rain hit hard it had been quite difficult to see.A simple crank passed through the wall to the wiper arm on the other side would do it, maybe a spring attached to snap it backBut what to make the wiper blade out of?Rubber was unknown here, hmmm.He would have to start with a cloth covered wooden blade.Then start boiling tree sap to see if he could make something like rubber.That would have to wait until they got to Newton though.He took measurements and drew up a plan while finishing his tea.

Hearing a bit of a clatter belowdecks he assumed Minnie was up. She was many things but quiet was not one of them. A huge personality in a small package. He heard her calling out “Where the heck are you?”, so he blew in the mess, then the galleys voice tubes until Minnie picked up. “In the wheelhouse sweety.”. He didn’t bother to raise his voice, her ears were much better than his. Up she came happy as usual. Throwing open the door and running up for a morning hug. “Hey dad, up early again huh, I was in late, me and Naomi were playing cards and yapping for hours, she’s looking forward to Newton, wants to see Edmund again, she likes him but just as a friend she said but I’m not supposed to say anything….nuh uh, I won’t say a word I told her.”, she took a breath. Will blinked “I see, well I won’t tell anyone either then.”

The voice tube chose that moment to whistle. Minnie opened it up and answered “Hello, who is this?”. Will thought it was probably Naomi, considering it was just the three of them, but didn’t spoil the moment. “Oh yeah he will, not for me, right, three for each of us, yeah that too, okay see you in a little while.” continued Minnie. “Was that Naomi?”, asked Will. Minnie looked at him, “Who else, it’s just the three of us you know. She’s gonna bring up breakfast when it’s ready, about 15 minutes.”. Will snorted a laugh, which made Minnie laugh, which in turn…

After a bit Will showed Minnie his plans for the window wiper.She was excited about it.“This will be great for docking and linking up to the barges if it’s raining or, what’s the other thing, when it’s going to be really cold?”, she asked.Will sighed “Snow, heavy wet snow.I don’t like the cold too much, used to make my bones hurt.”.“But,”, Minnie said “We can have those things you told me about.Snowball fights and build snow people.”.Will laughed at that.“Yeah we can.”.

They noticed Naomi on deck with a large tray, heading for their sitting area at the bow of the ship. They quickly exited and went to help. Minnie cleared the table, Will helped unload the tray of its savoury cargo. “I forgot the salt and pepper, could one of you.?”, Will volunteered and headed down. “Dad, bring some more apple juice too please.”, called Minnie. Retrieving the items Will hurried back up, hoping there would still be breakfast left. He was just in time, Minnie was opening pans and filling her plate. Eggs, bacon, breakfast potatoes, oatmeal and toast. Just the breakfast a hardworking crew needed. Handing over the juice he sat and filled his plate, skipping potatoes for oatmeal. The thicker the better, no sugar or syrup though, plain as can be. Minnie called it goo and wouldn’t touch it, even with bacon mixed in. Her plate was more bacon and eggs, her absolute favourite meal.

The sun was beginning to heat up and it promised to be a very warm day, perfect for what was planned.After finishing breakfast and letting it sit for a while it was time to get to the days business.Will took the trays back to the galley and washed up, cleaned up and put away.He still enjoyed this task as it gave him time to think while his hands worked away.Minnie and Naomi got the large barrels, the ones for the live shrimp, ready and half full of fresh lake water.Nets and cranes prepared for the catching.Scoop shovels and brooms readied.

When Will returned to the deck they were ready to get to it so they started casting the nets down right away. The easy catch of the day before was just not happening. Time after time the nets went down and came back up empty. It looked as though shrimping during the morning was not happening. Now this really messed up their plans. “Not one…one lousy little shrimpy.”, said Minnie. “Let’s quit for now, have a bit of a lazy day, and try again this evening.” said Will, “Same time as yesterday.”. Naomi said she still had some organizing to do in the galley and the larder. Minnie was going to have a go at watch tools, and maybe start on parts. Will was going to make and install the wiper blades. Busy busy.

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A couple of hours later Will stepped back to look at his creation. A strong but light arm holding a smooth cloth covered blade. A crank off set and removable at one end, ready to start to install. A stop at the galley for a cuppa found Naomi in the middle of a complete overhaul of the various cupboards and shelves. Wisely he didn’t say much, a few encouraging words and left with his tea. Checking in on Minnie, in his office working on his watch. She was very carefully drawing out the pieces as she unscrewed them. All set on a cloth covered tray. Chatting with her for a bit she told him the hardest parts to make would be the tiny screws. When they get to Newton a magnifying glass, or glasses would need to be found. Will agreed and added that to his ‘to get’ list. They still had a huge credit in Newton so price was not a concern. He showed his creation to Min, she approved so he went up to install it.

It kind of hurt to drill a hole through the wheelhouse, just a small one for the shaft but it was bad enough.The shaft spun inside a larger pipe, a tight fit but well oiled.Salt water corrosion was a concern for anything metal on the Rose, but Will was well aware and did what he could to minimize it.Fitting the blade to the window, installing the crank and spring, he stepped back to admire his work.Testing the action, it worked but needed a few adjustments until it smoothly slid across the glass.Minnie came up to join him and was looking over his work.“That’s a pretty good job dad, can’t wait to try it out.”, she said.“How’s the watch work coming?”, Will asked.She sighed a bit, “I really need that thing, that makes it bigger…the magnifying glass.”.She rubbed at her eyes, “They get sore from the smallies.”.

The Rose was rocking gently in the calm lake, held nicely by the anchors. Not much wind still, a few high clouds but otherwise a wonderful day. Looking over the rail toward the horizon Will felt like he could see forever. Far off into the as yet unknown lake. The maps and charts they had were very local. The area around Laketown, the route to Newton, and a few of the islands within a close distance. But not much else, just a general idea, or maybe a guess. Will knew that the Rose had been converted to steam power around fifty years ago. Before that she was all sail power. The captains before the conversion would have had a much busier life, relying on weather for movement. So much more to do. Maybe that was why there had not been so much interaction between the lake peoples. An infrequent visit and then gone again for months or longer.

Well, mulling all this over was good but he had things to do.“Hey you all, let’s give it a try again, catching that is!”, Will yelled out.Minnie rushed out on deck, followed a little slower by Naomi.“If you weren’t busy that is…”, added Will.Nah, we were just playing cribbage, Naomi was losing so yeah.”, said Minnie.“I was not losing, I just wasn’t winning yet.”, Naomi said.Will wasn’t sure there was a difference but did not want to get in the middle.Instead he just started readying the nets that had been hung to dry earlier.Again Minnie and Naomi used the port and starboard cranes while he hand cast off of the stern.The first three or four casts brought nothing up.It was a fair bit of cranking up and then toss it down again.If they were unsuccessful after a few more they would try the shrimp pots.Large heavy traps loaded with bait and lowered to the lake bottom and left over night.They could drop all four that were on board, have a leisurely night and pull them on the morning.As a couple more casts came up empty it looked as though that the traps were the way to go.Will didn’t know why they couldn’t get any with the nets, but that’s fishing for you.Could be anything..time of day or time of the year, the shrimp moved on, something ate them all, anything.

The traps had been found in the covered dock in Laketown. Shoved in the back of a cupboard, they looked unused and new. Perhaps a previous captain made them but then forgot about them, or passed. “Maybe it was Magnus, why he became captain is a mystery.”, Will muttered. Naomi overheard him. “He was a newcomer, like you. But he never seemed to fit. He was secretive.”, she said. Will shrugged, that man would always be a stranger to him. Thinking of all the previous captains, back through many years, Magnus had been on the Rose for a short time only. Then the Rose sat inactive for years.

A light dinner just after the traps were dropped. The rest of the evening was spent with cards and companionship. Minnie loved cribbage, mostly because they could all play. Will was working on other games, when he could, but many of them just didn’t work too well. As they had risen early it was an early night, as soon as it was full dark.

As usual sleep came fast, rocked by the boat, Minnie’s breathing, just the usual sounds.And it was morning. Again the sun was just starting to show through the porthole, not as bright today.“Can’t have everyday sunny.”, Will murmured.Getting dressed, waking Minnie in the process, then he headed on deck to check the traps.Minnie right beside him, eager to see too.Surprisingly Naomi was already on deck, dressed and ready to go.“Haha, beat you guys today.”, she laughed.“Right, I just gotta know too.”, said Minnie.

Getting right to it they started winching up the first two traps, barrels ready for cargo, being filled half with fresh lake waters by Will as Naomi and Minnie lifted.It might have been their imagination but the traps seemed heavy as they lifted from the deep bottom.

As it turned it was not imagination.The trap was packed with large white shrimp, 4 inches at least for most.“Hurray, we got the shrimpies.”, yelled Minnie.They were dumped from trap to barrel, with as little spill as possible.Naomi was fast with a scoop, getting the escapees.Two barrels were filledfrom the first trap, as were the next two.Setting aside the empties, then onto the last two.These were full of shrimp too.Emptied into the last four barrel as carefully as possible.Then the barrels were filled nearly to the top with more water and nets pulled over top to keep the little things from jumping out.

“Eight barrels, now that's a lot of shrimp.”, Will said.“Yeah but now we gotta get going right.”, asked Minnie.Will nodded “I’ll start the boiler and check the engine, if you guys want to secure the shrimp in tight.It would be awful if they dumped down the gangway.”.Naomi laughed “Oh how awful, we would never get that smell out.”.They got to that right away and Will was off to start the boiler making steam.

It took a little while to light up, fill coal and check oil levels. But things were very practiced and familiar now…no surprises. Will was going back up on deck when he realized something terrible. He had no tea today, not a drop. An awful start, so there was nothing to do but head to the galley and start the kettle boiling, potatoes frying, bacon warming. It only took but a few minutes, he took that time to get cleaned up again. Shrimp were mucky, tasty though. Dressed in clean clothes, tea in hand he strolled back on deck. He found two sweaty, sticky, wet crew. Finished with tying the barrels in place, they turned as he arrived. Clean and having a cuppa.

Minnie narrowed her eyes and glared, Naomi the same.“You monster, getting us to do all the yuck work and you stand there, .drinking tea all clean.”, Minnie gritted out.Will nodded happily, “Yup, got my cuppa.Good job guys but you might want to clean up.You’re all kinda gooey.”.A loose few shrimp bounced off of his back.Turning he found Naomi looking off at the horizon.“Hmmm, flying shrimp now.Just kidding around guys.I started breakfast going so we can eat before we set off.”, he continued “Go get cleaned up, I’ll take care of the rest.”.With a cheery “Yay, thanks dad.”, Minnie was off.Naomi lingered for a minute “I’m a little sorry about the shrimp, but you deserved it.”, she said.Will laughed, “Yeah I did.”.She left and, good to his word, he finished sluicing off the deck, tied off the last barrel and put all the nets to dry.Last thing was to winch the traps into a hold.

Now for the important work…bacon.