Mermaid

We left on a Friday,(bad idea #1), because the owner/captain,(bad idea #2), wasn't superstitious,(bad idea #3), into the teeth of a gale,(bad idea #4). Within twenty four hours, we were off course, in the Nantucket Shoals, sailing in confused, steep seas with a blown out, badly furled main, and an uncontrollable headsail, the fairlead for the furler having been twisted outboard 180 degrees. We got knocked down twice, and turtled once. That last one dropped us on our heads, water came pouring in the companionway, (we left a slide out to keep an eye on our immensely seasick, hallucinating captain, who insisted on taking his turn at the wheel), water pouring in through the deadlight which had finally broken, over my head, as we just kept tilting, tilting, tilting. I had one thought: can I hold my breath long enough to swim to the surface? Followed quickly by a second thought: yeah, and then what?

Amazing boat, that Sabre 38, it found it's righting moment and popped back up. Lots of rushing around, two feet of sloshing water in the cabin, hundreds of pounds of water trapped in the main, the boat fighting to maintain, loss of all electronics, thank god for a gel cell battery, we still had engine ignition. Fear, fear, fear, next step, next step! Get engine running, dump water from main, drop headsail, start bailing!!!

Hallucinating captain insisting We Will Continue On To Bermuda, four days away, it took us until well into the evening to convince him that we HAD to turn in for repairs. Finally we changed our southerly heading to westerly, and made for land.

I was on deck with Amazing Owen, 1st mate, curled up in my foul weather gear in a corner of the cockpit, he was at the helm, our conversation having drifted off out of exhaustion, into introspection. Suddenly this slippery, pale woman, naked, dripping long black hair, hoisted herself over the side of the boat, and draped herself over the side of the cabin. She looked at me with a rueful, knowing smile, shaking her head and finger at me. I was gob smacked, speechless, as she slid off the boat and disappeared back into the dark water. Hold on! What? Excuse me!? Come back here!!! Explain yourself!

Nope, it appeared I was the one who needed to explain myself. Silly land creature girl, what was I doing out here trying to get myself drowned? Follow your instincts, my dear, run in the opposite direction, quickly, if your captain gives no credence to superstition, to the unknowable power of this great mother ocean, attempts not the slightest appeasement of dark waters beyond his ken. YOU know better. Indeed.