Mission To Cuba

By Jim Watt

Jack Hughes is a 16 year old orphan. His only inheritance is a 30 foot sailboat and he intends to sail it down the Intra Coastal Waterway from Baltimore to Miami in memory of his recently killed parents who loved to sail. He is joined by a 16 year old girl who has run away from home and wants to forget her home life. They rescue a young boy in Chesapeake Bay and are led to searching for the boy's parents' killers all the way to Cuba.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jul 1, 2014
• ISBN: 9781483531960

Book preview

wind..

Chapter One.

He sat in the cockpit of his Mom and Dad’s boat. Of course it was his boat now, but his parents’ presence was all around him.

It was a beautiful boat, fiberglass, 30 feet at the waterline, diesel engine, mainsail and jib, equipped for single hand sailing, three burner propane stove and oven, enclosed head. And it was painted a dark wine color, a deep red, almost blue. His Mom and Dad liked to drink wine, named the boat Burgundy and had the boat painted that color. It was unique, no other boat he’d seen was like it.

But he didn’t drink wine. He was only sixteen and an orphan. He had to look out for himself now and getting drunk wouldn’t help.

He looked around at all the boats docked at Henderson’s Wharf. He had a slip till the end of May and then he’d have to leave; there was no money for dock fees or club memberships. All he had was the monthly social security check until he was eighteen, and the boat. The boat was all that was left when his parents died because it was in his mother’s name. The debts from the car wreck took all the rest, the home, the cars, the few investments. His father had been driving and was drunk. So there was no money for his prep school either, and he didn’t want to start in high school with all new people. So his schooling was over.

He supposed he could have sold the boat, but he needed someplace to live and he and his Mom and Dad had loved the boat so much he couldn’t let it go. They had always planned to take a long trip down the ICW as soon as his Dad got time off. But he was a busy lawyer and there was always another trial coming up. The best they could do was weekend sailing in the Bay.

Glancing out toward Baltimore Harbor he saw a container ship making its way into the commercial docks. It was huge, stacked with the steel boxes that goods were shipped in now, and he wondered how the captain could see past the boxes if any small boats like his were in the way. He decided he couldn’t, and it was up to the small boats to stay out of the way.

He heard knocking behind him and turned quickly to see a girl standing on the dock looking at him. He stared back at her.

Do you need crew? she said quickly. I can cook and clean and I’ve done some sailing on our lake back home in Cincinnati? She paused, looking hopeful.

He looked around, confused.

Who are you?

My name’s Susan.

OMG, he thought, it would have to be. He had been plagued all his life since he started to talk, with stuttering, and the ssound was the worst. The next worst were the w sounds. Her last name was probably Watson.

Your l-l-last name?

Wilson. Susan Wilson.

I knew it! Why couldn’t she be Ann or Elizabeth!?

D’you have a nickname?

My Dad called me Buffy, you know, Buffy the Vampire Slayer on television? He thought I looked like the actress.

Buffy he could live with.

Come aboard. Let’s t-t-talk.

She stepped down onto the seat and onto the deck and sat down opposite him, with her knees together and her head up, alert for questions. She looked around and into the cabin.

Is this your boat?

Yes.

Where are your parents?

They’re both dead.

You mean you’re sailing the boat alone?

Yes.

Cool. And she smiled at him. Where are you going?

Down the ICW. She looked puzzled.

The Intra Coastal W-w-waterway. It runs from Norfolk to Miami.

Are you going to Miami? she said, and her face lit up.

Maybe not all the w-way. I’ll s-s-see how it goes.

I’d really like to see Miami.

They stopped and looked at each other.

How old are you?

I’m older than I look, I’m sixteen. she said. How old are you?

S-s-same.

An uncomfortable pause.

I can’t pay you anything. I’m broke. I’ve just got the boat and s-s-social s-s-security.

Nothing?

No. Do you have any money?

No.

"W-w-where are your parents?"

Back in Cincinnati. My Mom is. My Dad died.

I s-see…Why did you leave?

I didn’t get along with my stepfather, so I left. I had enough money to get here, but it’s gone.

How did you get to me?

The lady at the marina office said you were planning a trip and might need help.

He studied her for a moment.

W-w-why do you want to go on a boat?

She looked away and her face crumpled up.

Because I want to get away from people. I’m so sick of people who lie and hurt and don’t care about anyone. I want the wind to blow them away from me. And her eyes got large tears which ran down her cheeks and she put her face in her hands.

Sorry, she choked. I didn’t mean to break up like that. I won’t do it again.

She wiped her eyes and gave a weak smile.

He looked closely at her. She was tall and very slender, five foot eight, almost as tall as he was. She had fair hair cut short and deep blue eyes. She wasn’t beautiful but sort of cute, with a small nose and a broad forehead, and good teeth, one incisor that stuck out slightly when she smiled. She looked strong, as though she played sports.

He was thinking hard. How can I feed her on the little money I get? Lots of beans and rice and peanut butter, I guess. It would be good to have somebody on board, you can’t steer all the time. If it doesn’t work out I can put her ashore. I better tell her.

If it doesn’t w-w-work out, I’ll have to put you ashore, you know.

I know.

Maybe you should look for another boat, s-s-someone who can pay you?

No, I think I would rather go with you. And she smiled at him.

OK, get your s-s-stuff.

I’ve got it, here in my backpack.

"No, I mean your s-s-sailing stuff, your foul weather gear and s-sweaters and s-stuff.

I don’t have any of that.

He gave a great sigh. W-w-well, you can’t go with just shorts and T-T-T-shirts. You have to get fitted out. You don’t have any money?

No. Sorry.

OK. Fells Point has s-s-some used clothing s-s-stores. W-w-we can check what they have. He thought, beans and rice, no peanut butter.

He stowed her backpack below and locked up and they walked into Fells Point, where, after trying several stores they found one that had some clothes which might hold up on a boat. He bought her a thick sweater, two long sleeved shirts, a pair of long pants and a light rain jacket and hat. They didn’t have any real foul weather gear, they’d have to look at places on the way south. And no boat shoes.

All they’ve got is s-sneakers. We’ll have to find some real boat shoes. I don’t w-want you sliding off the deck and overboard. She smiled.

They went to a boat store and invested in shoes which took a lot of his money. Maybe just beans, no rice and no peanut butter.

When they got back to the boat he showed her through. He started the stove while she watched, and opened the cabinets to show where he had stowed the cans and bagged food. Fortunately, he had stocked up before he had to buy clothing for her, so they could get by for a couple of weeks until the next social security check was deposited.

He showed her the forward v-berth which would be hers; he would take one of the settees in the main cabin. Most important, he showed her the head and how to flush it and warned her to put nothing down it before it had been eaten, because when it clogged it was a mess to unclog.

By this time the sun was going down and it was time for supper. He watched while she started the stove and opened a can of stew and put it on to heat. She also made a salad with lettuce and carrots and onions. When the stew was hot, she put water on to heat for doing the dishes.

They ate sitting in the cockpit. He gave her a book to read, Voyaging On A Small Income, by a British woman who sailed across the Atlantic with her husband in a 21-foot sailboat, and they ultimately built a larger boat and sailed all over, including the Arctic. It was full of good advice for cruisers and he wanted her to understand what it would be like.

Buffy, he started and then stopped.

Yes?

Buffy, I’m going to tell you how much I have…..and then you can see what we have to do to get by.

OK. It’s like a family!

I guess…. Anyway, I get about $1,200 a month from s-s-social s-security. And we’re going to s-sail as much as we can and the w-wind is free. But we’re going to be in canals and rivers where we can’t s-s-sail and diesel fuel is $4 a gallon. We won’t be in marinas because they cost money and w-we w-won’t be eating in restaurants. And w-we may need repairs for the boat and the equipment s-s-so we have to keep some money in s-savings.

OK.

W-what I’m saying is we may have to s-s-stop and get jobs if w-we run out of money.

OK.

Are you all right w-with that?

Sure.

Maybe you w-want to look for another boat that pays?

No, I like this boat fine.

OK, then.

OK.

And they both grinned. He shook his head.

All right, we leave tomorrow. Get a good night’s sleep.

You, too. Oh, I don’t even know your name?

I’m John Hughes, Jack to my friends.

She put out her hand.

Glad to meet you, Jack.And she went in to brush her teeth and go to the head, said goodnight, and closed the door to her cabin.

Chapter Two

Early the next morning, Buffy fried some eggs and they ate the last of the bread. He had forgotten to buy more. He told the dock master he was leaving and the slip would be empty.

While she watched he started the engine and untied the dock lines, first the forward line and threw it on board, and then the aft line which he looped around the dock cleat, and holding the end he climbed aboard. He then released the line, pulled it in and coiled it under the seat. They were free of the land.

He put the engine in reverse and slowly backed out of the slip. When the bow cleared the dock he turned the wheel and put the engine in forward gear and they slowly moved out of the marina into the river.

Buffy watched all this carefully, not asking any questions until he was free of the dock.

Do you always put the boat in forward?

No. Occasionally if w-we’re not late, w-we backed it in, but if w-we arrive after dark w-we just pull in forward. Easier.

How did you learn all this?

My Dad always let me do everything s-s-so I’d be able to handle the boat if something happened to him or Mom w-when w-we w-w-were out. I’d like you to learn, too.

Oh, yes! I want to!

They moved into the channel of the Patapsco River and headed toward the Bay. They passed docks and wharves and soon came abreast of Fort McHenry.

Buffy, this is where the Star Spangled Banner w-was w-w-written, pointing to the Fort. Francis Scott Key w-watched the British bombarding the fort in the W-W-War of 1812 and it w-was dark and he couldn’t tell if the fort had s-surrendered. But at dawn he s-saw the flag still flying and knew they w-were s-still fighting.

Where was he watching from?

I don’t know if he was on land or on a ship. Have to find out.

She looked again at the fort and saw a flag flying.

We’ll see a lot of famous places, won’t we?

Yes.

They motored slowly down the river and it widened and turned southeast.

Now we s-sail, he said.

He took the straps off the mainsail which were holding it to the boom and its folds fell into the cockpit. He then pulled on the line which was wrapped around the jib and the jib unrolled from around the forward stay and the wind caught it and it ballooned out to starboard. He took down and stowed the boom crutch.

OK, Buffy, you take the w-wheel and turn us into the w-wind and hold it there.

OK. And she carefully put her hands on the wheel and slowly turned the boat to the left or port until the jib was pointed straight back at them and flapping. Jack climbed up on the cabin roof and untied the halyard for the main sail and began to slowly pull on it, raising first the long metal yard fixed to the top of the sail which slid up along the mast, which pulled the sail after it, the inner edge of the sail being held close to the mast by plastic slides running in a groove in the mast. He pulled it on up to where the inner edge of the yard reached the top of the mast. The yard continued to pivot up, pulling the triangular sail flat, with the wind coming on both sides and shaking it.

He then tied off the halyard on a two-pronged cleat on the side of the mast and jumped back down on the deck.

He took the wheel from Buffy and put his hand on the boom above him and pushed it to port so the wind pressed on it and he turned the wheel to starboard.

The boat slowly began to turn to starboard. He then let the boom go and the sail swung over to starboard and the boat began to go faster. They were on the port tack, with the wind coming over the port side of the boat. He kept turning the wheel and letting out more sail until the sail stood out at a 45 degree angle from the boat and they were moving quickly through the water. He then tied off the sheet which controlled the boom and reached down and shut off the engine, moving the gear to neutral.

S-s-see how I did all that? he asked.

Yes. I want to try it next time. Some of it I remember from the lake, but, of course, this boat is bigger. But I think I can do it.

OK, next time you get us under w-way.

They sailed under a highway bridge that carried Route 695 across the river to Sparrows Point where empty factories lined the waterfront. The river broadened out as they sailed in a southeast direction following the markers in the channel. The wind