SS Pacifica

by Coleinger, Ronnie

  As we prepared our breakfast, Becky cell phone rang. When she answered it, her uncle told her that the customer had accepted the offer and was prepared to finalize the deal as soon as Becky could return to Honolulu.

  Becky carried her cell phone down into the cabin and began plotting a route to Honolulu. When she had finished, she picked up her phone and told her uncle the day we expected to arrive in the harbor of Honolulu. This time she turned off the phone and laid it on the table beside her bed. When she turned to me, she jumped into my arms and said, “Husband, we are rich. I hope you like money, because we have plenty of it, at least enough to finance a second boat and travel for a few years. I guess we will have to continue building boats and selling them if we want to live out our days on the sea.”

  Becky ran up the ladder and onto the deck. When I followed her to see what she was up to, I found her sitting on the toe kick doing her business. I laughed and said, “Girl, I thought something serious was wrong with you.” She laughed and said, “There was something wrong, I waited too long and almost had an accident.” I laughed with her and then went down into the cabin to give the girl some privacy. I located my list of things to add to the next vessel, and wrote, “Proper head for my wife,” scratched it out and wrote, “Build proper bathroom for Becky.”

  When she returned to the cabin with me, she said, “We need to set the sails and guide the Pacifica towards Honolulu. You heard the day I told Uncle Pika we would arrive, but I suggest we set opposing sails to get there ahead of schedule. If the weather turns foul, we might not make it on schedule and the customer might call off the deal. I also don’t want to run into bad weather, damage this vessel and have to make repairs. That could also be a deal breaker.” Once we had the sails hung and trimmed, we settled ourselves for the 500-mile trip to the island of Oahu. If the weather held, we could make the run in five days. If we ran into heavy seas, it might take six days.

  We were once again standing watch over the Pacifica twenty-four hours a day. We had learned weeks ago to work in six-hour shifts. That schedule allowed both of us to work without feeling sleep deprived.

  I was standing watch around two in the morning when I felt the magic of the ocean again. I watched the incredible view out in front of me as the puffy white clouds danced and occasionally hide the moon from my view. The moons reflection on the surface of the calm ocean and the intermittent pop of the luffing sails kept me constantly alert and on edge. I had trimmed the sails, and adjusted the rudder to no avail to prevent the luffing, but could not get things set just right. Becky was due to relieve me in a few minutes, so I sat back down and tried to figure out what was going on with the wind and sails. Just then, the sky lit up bright towards the south and I stood up to see what was going on. A huge ball of fire came across the sky and then died out to the east of the islands. As I stood in awe over what I had just seen, I realized that the light must have been a slow moving meteorite. It could not have been a plane; it traveled too far to the east, possibly all the way to the coast of the United States.

  Just as I was calming myself down, Becky spoke to me from the hatch. I just about jumped into the ocean to keep out of reach of the monsters that surely were about to attack me. I heard Becky laugh and ask, “Are we a little jumpy my love?” I said, “Damn girl. A man could pee his pants from fright with all the commotion tonight.” She stepped up beside me and said, “Have you had a bad night?” Just then, one of the sails made a snapping sound as it began luffing and then refilled and settled back down. Becky sat down in the deck chair beside and said, “I see why you are jumpy tonight, the wind is swirling around and unsettling the sails.” I started to tell her about the meteorite, but closed my mouth and sat back down to settle my nerves before going down to the cabin to sleep. As we talked for a few minutes, she said, “I will wake you for your shift. Sleep well my love.”

  Just as I started to step onto the ladder to go down into the cabin, another bright, but much smaller pair of lights streaked across the sky to east. I heard a squeal come out of Becky’s mouth, and then I said, “There was a much larger meteorite earlier, about ten minutes ago.” She walked over to me and punched me on the shoulder. I asked what that was for and she said, “That is for not communicating the events of your shift with your captain. I could make you walk the plank for your insubordination.” She laughed and said, “However, I will allow you to redeem yourself later today in my bed.” I laughed and said, “Aye, aye, Captain,” and heard a giggle as I headed down to my bed. Just then, I heard a very loud snap from the luffing sails and another squeal from Becky followed by words that would make Satin blush. I stuck my head up through the hatch and asked, “Did you say something my love?” A saw the partially eaten red apple flying towards my head and quickly ducked down into the cabin.

  The following day when we turned on our cell phones and looked at CNN, we discovered that the space shuttle Columbia had broken up while reentering the atmosphere over the western United States. We did not know if the lights we had seen were from the Columbia or not, but somehow we felt they were. It had landed in Texas and killed all aboard. I saw Becky sit down in one of the deck chairs and begin to cry. This time I let her cry alone so she could sort out her feelings. She needed to cry and mourn the loss of the astronauts, our heroes, in her own private way. Besides, I did not want her to see my own tears.

  Chapter 18 - The Sale of the Pacifica

  As we sailed into the Honolulu harbor, Becky called her uncle for directions to the place where we needed to drop anchor. As we filled the ballast tanks to settle the Pacifica lower into the sea before dropping the anchors, Uncle Pika called and told us the customer was on her way out to the Pacifica to visit us. As we stood on the deck looking towards the shore, we saw a rather large powerboat headed in our direction. When the boat was along side of us, we tied the bow and stern lines to the Pacifica and then waited for the captain to take off her sunglasses so we could see her face. When she finally removed her large hat, I realized that I recognized her. When she raised her sunglasses up into her hair, I said, “Jill, is that you?” The woman stepped up to our starboard swim ladder and requested permission to board the SS Pacifica. Becky granted permission and helped Jill climb up onto the deck. As we stood talking and discussing Jill’s proposed purchase of our vessel, I saw tears in both girls’ eyes. The two of them began hugging and crying. Finally, Becky stepped back and said, “I could not have dreamed of a better person to sell the Pacifica to.” As we took Jill down into the cabin and offered her some juice to drink, Jill said, “I would like to finalize the purchase tomorrow at my attorney’s office if that will work for you two. If you need to make contact with your own attorney, accountant or bank, I can take you to my attorney’s office and get you access to a private telephone or the Internet.”

  As we talked, Jill asked what equipment would remain with the Pacifica and what we would be taking with us. We looked around and Becky said, “The equipment is all part of this vessel and needs to remain with her. We will only take our clothing and personal items like laptop computers, cell phones, MP3 players and such items. The GPS, depth gauge and such will remain. I will need to take the large compass, as it was my grandfathers, who passed it down to my father, who passed it down to me.” Becky said, “We could easily pack now and you could take us to a hotel in Honolulu if you wished to take possession tomorrow morning after the paperwork is signed and the money is transferred.”

  Jill looked at me and said, “Stanley, you have been awfully quiet since I arrived, are you okay with me purchasing the Pacifica?” I smiled at her and said, “I am sad to leave her, but this sale will work out very well for Becky and I.” Jill said, “I will not allow you to stay at a hotel, you will stay at my beach house until you are ready to return home.”

  As Becky and I packed up our belongings, we carefully searched in each cupboard and cabinet for our belongings and showed Jill where everything was stored. We showed Jill the rainwater collection system and how it worked, and then s
howed her how to hoist the generators up onto the deck. When we showed her the solar panels, she laughed and said, “This system is so simply that it is absolutely amazing. Most vessels are so complicated to operate they scare me.”

  As we loaded our backpacks and totes into the speedboat for our ride into Honolulu, we locked the hatches with the padlocks and put the keys in my laptop case. During the ride back to the mainland, Becky and Jill talked nonstop. The two women had become best friends when the Pacifica was in the shop for upgrades. That friendship was very evident today as the girls discussed Jill’s plans for the Pacifica and Becky discussed building another vessel to sail the Atlantic Ocean. I heard Becky tell Jill that she still wanted to visit Tahiti before we returned home. Jill suggested that we fly to Tahiti and join a guided tour of the islands. I looked at Becky and she blew me a kiss. I knew at the very moment that we were going to visit some of the Polynesian Islands in the very near future.

  As Jill maneuvered the speedboat up to a dock, I looked down the beach and asked, “Which hut along the beach is for Becky and me?” She giggled and said, “I can arrange that, but I hoped that you would stay with me up there at my home.” I looked up the access road where Jill was pointing and realized there was a huge three story home up on top of the small knoll. I did not mean to say anything, but the words, “Ooooh yes,” came out of my mouth before I could stop them. I saw a smile cross Jill’s face and she said, “I will put you two up on the top floor looking out over the beach. There is always a cool breeze coming in from the ocean in the evening and you will be very comfortable there.”

  As we loaded our belongings into a golf cart and rode up the access road to Jill’s home, I said, “Jill, may I ask you a personal question?” She turned to me and said, “Maybe I can answer your questions before you ask them. I have never been married, but I like to have parties here in my beautiful home and I often have friends stay with me for a weekend. I inherited this place from my parents who died in a boating accident about six years ago. A trust fund takes care of all the financial issues for maintaining this mansion. The only expenses I have are for my food, clothing, and anything that I purchase for my parties or myself. I work at the marine repair facility for a weekly paycheck just like everyone else, but I have the luxury of living in this beautiful mansion. I have a maid that helps me keep the place clean, and a handy man who helps me maintain the yards and gardens. For any major repairs, I hire a contractor. I have dirt under my fingernails just as you two do from hard work, and I love the sea. Now I have the Pacifica, which I will use often to cruise the islands and visit places that I never dreamed of before. Have I missed anything, Stanley?” I laughed and said, “I did not mean to pry into your personal life.” Jill turned to me, giggled and said, “You may ask me anything you wish. I am quite capable of telling you to piss off if you ask questions that I don’t wish to answer.”

  As Jill punched in a security code and pushed the huge teak wood front door open, we carried our belongings into the front entry. Jill said, “Drop your stuff here and I will give you the grand tour right after I pee.” She pointed to the kitchen and said, “Stanley, there is a restroom just past the kitchen towards the back door. Becky, come with me and we will use the bathrooms near the pool.”

  As I walked towards the huge kitchen, I realized there were windows from the floor to the ceiling. It looked as if the architect designed the windows to allow the ocean breeze to blow through the house. After I used the restroom, I stepped up to the back door and saw the gardens out back. Just then, the girls returned and Jill said, “This beach house was created for my parents to entertain their clients, friends and neighbors. It is open and airy when we open the windows and doors, but I now leave the lower half of the house closed and secure. Things have changed since the time my parents lived here and security is now an issue. I will give you both an access code to use while you visit so you can come and go as you please. As I said earlier, I will put you up on the top floor where you can open all the windows and doors you wish. The night air is very comfortable off the ocean. Let me finish showing you around my home.”

  As we carried our bags into our bedroom, Jill asked if we wished to have Internet access. I said that we would like to check our emails and contact our families. Jill said, “If you turn on your laptops and click on the wireless network, you will see the username of Jillian. When it asks for a WEP key, I will copy it from my jump drive for you.” When we both had Internet, we logged off and followed Jill down to see the grounds and beaches around her home. When we got to the beach, we realized that there were hundreds of people there, some sunbathing, some swimming and some just walking or jogging. Jill said, “Some of the homeowners along the beach try to keep people from using what they call their beach. I believe the beach and the ocean are for everyone’s use. I encourage everyone to use the beaches around my home, but to do it with respect. I will call the police if someone litters or breaks glass on the beach and does not clean it up. Ninety nine percent of the people who come here are wonderful people and are here to have a good time and relax. That remaining one percent, are the ones who force me to lock up the beach house and have a security system and cameras. I have installed open showers under the trees for the people who swim to wash the salt off their bodies before they put on suntan lotion, I have had people leave notes on the showers thanking me for installing them. They are good people and I love them all. By the way, we have sharks here around this island. I suggest that you swim close to other experienced swimmers, better yet, use my pool. The natives are comfortable swimming in these waters, but visitors should use good common sense and great caution.”

  As we returned to the beach house, Jill turned to us and said, “I hope you two are not overly tired, because we have a luau to attend on the beach that begins in a couple of hours. I think you will have a great time. You will eat some very good food and I have invited the people I work with to join us. They are the same people that upgraded the Pacifica, so you will be among friends. None of the people I work with knows that I am purchasing the Pacifica, but I will announce that tidbit early on so you don’t have to tell lies about why you are here on the island and why you are staying here with me. Will you join me tonight?”

  I did not get a chance to speak because the word, yes, spewed from Becky’s mouth. Then she looked at me and said, “Oops, I seem to be speaking for both of us again.” I slipped my arm around her waist and said, “I would not miss this adventure for all the gold in Fort Knox. This is the stuff that we came to these islands to see, the marvels that we authors must write about.” Once we were dressed for being on the beach at night, we walked beside Jill as she told us the history of the Hawaiian feast we were about to enjoy. She explained the meaning of the luau and said that in ancient Hawaii the men and women ate their meals separately. The luau was born when the king abolished the practice and allowed everyone to eat together. She explained that the traditional food at a luau was taro plant leaves combined with chicken, which they baked in coconut milk. They called the food luau. She said, “In early times, we ate with our fingers, but today we allow our guests to use eating utensils.”

  As we got closer to the place where the luau was in progress, many of the people we had met at the repair facility greeted us. As we sat down at a long table with our guests, we began to feel the excitement of the festival.

  Later that evening, when the three of us returned to Jill’s home, she poured glasses of a delicious red wine and we sat outside around the pool. The moon came up, reflected off the surface of the ocean and shimmered off the water of the pool. Jill told us that we would meet with her attorney around ten tomorrow and we could work out any details that arose. She explained that when all three of us were happy with the documents, we would finalize the purchase at the bank. She looked Becky in the eyes and said, “The bank manager will insure that your funds have transferred properly into the new bank accounts at your bank in California. Once you have talked to your bank manager to insure all the de
tails are in order, you can sign over the registration and Coast Guard documents to me. I am very excited over this purchase, and I hope you two will use the money to build another vessel as incredible as the SS Pacifica.”

  As we sat talking, Becky seemed okay with the sale of her creation, her child, as I often called the Pacifica. I asked Becky if she really wanted to visit Tahiti or if she wanted to fly back to California instead. She looked at me and said, “Stanley, I think you and I need to take a walk on the beach and talk. I feel you have something to say and I need to listen to my husband’s words.” Becky stood up and said, “Jill, would you excuse Stanley and me. We have made quite a few snap decisions in the last few days, and I think it is time we make certain we are walking down the same path. I love this man and need to hear his words.” Jill stood up and said, “I will see you two in the morning. As I told you before, my home is your home while you are here with me. Please use the kitchen whenever you wish. If you need anything, just knock on my bedroom door or speak to my staff. Please be careful to lock the doors and use your security code as you come and go.” Jill hugged Becky and then stepped up to me. She said, “You are going to get hugged, so get over it.” I laughed and pulled her into my arms, hugged her hard, and then thanked her for her hospitality.

  As Becky and I walked, we decided to remain close to the house. We walked on a graveled path that circled the house and gardens. Becky held my hand but did not talk very much. I finally asked her if she missed her own home, and her own bed. She stopped walking, turned around to face me, and said, “Stanley, are you homesick?” I laughed at her words, and said, “Yes, I guess so. Would you mind if we flew home, to your home, and hang out for a couple weeks before we visit Tahiti?” Becky thought a moment and said, “First of all, my home is your home, remember, we are married now. Second, I don’t mind at all flying home right away. We can always visit the places we missed on this trip, we might even want to sail to Tahiti some day with a new vessel.” Becky snuggled into my arms and then kissed me. As we walked towards the house, she said, “When we get back to our room, we can get on the Internet and check out flights home. We should have the sale of the Pacifica finalized tomorrow. We could fly home on Saturday.”