SS Pacifica Read online

  We would have to sail towards the south with the wind coming out of the southwest. Becky’s Father had schooled her well on sailing and tacking a sailing vessel, and she began explaining to me which way to adjust the sails and rudder for maximum speed. Right about now, I would give anything to have grown up with a Father that knew how to sail. I felt very inept.

  We had sailed and drifted a long ways off course during our testing, and the return trip home was forty miles. I guessed it would be daylight tomorrow before we arrived at the boathouse. Then I began wondered how we would find the boathouse if we passed it in the dark. I stepped down into the cabin and asked Becky the question. She said, “We will watch the lighthouses along the coast as we travel. I can tell you from experience which lighthouse is which and where we are located by their locations.” I stood considering the question I had asked Becky and her answer, but was not certain she could really tell which lighthouse was which. She walked up to me and said, “In my briefcase, I have a map that shows all the lighthouses along the Pacific Coast of North America. The light from each lighthouse blinks on and off in a specific pattern, kind of like Morris Code, but not really. I know by watching them for many years, which pattern each blinks, but I can also look up the information on my map. That is how I know where we are in the dark. If we were out at sea and could not see the lights, we could use the sextant to find our exact position, if the weather is clear.”

  ***

  Becky gave me steering instruction from the deck, as I used the propulsion motors to maneuver the Pacifica into the pit of the boathouse. Once we had the vessel dead in the water, I climbed down the wooden stairs and grabbed the tie down ropes as Becky threw them to me. I tied each rope to the steel posts driven into the concrete floor. The posts had rings built onto them, which made tying the ropes to them very easy. Once we had all four corners tied, the Pacifica sat high in the water.

  I watched Becky take a deep breath as she looked over her vessel. Then she climbed down to where I stood. We both stood side by side holding hands as we looked at the magnificent creation that soon would be our home for the next year. I mentioned to Becky that instead of trying to weld the swim ladders to the hull, we could simply drill and tap the metal and use bronze screws to secure the ladder. Becky thought about it a moment or two and said, “I could call Jim to come here and weld up two aluminum ladders with flanges that would rest at the correct angles on the hull, and then do as you suggested with the bronze screws. I like your idea with the small screws instead of welds. If the ladder was to hook onto something and tear off, the bronze screws would easily shear, but welds might tear the metal of the hull and be difficult to repair.”

  Becky had made her decision and she contacted Jim on his cell phone. Once she explained what she needed, he said he would be at the boathouse by nine tomorrow morning to begin building the ladders. He said he would bring the aluminum he needed with him.

  As we stood in the boathouse talking, I asked Becky if it would be easier to navigate the Pacifica if we had a remote control box that we could bring up onto the deck instead of yelling steering instructions to each other. Then we could control both motors and the steering rudders from the remote. She smiled and asked, “Can you do that?” I laughed and said, “I will pick up the parts I need and install the system this week. I will connect the control box with a plug and long cord so it is portable and can be removed when not in use.”

  I asked Becky if she knew where the bronze screen was located to build the bug screens. She thought a second and told me that the last time she had seen it; it was on the back of one of the workbench shelves. We quickly located the screen and decided we had enough to make up four of the screen doors to cover the hatches, with a little left over if we should ever need it. I located some of the teak wood that was under the bench and asked if she had any plans for it. She smiled and said, “You will have to take me out for supper tonight if you plan to use my teak wood. That stuff is very expensive.” I pulled out my wallet, counted my money and said, “Becky, would you accompany me to supper this evening? I think we deserve a night on the town.” She bowed to me and said, “Kind sir, I would be honored to accompany you this evening, but don’t tell my father of our plans for later at the pool or he will surely shoot my lover.” I began to laugh and choked on my own spit.

  We decided to go into the house, make a pot of coffee, and start working on our shopping list. When we walked into the house, we both realized we were very tired. As the coffee perked, we began working on the list.

  Book with Pacific Ocean fish pictures

  Photocell and 12-vdc relay for exterior lighting

  Electronic Depth Gauge

  Snorkels, masks, and fins

  60 ft long - 3/8 diameter - polyester rope for measuring water depth in fathoms

  2 each - Heavy lead weight for end of rope

  100 ft long 5/16 diameter polyester rope for general-purpose use

  Bilge pump -12-vdc

  1/2 inch check valve

  1/2 inch ball valve

  Electrical parts for remote control box including a 12 VDC linear actuator

  Once the list was complete, Becky looked at me and said, “You look tired tonight.” I smiled and said, “I did not sleep well last night. I worried about the Pacifica, I worried about you, I worried about worrying and then I worried about not sleeping. Once I finally fell asleep, it was time to get up. I think that after a few nights aboard the Pacifica, I will relax and sleep just fine.” Becky said, “I think we should fix supper here tonight and then get some rest. You could buy me lunch tomorrow after our shopping is done.” I looked her in the eyes and said, “This time I will not argue with you. What would you say to spaghetti and garlic toast for supper? I see you have lots of it in the cupboards so you must eat it often.” She giggled and said, “It is my comfort food. When I get depressed or upset with a project, I fix spaghetti and it seems to calm me down. I will help you with supper. Then I plan to have a quick dip in the pool and a second cold beer. I figure on being asleep by nine.” I laughed and said, “Your itinerary sounds perfect, Captain.”

  While we cooked our supper, I asked if she had any guns in the house. She looked at me and said, “Did I offend you somehow. Has your captain angered you? Would it help if I told you I was sorry for whatever I might have done?” I looked into her eyes and said, “Actually, now that you mentioned it, you did piss me off with that remark about my penis size after the swim in the cold ocean water.” Then I laughed and explained that I was thinking that we should have a rifle or two aboard the Pacifica. She thought about it a few minutes and then said, “I guess you are right. What if pirates attacked the Pacifica or a shark kept harassing us and we needed to kill it, what if we found ourselves stranded on some secluded island and needed meat to survive. What if the only way we could get to the coconuts in the trees was to shoot them from the tree with the rifle.” I sat quietly as she rambled on. Finally, she looked me in the eyes and said, “I have a gun cabinet in the den with Father’s guns inside. We can check them out after supper and see what we might want to take with us. We might have to buy bullets for them, but we can do that tomorrow when we are in town.” Then she looked down at her coffee cup and said, “Have I told you yet today that I am glad you are here with me. I get very lonesome living here by myself with no one to talk to.” I smiled at her and said, “I would never have guessed.”

  As we ate our supper, I asked, “Who is going to pay your bills and take care of this house while we traipse around the Pacific for the next year?” Becky looked up from her supper and said, “I guess I did not tell you about my niece, Susanne. She stays with me sometimes while she attends classes at the college, and she will be staying here while we are gone. She is in Mexico for another week, but then she will take care of not only the house, but pay any bills that come along and answer any phone messages during my absence.”

  When the supper dishes were cleaned up, we checked out the gun case and carried two 30-06 rifles, two .
22 caliber rifles, and two 45 caliber semi-automatic pistols to the Pacifica and found homes for them. We had plenty of ammunition for the rifles, but decided to pick up more bullets for the pistols, and some gun cleaning supplies. As we walked back towards the house to sit by the pool and drink a cold beer, I asked her if she had ever been married. She squeezed my hand and said, “No, I had a couple offers, but I turned them down.”

  As we dropped our clothes and swam in the pool, I talked to her about her goals for herself after she returned from this adventure to Polynesia. She looked at me and said, “I hope to live out my life either here in this house, or out on the ocean in the Pacifica.” I asked her if she needed a partner to keep her company on those lonely nights out on the ocean. She looked at me, smiled, then said, “Why Stanley, that sounds an awful lot like a marriage proposal to me.” I looked her in the eyes and said, “That not only sounds like a marriage proposal, it is a marriage proposal. Becky, would you marry me before we set sail on this Polynesian adventure?” She looked me in the eyes and said, “Can I think about it for awhile and get back to you?” I formed a smile on my face and said, “That will work. But I hope your answer is yes.”

  I pulled myself up on the edge of the pool and then stood up. I got towels out of the cabinet, laid one on the chair beside the pool ladder, and began drying off with the other. I slipped my shorts and shirt back on, got two cold beers from the refrigerator and sat down at the table. As Becky climbed up out of the pool, she walked over to where I was setting and stood in front of me dripping water on my legs and feet. Then she looked me in the eyes and said, “I have thought about your proposal long enough. Stanley, I stand before you, dripping water on your feet, with nothing on but my smile and I wish to tell you that I accept your marriage proposal.”

  I stood up and kissed her on the lips, and then picked up her towel and wrapped it around her shoulders. She took the towel and dried herself, put on her robe, and then sat down at the table with me. I looked her in the eyes and said, “We have a lot to do tomorrow.” I pulled the notepad to me and wrote an additional item at the bottom of the list in bold letters, “Get a marriage license.” Becky asked if I had proof of my divorce and a certified copy of my birth certificate with me. I smiled and told her I had the papers in my briefcase along with my passport and other legal documents. I explained that since I planned to visit other countries, carrying the legal documents could often save a lot of red tape with border patrol or customs agents. She smiled and said, “I can make an appointment online yet tonight. That will save us standing in line for hours tomorrow.”

  We walked into the study, and within twenty minutes had all the forms filled out and copies of our birth records and driver’s licenses faxed to the State of California Marriage License Agency. We now had an appointment for 4:00 tomorrow afternoon. I put my hand on her shoulder and asked her where she would like to have the ceremony performed. She turned around to me and said, “Sunday morning, immediately following church services if that is okay with you.” I leaned down and kissed her, and then said, “That will be perfect. I was hoping you would not tell me Las Vegas. Weddings there do not often stand the test of time.” She smiled and said, “I am going to bed. We have a very busy day tomorrow and you are already very tired.”

  Chapter 9 - Becky’s Prince

  When I woke, the sun was just peeking over the horizon, and my entire room had a red glow. I got up and brushed my teeth, used the toilet, and then crawled back under the covers for a few more minutes. As I laid there on my back with my hands under my head, I saw the door open just a little and a pair of blue eyes peeked into my room. I pulled the covers down beside me and Becky quickly crawled into bed with me. I pulled her up close to me and she snuggled up against me.

  She kissed me on the cheek and said, “I have something to tell you this morning. It seems that my prince has arrived and is about to marry me. He plans to take me away from the place where I have spent most of my life, but a place that in recent years causes me to be sad and lonely. My prince has asked me to live in his world. In a few days, I will begin a new life, a life full of love and adventure. A place I have worked hard for, a place I have dreamed about for many years. I have fallen madly in love with my prince, and am very excited he has come for me.” I felt her warm tears on my chest and pulled her a little closer. As we lay quietly together, I heard an incredible rumble. She giggled and said, “I think my stomach is ready for breakfast. What fine delicacies can I fix for my prince this morning?” I tickled her under the arm. She giggled and rolled herself out of bed.

  As we cooked pancakes and eggs for breakfast, I said, “I think we should wash this skillet and put it in the Pacifica, along with this box of buttermilk pancake mix and the maple syrup.” She went to one of the cupboards, found a small flat pan made just for pancakes with a handle, and said, “Would this work better?” I told her it was just the right size to fit on the camp stove, but the skillet would work great for cooking fish or fowl.

  It did not take us long to get ourselves around and head out to the boathouse. We were both excited to get to work and Jim would be here around nine to build the swim ladders for us. We had filled our coffee cups before we left the house so we should be good for a couple of hours. Becky started building the frames for the hatch screens and I began modifying the wiring for the exterior lighting so I could add a photocell to turn them off during daylight hours. As I worked, I thought about what kind of wedding ring Becky would pick out today.

  I was working at the bottom of the hatch ladder when Becky laid a wooden frame over the hatch and checked it for proper fit. Then she stuck her head down through the hatch and said she loved me. I looked up and blew her a kiss. Just then, I heard a male voice talking to Becky. I heard her say, “I will be right down Jim, and don’t you dare laugh at my torn pants.” I climbed up the ladder and saw Becky walking down the wooden stairs, holding the back of her blue jeans closed with her hands. She had apparently split out the seat somehow. I could not resist and whistled a couple of catcalls. Jim started to laugh, but decided to mind his manners with his customer and turned his head away from us.

  I heard Jim talking loudly and saw him hugging on Becky. He was actually bouncing up and down as he talked to her. I decided by his emotions that Becky had just told him we were getting married. When Jim saw me looking, he held his thumb in the air, and I could see him mouthing the word, yes.

  When I was certain I had the wiring correct and the lights worked by touching the wires together, I temporarily fastened the wires together with a wire nut until we could purchase the photocell at the marina. Then I checked out the piping where I wanted the discharge line of a bilge pump to connect. I discovered a pipe tee with a plug in it, and decided I could connect the new pump into that. Then I thought carefully about how to install a water depth gauge on this vessel. I had thought about this problem before, but now I began to see the light.

  I went down to the work bench where Jim and Becky were discussing the new swim ladders and ask if I could mount a sonar transducer on the starboard swim ladder. I also discussed adding a pipe from the transducer location up the backside of the ladder so I could run the cable up to where the stern light was mounted. Jim thought a moment and said, “Yes, I can do that. However, could I offer an easier way to get the cable into the cabin area?” I smiled and told him the cable would be loose with my method, and if he had a better answer, I would be very pleased.

  Jim told me that he could drill a hole through the hull and weld pipe couplings on both sides without damaging the resin inside the ballast tank. I asked him how he could do that, and he said that as long as he used a pipe made of the same material as the hull, he could TIG weld the pipe with very little heat. I looked at Becky and said, “That will work for me, but Becky is the mechanical engineer and I will abide by her decision when it comes to welding on this vessel.” Becky said she had more of the exterior resin and paint and that she and Jim would install the pipe in front of the bottom ladder step wh
ere the sonar transducer would mount. I asked one more question, “Will the pipe have 1/2 inch threads on it?” Jim walked over to his welding truck and produced a pipe that had couplings threaded on both ends. He said, “Your cable seals will need to thread into the 1/2 inch pipe threads of these couplings. Half of each coupling will stick through the interior and exterior walls of the hull when I am done welding them in.” I told him that would work perfectly, and left them to their work.

  Shortly after one o’clock in the afternoon, Becky came down into the cabin and found me installing the wiring for the bilge pump and remote control box. She said that both ladders were complete and they had installed the pipe in the hull for the sonar. I had watched Jim hang a tarp around where he drilled the holes and welded the pipe through the hull, so I knew that part of the job was complete. I had also heard him and Becky drilling the holes and mounting the ladder on the port side of the vessel, so I decided to go check out their handy work. When I got to the top of the stairs and stepped out onto the deck, I was surprised at what I saw. Not only had they built and installed the two ladders, but they had also added brackets to mount a toe kick board around the deck to keep things from rolling off into the ocean. They had used bronze screws to hold the ladder to the hull and sealed the threads with silicone to prevent air or water leaks.

  I looked at Jim and Becky and said, “Holly shit. You two work well together. I cannot believe you did all this in less than five hours.” I watched Becky pick up half of a peanut butter sandwich and take a bite out of it. She saw me watching her and said, “Peanut butter is an engineer’s spinach.” I laughed as Jim also picked up a sandwich. Becky pointed to the loaf of bread, peanut butter, and the jar of grape jelly. I walked over, fixed myself a sandwich, and retrieved a cold beer from the cooler.