SS Pacifica

by Coleinger, Ronnie

  I located the toolbox I had stored under the seat compartment and took out the drill. Becky handed me a set of drill bits from another toolbox and I quickly installed all the eyehooks and secured the equipment. Then I measured the voltage of the batteries to insure I had the correct reading before powering the equipment. As I pressed the button to turn on the power for the ship to shore radio, the speaker crackled to life, and we listened to the Coast Guard broadcasting a marine message. Becky put her hand on my shoulder and said, “I think I am going to cry. I was not certain that I would ever get this far with my dream. Now it is coming true right before my eyes. I thank you for joining me on this adventure. I hope you get the same thrill as I in the coming months.” As she turned and walked away from me, I saw her wipe away a tear that was running down her cheek with her fingers.

  I turned off all the power to the equipment and walked up to where Becky was working. She turned towards me and I asked if she still wanted that run along the beach before the rain ended and it got to hot. She immediately smiled and said, “I am ready.” We left our cell phones, my wallet, and anything we did not want to become wet on the workbench and then walked out the side door of the boathouse. The rain had let up a little. It was now just a gentle mist floating in the air. When we arrived at the beach, we began to run along the water’s edge towards the south. I had hoped to run in my bare feet, but Becky warned me that sometimes there were sharp shells, old rusty metal and even broken glass along the beach.

  As we ran, I realized how beautiful the Pacific Ocean and its beaches really were and why so many people live here. This place is heaven on Earth. We ran about two miles down the beach, turned back around, and headed back toward the beach house. When we arrived home, we were both soaking wet, mostly from the misty rain, but also from sweating. As we approached the workshop, Becky said, “Shower time. Come join me.” I followed her to the house and we walked out to the pool area. She handed me a large pool towel, reached down, took hold of my hand and said, “The shower is this way.” I allowed her to lead the way to the shower. When we arrived and walked inside, I realized there were about six shower stalls. As we undressed, she reached into a cupboard and handed me a new bar of soap that was still in the wrapper. I quickly removed the wrapper, and laid the bar of soap and wrapper on the bench while I began undressing.

  She walked into one of the stalls, turned the water on, and then walked back out where I was now down to my underwear. She quickly stripped off all her clothes and walked into the shower. She looked out at me and asked, “Are we bashful.” I dropped my shorts and joined her in the shower. As we washed and talked, she said, “We might as well get over being shy around each other. We are going to be living together as captain and crew for many months.” I laughed and said, “I believe you just established the hierarchy for the SS Pacifica. You are the captain, and I am the crew.” She looked into my eyes, turned her back to me, and said, “Shall I issue my first order as captain.” I laughed and said, “No need,” and began washing her back with my soapy hands. I could feel her body shake as she laughed at my ready acceptance of the new command structure.

  As we dried ourselves and stepped out beside the pool, the sun had come back out and the warm air felt wonderful. As we stood side by side at the edge of the pool, she asked, “Do you like T-Bone steak?” I looked at her and said, “Certainly, I just don’t eat much of it anymore. Trying to keep the heart healthy requires a little moderation of the foods I like most.” She said, “Then how about if we grill one steak and share it. We could bake a couple of small potatoes and make salads.”

  I started to say something, but realized I needed to put my robe back on immediately. As I stepped to the chair where I had laid my robe, she giggled and said, “You don’t have to cover your body on my account.” I laughed and said, “I apologize for my manhood’s behavior in public.” She laughed and said, “Let’s get those potatoes in the oven or we won’t eat until after dark. I would like to take you to the new botanical gardens after supper. It is lit up nicely after dark and is a splendid place to visit. You will love all the desert plants and flowers. I heard on the news yesterday that the cactus has begun to bloom after the gentle rains we had last week. I love the huge Saguaro Cactus the best; it truly is my favorite flower. The white 3-inch-wide flowers are simply amazing. Bats fly none stop during the night to pollinate the flowers. With the lights on, you can see the bats flitting around from flower to flower. They eat the nectar, which helps the Mother Bats lactate more efficiently, which in turn helps nourish her baby bats. Mother Nature works well here in the deserts and helps the many species of insects and animals flourish.” I looked her in the eyes and said, “I would love to join you tonight. I have always hated bats. Maybe I can gain a new respect for them and discover what useful purpose they serve on this planet.” Becky took my hand and led the way towards the kitchen.

  Chapter 6 - The Finishing Touches

  The following morning, we again ran on the beach, this time we ran until we were too tired to continue. When we got back to the house, we swam in the pool, dressed, and then ate breakfast. As we sat talking about the itinerary for today, Becky asked if we had missed anything that needed doing before we spent a night aboard the Pacifica. I told her that other than varnishing the woodwork inside of the vessel, the second coat of resin inside the ballast tanks, another coat of varnish on the toilet box, and finding some solar panels, we were pretty much under control. As we sat, I asked if she had planned to put some food aboard, or simply rely on our ability to fish. She thought about it a few minutes and said, “I fear that fish alone is not very healthy for us. There is a health food store down the road in the mall. We could begin by asking questions from someone in the know about nutrition. We could also call the nutritionist at the hospital. She might be able to give us some advice.”

  When we returned to the boathouse, Becky put another coat of varnish on the toilet box and took it outside to dry in the heat of the day. We had opened the far end door of the boathouse so the Admiral could locate us when he arrived. As he drove up the driveway, I stepped up to the door and motioned for him to drive into the building. As he stepped out of his car, we shook hands and introduced ourselves. As he walked around the outside of the vessel, she said, “I am certainly impressed with your work. This craft is fabulous. How may I help you with your request for guidance?” Becky explained that we had purchased flares, lifeboats, life jackets, floatation rings, lifelines, and fire extinguishers, but that we were unsure of what was required for exterior lighting. She explained that everything we had read on the Internet told a different story.

  The Admiral requested permission to walk up onto the deck and look around. He showed us where the sidelights needed to be located on the front of the boat, a green light on the starboard side (right side when facing the front of the boat), a red light on the port side, and then commented that we needed a white light on the stern mast, or on the stern. He said that a stern light needed to be five feet above the deck if possible, but putting the light on top of the mast would be better. He told us that the sidelights needed to be eighteen inches above the deck. I looked at Becky and she just shrugged her shoulders. She turned to the Admiral and commented that the welder who had helped build the hull wanted to install more pipes from the deck down into the living quarters, but she rejected this advice. She looked into the Admiral’s eyes and said, “Should have listened to the man, or called you a few months ago.” The Admiral laughed and said, “I would have been glad to have helped you. If you would show me your safety equipment, I will make certain you have everything needed, and sign a letter stating that I have inspected your vessel. When you have your lights operational, I will stop back and insure everything meets standards. With my signed letters, if the Coast Guard or other regulatory agency’s gives you any crap about your mandatory gear, you can refer them directly to me, or my staff. I will also issue your license number that you can stencil on both sides of the bow of your vessel. I will do that toda
y so the paint can have time to dry before you begin testing your vessels sea worthiness.”

  As the Admiral drove out of the driveway, Becky sat down beside me and said, “How in the hell am I going to get wires to those front side lights. We cannot weld on the hull now that the resin installation is complete.” I thought about it a minute and told her that even though we could not weld on the hull, we could drill holes all the way through and install seals just like the ones for the drive motor shafts that exit the vessel. Then we could screw the lights onto the pipe and we would have watertight seals. I asked if she had any of the fiberglass material that she used to coat the outside of the vessel left over. Becky’s eyes lit up and she said, “Actually, I have everything here that is required to install the lights, including the seals and stainless steel pipes. I will call Fred back to help us. He has all the right drills and tools to get the job done quickly and without damaging the hull. There is a five-foot long piece of stainless steel pipe in the cupboard beside the workbench that should work for the stern light. Could I ask you to locate it and make certain it will work? I will locate all the parts needed for the sidelights, and then call Fred to come help us. While we wait for Fred, I will get the airbrush out and begin stenciling the name and license numbers on the bow.”

  The following morning, I went out to the boathouse just as the sun was beginning to rise in the eastern sky. I wanted to look over the vessel and consider what items we had missed. I would mount the lights on the deck this morning and wire them. The UPS truck should deliver the two 12-volt solar panels this morning around ten o’clock. They would require little work. I had built two wooden frames that would bolt to the metal edge of the hatch for support and cords would run through the open hatch doors and plug into connectors at the top of the ladder just below the hatch opening. On a sunny day, the two solar panels would fully charge all the batteries in six hours or less.

  Becky and I had decided to spend the night aboard the SS Pacifica and get a glimpse of what life on the sea for the next year was going to be like. I decided I needed more coffee and headed back into the house. When I stepped into the kitchen, I realized that Becky must still be in bed. I put my cup down on the counter and walked into her room. I found her snuggled under the blankets like a young child, all warm and cuddly. I took my shoes off and carefully slid into the bed with her. As I cuddled up against her back she said, “This is nice. You should join me in my bed more often.” I thought about her offer, but decided not to press the issue. I moved her hair from her face with my fingers and she rolled over towards me. At that moment, I realized that I needed to get out of this woman’s bed and do it now. As I began moving away from her, she opened her eyes and said, “Why are you leaving before the seduction scene begins. You might miss my opening act.” She leaned over, kissed me hard on the lips, and squeezed her body up close to mine. As I felt her hand move to the front of my shorts, I decided to relax and let nature take its course.

  I cooked breakfast that morning and we discussed if we had everything in the Pacifica that we would need tonight. She commented that we had everything but food, and we could work up that list tonight while we played house in our new home. She told me that Fred would be stopping in around ten to help her install the pipes for the stern lights.

  I had cut a sheet of MDF board to make another counter top where our laptop computers and other electronics could be stored while charging. I had screwed in more eyehooks to bungee strap the equipment down, and then applied the first coat of marine spar varnish on it. I would apply another coat this morning and then put the board outside to dry in the hot dry outdoor air. I would not install the new counter top until tomorrow; I did not want to smell the fresh varnish all night. If we decided tonight that we had everything installed that we needed, we would begin varnishing all the remaining unfinished woodwork tomorrow after lunch. Then we would need to stay out of the interior of the vessel for the remainder of the day or at least until the varnish dried and the smell disappeared. We made a decision that we would do our food shopping while the varnish dried.

  Chapter 7 - Sea Trials

  The vessel was now ready for sea trials. We had one last issue to deal with before we could get underway. The SS Pacifica remained in dry dock, sitting upon the huge wooden timbers in the empty pit below her. I walked over to the huge rollup garage door and saw the buttons on the wall to raise the door. However, heavily built wooden timbers prevented the seawater from flooding the pit. Becky and her help had braced the wall from the inside with six-inch square wooden timbers. The timbers laid flat on the surface of the pit and fit into concrete pockets poured into the concrete floor. I considered how I might remove the wooden timbers without the inrush of seawater killing me before I could get up out of the pit. Then the answer to my question became clear. Flood the pit so the water level on both sides was equal and the timbers would float to the top of the water. Then I could pull the timbers up onto the boathouse floor for storage.

  As I stood finalizing the plan, Becky stepped up beside me and slid her arm around my waist. She did not speak at first, but then asked, “Have you solved the puzzle yet?” I laughed and said, “All but one single question. Where is the pump to flood the pit?” She giggled, pointed to a metal lid in the concrete floor and said, “The pump is actually a valve that I open and allow the seawater to flood the pit. The only time I need to pump the water, is when I empty the pit. Then I turn on the switch located on the wall over the workbench. I had the pump piped into the floor drain and it is ready to pump the seawater outside whenever needed. I use the chain falls to lift the heavy wooden timbers out of the pit once they are floating. Shall we flood the pit and let the SS Pacifica float.”

  We tied mooring ropes onto the hooks at four corners of the Pacifica, and then tied them to the rings imbedded into the concrete floor along the edge of the pit. Becky giggled and walked over to the valve in the floor. When she raised the lid covering the floor valve, she began turning the valve handle and I heard the sound of water as it filled the pipes and began seeping up into the pit.

  As the water just covered the propeller shafts, I spoke to Becky and had her watch the propellers to make certain they were turning in the proper direction. I wanted the shaft seals submerged underwater before I turned them with the electric motors. I ran the port side motor first and heard Becky yell that it was correct. Then I ran the starboard motor and she said it was wrong. I switched the power leads and ran the motor again. This time I heard her tell me it was now correct. I located the red marking tape and labeled the motor leads with red tape on the positive lead so we would always get the connections right in the future.

  As the water rose in the pit, I saw the Pacifica shift on the supporting timbers. It only moved a few inches, but I saw the color drain from Becky’s face. I spoke to her and said, “Relax girl. This vessel you have designed is very sea worthy; there is certainly nothing to worry about.” I saw her color come back a little, but I heard the sound of panic leave her lips as the vessel moved again. She was now walking around the Pacifica with her hands over her mouth. I could see her talking to herself, or maybe praying as she walked. Without warning, the vessel shifted and I saw it come off the timbers it had rested upon since its creation.

  I poked one of the huge timbers with a ten-foot piece of pipe to insure it was free and realized that the vessel was now floating free. I pulled my shoes off and jumped into the cold water of the pit. I moved one of the timbers and guided it towards the shore. As I continued to move timbers, Becky moved the overhead hoist into position and began pulling the timbers out of the pit. Then we moved the hoist towards the seawall and pulled the timbers out that had held the temporary sea wall in place. Once the timbers were out on and resting on the boathouse floor, I hooked the chain falls to the wooden seawall and we pulled it out and sat it down inside the boathouse.

  The cool ocean breeze now filtered through the boathouse and we began to see the ocean waves wash into the pit. The SS Pacifica was officially
afloat and riding high in the water. As each wave washed into the pit from the ocean, the vessel raised and lowered just as she would out at sea. I used the hoist to move the wooden staircase a little farther away from the deck of the vessel to insure it would not collide with the Pacifica. I climbed inside and opened the valves a little to allow some ballast water to enter the tanks. I wanted the Pacifica to settle just a little in the pit so it would ride smoothly in the water without so much movement. I spoke to Becky to make certain we still had three feet of water under the hull and she said everything looked good.

  As I climbed down the staircase and met Becky at the bottom of the stairs, I saw the tears begin to run down her cheeks. I pulled her into my arms and let her cry for a minute or so. She finally stepped back and said, “The tears are over. Now we need to christen our new vessel.” She walked over to the workbench and dug through the paint cans. She returned with a bottle of champagne and said, “Let’s get this done.” She walked up the ladder, and carefully tapped the bottle on the edge of the hatch until the neck broke off. The champagne spewed from the bottle and ran everywhere. She emptied the bottle over the side of the boat and into the water below and said, “I christen this vessel, the SS Pacifica. May God protect her crew?” I clapped my hands and whistled as loud as I could. I walked over to the workbench and found an empty paint can and a whiskbroom to put the broken glass into so we would not cut ourselves later. As we cleaned the deck and then washed it down with a couple buckets of water, she stood and just stared at the vessel she had created.