Two Tamas in Paradise; Episode 44, The Good Course

This is episode forty-four of the novel Two Tamas in Paradise. There are fifty episodes. This is the fourth novel in the Trace Troy South Pacific Adventure series.  

It may now be purchased on Amazon. It is available in paperback or Kindle digital format. 

The Good Course

Stormy weather greeted the day. Trace decided to wait for it to pass before beginning the return voyage. The small opening in the coral reef posed a threat. Shortly after noon, the bad weather passed. The seas and skies seemed as one; clear, calm, and blue.

The Tramp Islander seemed as if she agreed with all that occurred; the experience, the change in people, and the decisions made. 

Trace sat at the wheel. His face could not hide the contentment he felt. Adam sat on the aft bench. The sea breezes washed worry from his face. Makani worked in the galley. Sage and Coyote played hearts at the mess table. The passengers retired for an afternoon nap; emotions and disappointment left them exhausted.

Adam walked into the pilothouse. “It is strange how things come back to you.”

“Such as?” Trace said, turning to face Adam.

“Just the feel of the sea beneath you,” Adam said. “It is a strange memory; how something feels. You know, sights, sounds, and smells bring back memories, but feelings, not the feel of something, but how you feel. Sometimes you walk into a strange room and you think, Have I been here before? It feels familiar. It’s just a feeling I can’t quite grasp.”

“Feelings are sometimes the hardest things to define,” Trace said. “It’s like you can’t find the words, so you keep talking.”

“Yeah,” Adam said, “you either find out what’s going on or just run out of words.”

“Sometimes I sit here,” Trace said. “Suddenly, something flashes over me. For a moment, I’m on the Bering, on the bridge of my ship up there. A couple of days later, another feeling, a good feeling, comes over me. I’m leaning against a fence watching the sun set, and I hear a steer call out. That’s a good sound. Do you think that means I’m ready to come home?”

“When you’re ready to come home, you won’t wonder,” Adam said, “you’ll just start packing your bags.”

“What about you?” Trace said. “Are your bags packed?”

“No,” Adam said. “I needed to get away. I don’t know why. I just did. I wanted to come back here. For some reason, I think I left something here. Sometimes you leave home, and you have that feeling you left something behind. You pat down your pockets, scratch your head, and go back into the house, and look for what you think you forgot. You don’t know what. You just know you forgot something. Then you see it; it’s your pocket knife, it’s your list, it’s something. You know something ain’t right. Sometimes it’s nothing more than making sure nothing is left behind.”

“Did you leave something behind here?” Trace said.

“I’ve thought about that,” Adam said. “I wonder if I only want to be reminded that at one time I was young and full of adventure. I wanted the challenge of uncertainty in my life. The sea is full of uncertainty and challenges. Did I want that again? I don’t know. But I do think I wanted to live some things over.”

“How are you doing so far?” Trace asked.

“Good,” Adam smiled. “This trip reminds me of the old days. It seemed like The Tiki, Tramp Islander, attracted certain types of passengers and cargo. People who wanted to go somewhere without a lot of notice. They always brought more than their baggage. Kind of like the folks we have onboard now. Different people, odd, adventuresome, secretive, and desperate. Yeah, you kind of look at this boat, it might seem to some the last resort, or who would look for me here?”

“I’ve thought the same things,” Trace said.

“Of course you have,” Adam said, “you are my son.”

“What about us, Dad?” Trace said. “Are we that sort?”

“Nah,” Adam said, “we are the privileged few who have been chosen to take those folks on their journey.”

“In a way, we should be grateful to them,” Trace said.

Adam grinned. “Not all the time. But I’d like to think I’ve helped a few folks. Take the folks we have on board now; maybe their lives will be better from this point on. There’s a great deal of satisfaction in thinking you had a small part. The rest is really up to them.”

“You make it seem as if hauling cargo is a side job,” Trace said.

“Maybe everything is a side job,” Adam said. “Whatever we do isn’t it to make life better for others? There’s only a few who know that. That makes our own life a lot more meaningful.”

“When you came here the first time, were you looking to find meaning for your life?” Trace said.

“Yes,” Adam said.” I didn’t know it then. Back on the ranch, I began to see that. So why did you come here, Son?”

“At first, I thought I’d find something mysterious and untouchable that you found,” Trace said. “I wanted to see the things you saw, and hoped that it would impact my life.”

“Has it?” Adam asked.

“The beauty of this place is enchanting,” Trace said. “But it’s just that. For me, it’s standing on my own, facing adversity, not overcoming the sea, but understanding it, and working with it. Life is much like that. Storms, rogue waves, strange people, confusing events come along—you navigate through them.”

“Speaking of which,” Adam said, “how are we doing?”

Trace looked at the instruments and smiled at Adam. “Right on course.”

Two Tamas in Paradis: Episode 43, A Place for No One

This is episode forty-three of the novel Two Tamas in Paradise. There are fifty episodes. This is the fourth novel in the Trace Troy South Pacific Adventure series.  

It may now be purchased on Amazon. It is available in paperback or Kindle digital format. 

A Place for No One

Makani prepared supper. Nearly everyone was there for the start. Sage and Coyote came in a couple of minutes into the meal. They sat down. They looked exhausted.

“We went all over that island,” Coyote said. “We found a pump—fresh water.”

Everyone remained quiet. 

“This is like a funeral home,” Coyote said. “Nobody has died. So ya might have got skinned. At least you have your skin.”

There was only the sound of the eating utensils clinking against the metal trays. 

“What is wrong with you people?” Sage exclaimed. “You guys could be sitting in a jail cell right now, eating a bowl of rice and a fish head.”

“You’re right,” Wilma said. “We’re not being grateful. In fact, we’re rude and depressing. How was the water?”

“I’ve had worse,” Sage said.

“Where?” Maxwell said.

Coyote laughed. “On this boat!”

Everyone broke into laughter. 

“Have you folks decided anything?” Adam said.

“Getting tired of us?” Maxwell asked jokingly.

“No,” Adam said, “it isn’t my call. I don’t think we’ll leave you here or just drop you off in the middle of nowhere.”

“It sounds like you have something on your mind,” Maxwell said.

“Years ago,” Adam said, “back when I was captain of this ship, I had to take some freight and a couple of passengers to this island. I stayed for a couple of weeks. I waited for some cargo to take back. It was a good place. In my mind, it had possibilities. I always thought, if I weren’t a rancher, that would be to place to go. I’m not saying this lightly. In fact, that place has been on my mind for a long time. I even wondered about the folks I took there. I wonder if they’re still there. They wanted to develop a little trading business. I remember thinking there were possibilities of other things; a small resort, restaurant, boat charter, who knows, maybe a trading business. You folks aren’t lazy, and you’re enterprising enough. You could figure out something.”

“Where is this island?”Calving asked.

“As near as I can figure, halfway back to Suva is an island called Tuputi,” Adam said.

Maxwell said to Trace, “Can you chart a course to Tuputi?”

“It won’t cost a dime more. We’re going that way,” Trace said.

“Of course,” Calvin said, “we will pay for our passage.”

“I assume everyone has agreed,” Trace said, and looked at each of the passengers.

“Why not?” Calvin said.

“It’s okay with me,” Wilma said.

“I’m with Maxwell,” Darlene said.

“And I’m with Darlene,” Maxwell said.

“With that settled,” Trace said, “we’ll leave tomorrow.”

“How long will it take to get there?” Darlene asked.

“I won’t know until I chart it,” Trace said, “but if Adam said it’s about halfway, figure on about ten days.”

“It seems like we’ve spent a lifetime on this boat?” Darlene said.

Maxwell consoled Darlene, patting her hand. 

“Oh no,” Darlene said to Maxwell, “it’s been good. Some adventure, some disappointment, but good.”

“Do you think it would be asking too much,” Wilma asked, “if we leave a little later, Darlene and I have never been on the island. We’d like to at least see what we’re going to be missing.”

“Tell ya what,” Coyote said, “let’s all go ashore tomorrow and have a beach party. That’s a pretty nice beach, and it would be darn right pity not to enjoy it.”

“Makani,” Trace said, “what do you think?”

“Makani fix something,” Makani said.

“Makani ain’t gonna do it alone,” Darlene said. “Wilma and I are gonna help.”

“And look here, Makani,” Wilma said, “we’ve held off long enough not being allowed in your kitchen. Give us a chance and we’ll show you a thing or two.”

“Remember,” Darlene said to Wilma, “they call it a galley.”

“Galley,” Wilma said, “sorry.”

Trace looked at Makani and said. “You heard the ladies.”

The next day, the crew and passengers motored to shore and had a beach picnic. Maxwell, Darlene, Calvin, and Wilma walked around the island. The crew stayed on the beach, relaxed.

“There’s a reason no one is on this island,” Sage said.

“Why,” Adam said.

“It’s too far from anything,” Sage said. “Take those folks, yonder, on Pitcairn. Folks wouldn’t be there if not for a mutiny. Given time, nobody will live there someday.”

“I find it hard to disagree,” Trace said. “Nobody will come here. Its only future was to be a part of a scam.”

Two Tamas in Paradise; Episode 42, Desert Island

This is episode forty of the novel Two Tamas in Paradise. There are fifty episodes. This is the fourth novel in the Trace Troy South Pacific Adventure series.  

It may now be purchased on Amazon. It is available in paperback or Kindle digital format. 

Desert Island

Trace sailed The Tramp Islander around the north side of Oeno Island. He stayed about a mile and a half from the beach. According to the charts, there was an opening in the barrier reef surrounding the island on the north side. Trace spotted the opening, and ordered the sails to be dropped. He turned starboard, using the power of the engine. He cautiously eased through the opening in the reefs. 

The charts were the newest he could find, but he was still skeptical. He watched the sonar closely. Sage perched on the pulpit and kept a lookout for rocks and jagged coral.

The tiny island bulged on the eastern shore. That is where the structures were built. Trace maneuvered the boat about two hundred yards from the beach. The anchor splashed into the water.

Trace walked to the foredeck where Darlene and Wilma stood at the rail. Their hair blew freely. They gazed with excitement.

“Well, ladies,” Trace said, “what do you think?”

“The water is so clear and blue,” Darlene said. 

“It’s a paradise,” Wilma said. “It’s something you only dream about.”

“I can’t wait to see our place,” Darlene said. “Pinch me. I’m in a dream.”

They giggled uncontrollably.

“We must sound like silly school girls,” Darlene said.

“Yeah,” Trace said, “you do. And there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s been a long trip. You can act and sound anyway you like. There’s no one around who thinks that’s wrong.”

“No offense, Captain,” Wilma said, “but when everything gets hooked up, I’m taking a long, long shower.”

“I don’t blame you,” Trace said.

“Look at all the birds,” Darlene said.

Maxwell and Calvin stood further forward. Their faces were puzzled. They pointed and dropped their hands. They turned and looked confused at Trace.

Trace walked toward them. “Is there a problem?”

“Are you sure this is the Oeno?” Maxwell said.

“I’m absolutely sure,” Trace said. “The closest island is Pitcairn. It’s a hundred miles away.”

Trace looked over their heads and tried to see what bothered them. 

“What’s the problem?” Trace said.

“We don’t see any structures,” Maxwell said. “They are supposed to be visible from here. There is nothing.”

“Maybe they couldn’t build them there,” Trace said, “or mistaken. It’s not a big island. Let’s take the launch ashore and find the cabins.”

They agreed.

Sage, Coyote, Makani, Darlene, and Wilma stayed on The Tramp Islander. Trace, Adam, Maxwell, and Calvin motored the launch ashore. They tied the launch to a small tree and stepped into the shrubs.

“Maxwell,” Trace said, “why not you and Calvin work that way, and circle the island?” Trace pointed, “and Dad and I will go the other way. We’ll meet on the other side.”

“I don’t think there’s anything here,” Maxwell said. 

“Let’s give it a shot,” Adam said. “And keep your eyes open for anything that might indicate some sort of construction. If you see a path, it might take you somewhere.”

They headed in opposite directions. At times, the bush was heavy and had to be walked around. Trace and Troy looked high and low. They didn’t see anything that might indicate any sort of construction. 

“What you you think, Dad?” Trace said.

“The bamboozler has been bamboozled,” Troy said. “There are no buildings. It’s a bird dung sanctuary.”

They met on the other side of the island. Disappointment etched deeply on the faces of Maxwell and Calvin.

“Nothing,” Calvin said. “I’ve been skinned.” 

“Let’s walk a little inland and see if there’s anything,” Trace said. “Then we’ll go back to the boat and talk it out. You guys are deep in this. You’re overwhelmed. I bet with the help of the crew, something can be figured out. I’m sure we can.”

“My dad always said if one plan fails, the next one should be twice as big,” Maxwell said. “And if that one fails, keep doubling up. If the first scheme works, you’ll probably die a poor man. Eventually, that big one comes in.”

“And how much did your dad have when he died?” Trace asked.

“The next one was going to be the big one,” Maxwell said. “Con men are full of optimism.”

“Well, my friend,” Adam said, grasping Maxwell’s shoulder, “you ain’t cut out to be a con man. You’re optimism left you about an hour ago. No matter how bad it gets, con men are always optimistic. And you’ve been kicked in the teeth with harsh reality. Let’s complete our search and get back to the ship. We can lick our wounds for a while, and figure out how ole Maxwell and Calvin are gonna get on their feet.”

They searched inland, and it yielded nothing. 

They motored the launch back to The Tramp Islander. Maxwell and Calvin broke the bad news to Darlene and Wilma. They were expecting tears. They consoled their husbands in their hour of disappointment and humiliation. 

The crew allowed for the privacy of the passengers on the foredeck. The sound of gusty winds kept voices from being heard above mumbling. No outrage or anger erupted. 

Sage and Coyote motored to shore and explored more of the interior of the island.

“There’s a lot of disappointment up there,” Trace said, tossing his head forward.

“Yeah,” Adam said, “but I suspect more relief. Their plans were wildly ambitious. They were altered, and became nothing more than a fart from a cow’s ass.”

“Have you been thinking what they can do?” Trace said.

“It’s not my place,” Adam said. “What about you?”

“He’s a lawyer,” Trace said. “All he has to do is hang out a shingle. Calvin is an accountant. He can hang a shingle next to Maxwell’s.”

Adam turned his head and looked at the island. “The beautiful place looks very sad to me right now. Not that long ago, it was full of promise and possibilities.”

“Obviously, we take them back,” Trace said.

“At one time, I’d been all for just leaving them here,” Adam said. 

“Yep,” Trace said, “me too. Nah, not really.”

“Well,” Adam said, “we got another three weeks with ‘em.”

“They may want to get off at one of the islands and fly out,” Trace said. “Speaking of which, when are you thinking about going home?”

“Actually, I haven’t,” Adam said. “I guess it’s time I think about it. Are you getting tired of me?”

“Not at all,” Trace said. “I’ve enjoyed this whole voyage. In fact, I’d like to find a newspaper from the Cook Islands, and see how they covered the jail break. I’d like to start a scrapbook.”

“You sound criminal,” Adam said.  

“Technically, we are,” Trace said. 

“Are you worried about being arrested when we return to Suva?” Adam said. 

“I’m owed a few favors,” Trace said. 

“Favors are like lending money,” Adam said, “don’t expect to be paid back.”

“I’ve seen you do a lot of favors,” Trace said.

“That’s in Texas,” Adam said.

Two Tamas in Paradise; Episode 41, All Agree

This is episode forty-one of the novel Two Tamas in Paradise. There are fifty episodes. This is the fourth novel in the Trace Troy South Pacific Adventure series.  

It may now be purchased on Amazon. It is available in paperback or Kindle digital format. 

All Agree

Sage replaced Trace at the wheel. And Trace went to his cabin for a couple of hours of sleep. Shortly past noon, he returned to the pilothouse. 

Trace peered over Sage’s shoulder and got a reading. He looked at the chart on the desk. 

“I bet I could stand on my tip toes on deck and see Oeno,” Trace said. 

“You want to sail her in?” Sage said.

“Yeah,” Trace said. “We’ll have to sail around to the east side of the island. That’s where the cabins are located.”

“How long are we going to be there?” Sage asked.

“It’s going to take a good day to shuttle their cargo ashore,” Trace said. “Before we leave, we should make sure they are comfortable with us leaving. Who knows, they may look at the island and say, this ain’t for us. I wouldn’t blame them in the least.”

“Then what?” Sage asked.

“We’ll cross that bridge if it ever comes up,” Trace said.

Trace then told Sage about Maxwell’s change of heart. Sage accepted it with great pleasure. Adam and Coyote also came to the pilothouse and heard of Maxwell’s conversion. 

While that was taking place, Maxwell, Calvin, and their wives were on deck. Maxwell explained his new position. Trace saw some questions raised and wrinkled brows, but most pleasing were the smiles.

“Take the wheel for a little bit,” Trace said to Sage. “I’m curious beyond containment. I’m going to step out on the deck and find out what’s going on.”

“Report back, immediately,” Sage joked.

Trace slowly approached the passengers as if waiting for an invitation. “May I intrude?” He said.

“Sure,” Maxwell said, waving Trace near.

“What are your plans?” Trace asked. 

“We are going to the island,” Maxwell said and looked at everyone to make certain there were no objections. “As far as we have discussed, we are going to stay on the island—for a month or two. We will try to figure out a possible business plan. It is a plan we hope will satisfy our investors. I will tell them the other plan, the scheme, will not work out. It was a long shot anyway. Well, honestly, a pipe dream and a scam.”

“I think you’ve all made the right decision,” Trace said. “I’ll help anyway I can, and to be honest, I don’t know anyway that I can.”

“You’ve more than helped,” Calvin said. “You and your crew really stuck your necks out for us.”

Trace smiled. “It’s all a part of the service. Now, if you don’t mind, I have to get this ship around to the other side of the island.”