1985, An Atlantic Crossing Memoir

By Skot David Wilson

A pseudo autobiographical account of my Atlantic circumnavigation written in third person. It was where I found redemption and peace, coming to terms with the death of my father, injustices I endured, and anger and resentment which drove me to lose myself and make serious and costly life mistakes, and how I found redemption, forgiveness, and resolve to life by my conscience without regrets.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Skot David Wilson
• Release date: Jan 10, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310973086

Skot David Wilson

I was raised on the Raritan Bayshore South of New York City where the New Jersey Shore starts. I was uniquely aware of the effects of pollution and things mankind has gotten wrong, but also was very cognizant of what was done right, and how, despite many setbacks, humanity has made slow progression. I lost my father when I was 17 and dealt with a lot of personal issues and demons until I developed a perspective I can live with. My conscience guides me, and I am now past 50 and working to build a better world to mitigate the adversity I feel is fast approaching all of humanity.

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1985, An Atlantic Crossing Memoir

Copyright 2014 Skot David Wilson

Published by Skot David Wilson at Smashwords

ISBN: 9781310973086

Title: 1985, An Atlantic Crossing Memoir

Author: Skot David Wilson

Publisher: Smashwords, Inc.

Smashwords Edition License Notes

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Chapter One

Leaving Lauderdale

25 March 1985. Will was recovering mentally and physically from the wound in his chest. Being shot and damn near dying was a life changing event. Until that moment, when he fell into the water with a .22, so much had added so much more weight to his life than the simple weight of the slug. His nature was light and carefree, even when things had gotten dicey. Now he was apprehensive, looking over his shoulder all the time, wondering if he was free of his obligations to the government he had served for the nation that he loved. Something was cancerous in that structure, and despite his being a boy scout as far as loyalty to his country went, he was done with it. There was no reason why he almost died except that someone on the inside had sold out; but the internal power structure would never admit it. At least he was contractual, and not sworn into formal military or civilian service. His agreement with the CSS was an at will contract, and as a result easier to walk away from than formal service or military enlistment. He had called his SAC and told him that he was out. He just needed to vanish for a while.

David had purchased the 28 foot Shannon from an elderly couple in Stuart who just couldn't sail her any longer. He had tweaked it and although it was a small boat, was going to circumnavigate the Atlantic as he had always dreamed of doing. He got high but wasn't a stoner, drank but didn't get drunk. He was the kind of guy who would speed, but only about 5 miles an hour over the limit. This was going to be an adventure for him, and after catching his best friend, who was planning to go with him, with his girlfriend of three years at their apartment, in their bed, he was in need of a new first mate to make the Atlantic crossing with.

Will was sitting in the bar at Anglin's Fishing Pier drinking a Killian's and having a bowl of clam chowder. He loved that place, and he emptied his pocket of quarters playing Steely Dan and Don Henley, every song by either of them that he could select, on the juke box. It was a form of healing, music was therapy. David walked in and sat a stool away from him and they said a casual hey to each other, and David looked at the frosty pint of Killian's Will was sipping and told the cute dirty blonde bartender, One of them. Will couldn't help but hear and gave his approval, Good Choice.

Will went back to his slow attack of the New England style chowder, adding a little more Old Bay he had requested from the kitchen. Two simply gorgeous girls in simple but skimpy bikinis came in, probably from the beach below, and ordered two Michelob Lights. Both young men were trying not to allow their jaws to drop or stare, it was a play it cool sort of thing that if you blew you'd wind up ruining any chance with them over. They both did the math, 1 + 1 = 2, hence, 2 = 2, and like numbers worked together better. The girl with long reddish blonde hair and hazel eyes was close to David and he made that simple small talk to start the conversation. Nice light breeze out on the beach today, last week it was muggy as hell. She nodded in agreement while taking her first sip and once swallowed replied, Yeah, it was. We left about 11:00 last Friday and didn't come back until 4:30. The girl with light brown hair and deep bluish-green eyes leaned over to jump into the conversation and spoke to Will, assuming the two were together. You two ever fish here?" Will said that he hadn’t had the chance, but David stepped back in and said he had and had caught two blue runners and a snook two weeks before. They didn't know what they were, but were showing interest.

The girl with light brown hair made an introduction first. I'm Beth Ann and this is Sharon. Hi, I'm Will. The beach bum clad injured ex-operative said. That was the first contact he had had that wasn't apprehensive about in two weeks. David, the other young man said, raising his glass. They all raised glasses and took a sip in this greeting toast. You two come here a lot? Sharon interjected, it being clear at this point that these two hunted as a pair, and when it came to that kind of situation, they came as a package deal. If one found someone of interest there had to be another one. It was the unspoken, unofficial rules of hooking up. Picking up on this David said, Not that much lately. Will here's been away and we just got here to share a beer. David looked at Will with a look that if they weren't friends before a few minutes ago, they would be so right now. They gave a stare of knowing and toasted between themselves. Loud enough to make it a known compliment Will said To meeting beautiful girls at the beach. The two girls looked at each other and smiled, a silent approval of these two potential suitors.

Later that evening the foursome met up and bar hopped the between The Candy Store, Summers on the Beach and Penrod's. They danced until closing then walked the beach, and sat and talked. Whenever they got a moment they quickly told each other as much as they could about each other and kept pretty much to the truth. David had been cheated on stabbed in the back by his best friend and Will had been recently shot down in the Caribbean, but didn't want to talk about it much. They were friends from seeing each other at marinas, acquaintances that wanted to hang out together because they liked each others company, and were both healing in their own sort of way. This was perfect because it was true, except for the part that until five minutes before these two showed up they never laid eyes on each other before.

The girls were from Port Chester, New York. Will was from the Jersey Shore so knew many of the same nightclubs and landmarks in New York City that he had in common with the girls. Max's Kansas City, CBGB's, The Village Vanguard; the girls knew them and it seemed all liked the same basic kind of music. The girls were down a little early for Spring Break, and were due to fly back in four days late on the 29th. They weren't normally easy or one-nighter kind of girls, neither were the guys in actuality, but it was Spring Break, and those rules kinda go out the window. They split a little to have some privacy, Will with Beth Ann and David with Sharon. They had initially paired off opposite, but as the night progressed they naturally gravitated then migrated to the other. They had to feel each other out a little, but there definitely was real chemistry flowing there. If it wasn't Spring Break they would likely have hit it off anyway. That made it all the better.

The couples both close enough to still see each other, passions were released on the beach, and snuck into the Atlantic Hotel like they owned the joint to take advantage of the free breakfast buffet. David gave them the directions to the marina where his boat was, where he was staying when he moved out with a quickness the afternoon he caught his ex. Both David and Will were happy they became fast friends, and they spent the next few days with the girls until they took them to the airport and said their goodbyes.

On the way back to the marina David told Will about his plans to cross the Atlantic, and everything else he kept guarded until the girls had gone home. So why not go anyway? The boat looks rigged to solo. Will inquired. Like that would be fun.... right? I don't want to feel like I'm going into exile. Christ, I ain't the Flying Dutchman. I just don't want that much solitude. He confessed. Well, if you need someone to mate I do know my way around a boat. I came back from the Caribbean in a 10 meter Hunter and soloed, and I just need to get the fuck away anyway and figure shit out. David looked at him with an intensity, finally grasping that maybe Will was dealing with demons that he needed the escape to help vanquish. When they got back to the boat the two sat on deck drinking ice cold Amstels and smoking a fatty watching the sunset. Will opened up a little about what actually transpired down in Little Cayman, and why he just wanted to get as far away from everything as possible. He didn't want to go home, didn't want to see old friends, didn't want to talk about anything unless it was on his terms, and most certainly didn't ever want to see Ft. Meade again. He just wanted time to heal and figure out what he wanted to do with his life, and to see if he could get his spirit back. Face down in a 5'5" and doing what he could on a dance floor for four days had worked wonders for him. It felt of normalcy, something he missed, and needed back.

They left from the marina near North 3rd off A1A less than two days later on the 31st of March. Will was already set to go and was one day behind his original schedule. Will didn't bother telling anyone he was leaving, not even his mom or sister. Besides there being a confidentiality agreement and contract he chose to arbitrarily cancel, he just didn't know how to explain everything that had gone on in his life. He had been getting groomed and already had the perfect cover. He had legal issues the government made go away, on the condition that he work for them, and didn't want a lateral transfer into the D.I.A. or military or anything other agency or anything to do with the United States Government. His position had been actually illegal under United States law, and he was simply done with the lies and bullshit. Maybe he was too rouge anyway. In any event, he was not going to have to think about anything other than the ocean, the sky, and ports over the horizon for a few months, and this was exactly what he needed.

They sailed out at dawn. They got to see the Unfurled at the boat yard across the canal as they were leaving. It was a world class sailboat. It was something like 21 meters. That was an