Chapter 48. Storms Are Fun

With the possibility of bad weather coming Will steered closer to shore, just within sight. To keep an eye open for safe harbour. They were still many hours from the ore shoals and the storm was of course directly ahead. He knew the capabilities of the Rose and knew she could handle bad weather no problem. It was just the thought of a rogue wave, or microburst wind that made him worry. Especially with all the teens on board.

At that time Naomi brought him up tea and toast just as he was about to use the voice tubes to alert Minnie to trouble.She asked “Is it as bad as the first trip captain, I was terrified that time.”.Will shook his head “Not yet, but it doesn’t look like it will be, that was just about a full on hurricane, class 3 or 4, this is a only bad summer storm”.”He asked her start battening things down and to get Minnie up here, please.

He reduced speed as the water was getting a bit rough and the boat was starting to dance. Naomi left but she was stringing out the safety line, from the wheelhouse to the deck, tied to the rail then to the gangways down to the lower decks. He saw that she was safe below, then Minnie popped up, yellow sou’wester tied on. She galloped up to the wheelhouse. When she entered her eyes were shiny with excitement.

“Woo boo dad, another storm out this way, we should change the name of this place to storm-wind or something.”, she laughed.Will snorted, who would use a name like that.

“Going to be a blustery day Min, wanna take the conn?”, he asked.“Sure thing, more fun when it’s wavey, you head below and calm the littles.”, she added.Before he left he checked the barometer, which was steady.“That’s a good sign, not falling too far, just a storm.”.

Belowdecks was not as calm as he and Minnie were.Naomi had all the teens in the mess, dinner was coming on, but they were unsettled.“Captain are we okay, is the boat gonna sink, where’s Minnie, can I have a cookie?”, yeah that was Alexander all right.

“Hey guys”, called Will, “Listen up.Yes, there’s a storm coming.It’s not a terrible one, just some waves, winds and rain.As Minnie just told me, it’s a fun one.”.The kids relaxed as he talked and he could see they were calmer now.He continued “Stay off deck, let’s get our lifebelts on now, remember where the buckets are.Oh and no hot meals during bad weather, ovens have to be damped.”.

Some of the teens laughed, some groaned but all of them cheered up.The ones that came with him previously were telling the new shipmates about last trips storm and how much worse it was than this.That made him smile.He caught Naomi’s eye and she slipped over, through the throng.

“Thanks captain, they feel better now, I know I did on our first voyage together.”, she said, “I was so scared but Minnie made me laugh and you made me safe.”.Will patted her shoulder, not really knowing what to say, he had done his duty.Seeing the teapot sitting on the crew table he poured a cup and sat for a minute.

He never wanted this to get old, never wanted to get used to it.

Finishing his tea he made the rounds below. Checking ports, the boiler, coal bunkers, the holds secured, everything was shipshape, but he had to check. Then back up on deck. The weather had worsened, whitecaps, rain, wind was up. He checked the dory and the cranes at the stern, at the bow the anchors were tight. The bbq was safe too, thank goodness.

He could see Minnie in the wheelhouse, standing up at the ships wheel, maneuvering the Rose into the swells.“Hey you,” as he entered “Any problems?”.“Nah”, she said “All under control, just a bit of rough weather, fun times.”.The bow of the Rose was definitely jumping now as the lake was heaving under her keel.

“You know, I think we need windshield wipers here.”, said Will. Pointing to the rain covered windows, “It would clear that up, blade things that run across the windows and scrape the rain off.”. Minnie saw it right away ”That would be better, you should make a note opinion your book. We can’t do it now cause its raining, but when it’s not raining we don’t need it, weird.”.

This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

Will jotted his idea down, “Might not rain tomorrow, let’s build it then.”.“Deal.”, said Minnie and they shook hands, laughing.

Checking the time he found it was nearly dinner, he used the mess voice whistle to talk to Naomi.“It’s definitely a cold dinner tonite, feed them down there, no going on deck still.It’s gonna get worse before it gets better.”.“Aye aye captain”, was the reply.

Minnie and Will stayed in the wheelhouse all through the evening. Naomi brought them up dinner, tasty beef sandwiches with marinated vegetables, delicious! Minnie skipped the veggies because in her words they were “yucky mushy weedies.”. A cake , well several cakes that Naomi had made earlier, was for afters, and each had a more than generous slice. She only stayed for a few minutes, there were no older teens this time to keep an eye on, just her this trip. She had drafted two helpers for the galley, as usual on these trips.

This time the lucky two were Rose and Larry, Owen the wagon master was their dad. Being galley helpers got them out of filling ore and coal bags, but it wasn’t much of a break. Cooking three meals, snacks and drinks for 15 people was not an easy task, up early, to bed later than the others. But rewarding. Seeing someone tuck into a meal you created and enjoy it…that’s a special feeling.

After she left Will and Minnie chatted as usual.Played a few hands of their favourite games, Will stopped a couple of times to write down game ideas, such as Go, checkers, he couldn’t remember backgammon to save his life, so that was off the list.Minnie won most of their War games and they broke even on the solitaire games.

The weather held, still bad but not worsening. They decided to stay in the wheelhouse overnight. Their captain chairs were comfortable enough to sleep in so they took two hour shifts and naps throughout the night and when morning came the lake was smooth as butter and the day was clear and blue skies.

Naomi woke early as was her usual. Bright light was coming in her port. A beautiful day was dawning. It was not as strange to wake on the Rose as it had been when she first joined the crew. Those first days, Will was the aloof but friendly captain but Minnie. Ah Minnie, now she was younger sister, best friend and crew mate all in one. They spent much time together now, all three that is and slowly the boat had become home. A much bigger one that she was used to. In fact the whole lake was her home, Now she was immune. Enough wool gathering, she thought, to work.

She dressed and had her morning routine in a few minutes and headed for the mess.To her surprise Will was puttering away in the galley.The stoves were lighted, kettle burbling.His back was to her and he was singing one of his favourite Irish ballads, wherever Ireland was.Something about the orange and the green.Very catchy song, she had been practicing this one and others on her violin.

She joined in on the chorus, startling Will into banging his head on an open cupboard door, dropping a spoon and spilling tea.Naomi felt terrible until she heard him laughing.“You scared me half to death…good one .”.“Sorry captain, I didn’t mean to,” she started but he waved off her apology.“My bad, I was somewhere else.”.He continued on fixing his tea, and filling a mug with milk he had warmed on the stove, for Minnie.

“Gotta jet, daylights burning.”, Will said and headed for the wheelhouse. Naomi was left wondering what a jet was and how does daylight burn, she would have to ask Min.

The deck was warming as the sun just cleared the horizon. The time was, according to grandfathers watch, 5:25. Very early but a good time of day. He could see Minnie moving around in the wheelhouse, opening a couple of windows. Tidying the chart desk, stretching. When she saw he had brought her favourite she flung open the door. “My gallant captain..good morning.”.

Will laughed “Minnie, good morning.I sure hope you wanted a drink.”.Minnie took the mug from him and took a long slurp, “oh I did, thanks dad.”.Will nodded and sipped his tea.The Rose was slipping easily through the water at 3/4 speed, directly on course.

“We’ll hit the shores in a few hours. The kids can have breakfast up on deck today, in a while.”, Will mused. “Let the littles sleep in for a bit longer.”, said Minnie, “They’re gonna be working hard next couple a days.”. “Oh yeah they are, us too. And then the fishing.”, Will sighed.

Minnie patted his arm, “We’ll be fine, we got our gear, our stickers.Those sharps don’t stand a chance.”. I hope so, thought Will, I really hope so.

Taking his watch out, he saw it was 6:15. “Do you want to put your head down for a couple of hours, you didn’t get much sleep last night.”. Minnie nodded “Yeah I will, a curl up for a while sounds good.”. She finished off her milk, gave Will a hug and headed down. “I’ll wake you around 8.”, called Will. She waved over her shoulder and disappeared down the stairs.

They were steaming along, fresh breeze blowing in, Will decided to journal for a little while.

Things to do was becoming a longish list. Several items were very important, some not so much. Just idle thinking. He really wanted to give Minnie a chance at making a watch or a clock. Same principle just a size difference. Ah, his beloved steam skiff. It was still giving him a hard time.

He had abandoned the idea of a prop like the Rose used and was thinking of a paddle wheel, either a stern wheel or a side wheel. Both had advantages but he was leaning towards the stern wheel idea. There was a little more to gearing, a simple differential but the motive power seemed more. Now he just had to figure out how to steer. Where did the rudder go? Maybe the front, hmmm.

Oh yeah, the herb garden. It had totally slipped his mind. Definitely going to be his next project.

More ideas for stories.Rough drafts for his contact in Newton were underway.Kids stories, there were no Brothers Grimm in this world.He had noticed some children stories in the Newton store but not many, not too many adult fiction either.A very open market.

How about a cookbook? An odd thought but why not. He had many ideas that were unknown here and he could share them. Like French toast, hamburgers and cheeseburgers, pasta dishes of all kinds, pizza, these came to mind easily. So many dishes that he took for granted over the years.

And now he was hungry..dang.