Two Tamas In Paradise; Episode 15, Arrival At Suva

This is the fifteenth episode of the novel Two Tamas in Paradise. It is the fourth novel in the Trace Troy South Pacific Adventure series. It will be posted in episodes. The plan is for two or three a week. There are fifty episodes. It has not been published yet. The reader is given a sneak preview. 

It suffices to say that because this is one novel in a series, there may be things not understood unless one knows what has taken place in previous novels from this series. Here is a link to the first novel in the series: The Big Gamble in Paradise, paperback or Kindle.

Arrival At Suva

Suva protrudes like a lush green thumb from Fiji Island, dotted with houses and buildings. The harbor is busy. The danger is the more than a dozen sunken vessels scattered in the harbor.

Trace’s time on the Bering etched in his mind to never take anything on the sea or harbors for granted. A boat is a dangerous place, whether sailing or moored.  

Suva was not home to Trace like Texas. But for now and the near future, it would have to do. ‘Finally,’ he thought, looking at the harbor, ’a long time coming.’

He grabbed the mic. “Makani, Suva starboard. Wake Sage.”

Fifteen minutes later, Sage dashed up the companionway with his hair combed and a fresh shave. 

“Look at you,” Trace said, “you look like you’re ready for a photo shoot. Expecting to meet someone?”  

“Nah,” Sage said, “when I go for a room at a hotel, I don’t want them to take a look at me and say there’s no vacancies.”

“I called ahead a half an hour ago,” Trace said. “Our usual spot is open. We’ll dock there. The dry docking is set up for two days from now.”

“When do you want the sails dropped?” Sage said.

“I’ll call Makani and do them now,” Trace said. 

“I’ll get ‘em myself,” Sage said.

As soon as the sails were dropped, Trace started the engine. He slowly made a starboard turn into the harbor. He pointed the bow toward the far end of the harbor.

After securing the sails, Sage came back into the pilothouse.

“Take the wheel,” Trace said and grabbed the binoculars from a hook next to the chart desk. “I’m going to scan ahead and make sure there’s nothing new in the way.”

Trace walked to the pulpit and put the binoculars to his eyes. He scanned The Tramp Islander’s path from the shore to the dock. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. However, as he sighted the area they were going to moor, he noticed something that surprised and startled him.

He rushed back to the pilothouse.

“We have trouble,” Trace said.

“What?” Sage said, “The police.”

“Worse,” Trace said.

“What could be worse?” Sage said.

“My dad is sitting on some wooden crates,” Sage said.

“Your dad!” Sage said. “That’s great.”

“Not really,” Trace said.

“Nah,” Sage said, “father and son together again. And in a place where he’s a legend, that’s great!”

“Before you get all sentimental,” Trace said, “Coyote is with him.”

“Coyote,” Sage said slowly, “my dad!”

“Yep,” Trace said.

“My dad alone or your dad alone would be great,” Sage said, “but together.” 

“Well, one thing is good,” Trace said.

“And that would be?” Sage said.

“They’re not in handcuffs,” Trace said.

Sage broke into laughter. “That means they escaped.”

They said nothing until Trace swung The Tramp Islander to pull next to the dock. 

“Look,” Trace said, “we’re going to be dry docked for a week. Let’s have a good week with our dads, keep them out of trouble, and at the end of the week send them on their way.”

“I think if we stay focused, we can pull it off,” Sage said. “Quiet days at the beach, Snorkeling for a day.”

“Fishing,” Trace said, “they’ll like fishing.”

“What else? What else?” Sage said. “We need more.”

“Tourist boat around the island,” Trace said.

“Yeah, yeah,” Sage said, “that’s good, a whole day.”

“We can rent a car and drive them around the island,” Trace said. “Bang, bang, bang, all those things right in a row. We won’t have to worry about the next couple of days, at their age, they’ll be worn out.”

“That’s the plan,” Sage said. “Great! You got rid of two no-account connivers, you can handle two old has-been ranchers.” 

They looked at each other. And said at the same time, “Who are we kidding?”

“It’s worth a try,” Sage said.

Two Tamas In Paradise; Episode 14, Moment By Moment

This is the fourteenth episode of the novel Two Tamas in Paradise. It is the fourth novel in the Trace Troy South Pacific Adventure series. It will be posted in episodes. The plan is for two or three a week. There are fifty episodes. It has not been published yet. The reader is given a sneak preview. 

It suffices to say that because this is one novel in a series, there may be things not understood unless one knows what has taken place in previous novels from this series. Here is a link to the first novel in the series: The Big Gamble in Paradise, paperback or Kindle.

Moment By Moment

In another day they would be sighting Suva.

Trace sat in the captain’s chair. He felt calm. He wore an expression of contentment. He loved the pilothouse and helm. It was not about control. It was the feeling of being a part of The Tamp Islander. He often opened all the windows to feel the wind and the purity of the sea—the same wind felt by The Tramp Islander and her sails. He thought, ‘You can’t talk about ranching to somebody who’s never ranched. I talk to the ship—and listen. The only way to do that is to be a part of it. My pulse beats with that of The Tramp Islander. She respects me. I respect her. We respect the sea and winds. I think that sometimes she knows I’m about to change a heading before I make it. It’s like she’s ready. And it seems like at times I wait for permission.’

When about two hundred miles from Suva, Trace maneuvered The Tramp Islander through a dozen or more atolls of the Lau Island Group. On a couple of occasions, the sails were dropped and he used the motor to navigate past the coral reefs. 

He recalled on one trip through these atolls, Chuck said, “A good seaman could sail through these without a motor.” Trace pointed to a sailboat on the reefs, “Now there’s a good sailor. Good sailors end up on coral reefs. Cautious sailors deliver their crew and cargo.”

‘That should have been sort of a clue,’ Trace thought. ‘In a subtle way, he was telling me something; I didn’t measure up. He was better and entitled. Should have seen it.’

‘Chuck was a follower,’ he surmised. ‘Chuck was put up to it by Sean. I should have seen that. Maybe I ignored it, thinking it might upset the morale of the crew. What kind of things will I look for in the next crew? What questions can I ask when interviewing that will help me make a good decision? Let’s face it, all the choir boys are in the choir.’ 

‘I will get together with Sage and Makani. I’ll have the final say, but I should allow them to have some say. They should sit in on any interview. If they can’t impress Sage and Makani, why hire them? On the other hand, maybe we won’t be able to find one candidate. Maybe we will have to scrape the bottom of the barrel. I don’t want deckhands who can’t take care of their personal appearance or keep their cabin clean. Maybe I should go to the local parish and ask for choir boys.’

Sage replaced Trace at 10:00 PM. 

“How do you feel?” Trace asked Sage.

“Good,” Sage said. “We’ll be in Suva tomorrow. That will be good.”

“Keep your eyes peeled tonight,” Trace said. “There’s a lot more boat traffic the closer we get to Suva.”

“When we get to Suva, I’m going to get a room and crash for a couple of days,” Sage said. “What about you?”

“I’ll get a room too,” Trace said, “but I got some business to take care of, the dry dock. And  Allie mentioned a few contracts that could pay well—some long haul cargo. She said we could take on passengers. I guess there are folks who don’t mind paying a lot of money to live like we do and not seeing land for a couple of weeks. They just want to live the experience.”

“And go back home and have something to talk about at cocktail parties,” Sage added.

“Allie said she’d put something together for me to look at,” Trace said. “She said we had what people are looking for; sort of a rustic experience on the high seas. Like living a century ago.”

“Except we have a generator, an eighty-horse engine, refrigerator, toilets, and a radio,” Sage said.

“You forgot the dartboard,” Trace added.

“We don’t need the money, do we?” Sage said.

“No,” Trace said, “but this is not about the money. It’s about… well, I don’t know what it’s about. But we can use this to prepare us for… well, I don’t know that either. We could give this boat away and go home.”

“Remember Mr. Gilbert, our algebra teacher?” Sage said.

“The moment in which you live prepares you for the next moment,” Trace said. “We are in a constant state of preparation.”

“I can’t tell you how many times that has rolled around in my mind,” Sage said.

“With that said, this moment is preparing me for many moments of sleep,” Trace said. “Good night, my friend.”

And Trace climbed down the companionway and to his cabin.

Trace relieved Sage at 6:00 AM. Makani brought them breakfast.

Sage grabbed the tray when they were finished. He said he would take it the the galley and get a couple of hours' sleep. He wanted to be awake when they docked at Suva.

“Wake me when you see Suva,” Sage said and headed below. 

Two Tamas In Paradis; Episode 13, Change

This is the thirteenth episode of the novel Two Tamas in Paradise. It is the fourth novel in the Trace Troy South Pacific Adventure series. It will be posted in episodes. The plan is for two or three a week. There are fifty episodes. It has not been published yet. The reader is given a sneak preview. 

It suffices to say that because this is one novel in a series, there may be things not understood unless one knows what has taken place in previous novels from this series. Here is a link to the first novel in the series: The Big Gamble in Paradise, paperback or Kindle.

Sailing was perfect for the next few days. It was so perfect, there was difficulty in tracking the days. 

Trace sat at the chart desk. He took the readings he had just made and listened for the exact time from the radio. He calculated his figures and made a small notation on the chart. He returned to the wheel and tacked 285 degrees.

Sage sat on the aft bench. Noticing the change in heading, he walked into the pilot house.

Trace turned to Sage. “We are making really good time. Four hundred more miles.”

“To…?” Sage said

“Suva,” Sage said.

“We’re not going to take a break at that island you mentioned a few days ago?” Sage asked.

“Vava’u,” Trace said. 

“Yeah,” Sage said, “whatever.”

Trace smiled as if holding a secret. “We passed Vava’u about twenty hours ago. It’s about one hundred and twenty miles that way.” Trace heaved his thumb to the aft port side.

“Does Makani know?” Sage said.

“You guys were sleeping,” Trace said.

“Were you ever going to tell us?” Sage said.

“Nobody said anything,” Trace said and asked, “Disappointed?”

“No,” Sage said, “Makani and I were talking and we said it would be fine to skip a stopover and get back to Suva.”

“Great minds think alike,” Trace said.

“I hope we can find two more great minds,” Sage said.

“Can you think of any of our old buddies who ain’t married, in jail, or running from the law?” Trace said.

“Wouldn’t it be fun to have an all-Texas crew, except for Makani?” Sage said.

“No,” Trace said abruptly.

“Yeah,” Sage said, “bad idea. At least the guys we know. We’d be moutin’ longhorn horns on the bow.”

“Hey,” Trace said, “the thought has crossed my mind.”

Sage said, glancing sidewise at Trace, “Let’s do it.”

“It’s the only right thing to do,” Sage said. “I’ll send for some when we get to Suva.”

“What about a Lone Star flag?” Sage said.

“It would only seem appropriate,” Trace said.

“The ideas just keep flowing,” Sage smirked.

They laughed.

“Have you weighed the gold yet? Sage asked.

“Yeah,” Trace said, “yesterday. There’s one hundred and almost twenty-one pounds.”

“Forty each,?” Trace asked.

“Yeah,” Sage said. “I made an inquiry over the short wave on the price of gold in the US. It’s three thirty-three an ounce. Don’t think too hard on this. I already figured about two hundred and thirteen thousand each.”

“That’s enough to lose Makani over,” Sage said.

“Yeah,” Trace said, “I’d hate to lose him.”

“We probably can’t afford the keep him,” Sage said and joked. “We could always cheat him.”

“I hear that,” Makani’s voice came from the companionway. He climbed up wearing a wide grin.

“Too bad,” Sage said, “we'll go now, to plan B.”

“What plan B? Makani said. 

“How far can you swim?” Sage quipped.

“No worry,” Makani said, “Me and Sage already have plan for you.”

They laughed. 

“We have good time together,” Makani said. "It good. Like when boy with cousins. Much good time.”

“The same with Sage and me,” Trace said. “When we were growing up, much good times.”

“You know what, Makani,” Sage said, “back home you would fit right in with Trace and me.”

“I worry, like you worry,” Makani said. “We might get two not good deckhands. Sean and Chuck good but turn bad. I sorry for them.”

“Me too,” Trace said. “So did you hear how much your share will be?”

“No,” Makani said.

“You will get forty pounds of gold,” Trace said. “As close as we can figure, that will be two hundred and thirteen thousand in American dollars.”

“Does that make me a rich man?” Makani asked.

“Yeah,” Trace said, “you are a rich man.”

“But I feel same,” Makani said. “Same yesterday, same last month.”

“It means you have always been rich,” Trace said. 

Two Tamas In Paradise; Episode 12, Harmony On Rough Seas

This is the twelfth episode of the novel Two Tamas in Paradise. It is the fourth novel in the Trace Troy South Pacific Adventure series. It will be posted in episodes. The plan is for two or three a week. There are fifty episodes. It has not been published yet. The reader is given a sneak preview. 

It suffices to say that because this is one novel in a series, there may be things not understood unless one knows what has taken place in previous novels from this series. Here is a link to the first novel in the series: The Big Gamble in Paradise, paperback or Kindle.

Harmony On Rough Seas

Sage was at the helm when the seas turned rough. It woke Trace, who was asleep in his cabin. He staggered while dressing. 

He climbed up to the pilothouse. “How ya doin, Sage?”

“Just rough enough to keep me awake,” Sage said, “but we’re holdin’ steady.”

“Just to be safe, I’m going to reef the sails,” Trace said. “I’ll do it myself. I’d rather do it now than when the wind is at 20 knots. Makani can sleep.”

“Careful out there,” Sage said. 

Trace grabbed his slicker from a hook. He put it on and went out onto the foredeck. He struggled a little to keep his balance but had the aft and fore sail reefed in half an hour.

He returned to the pilothouse and checked the barometer. He tapped it. “Falling a bit, not much,” Trace said.

“Have you heard anything over the radio?” Trace asked.

“High seas expected,” Sage said. “Other than that, nothing.”

“We knew it had to come sometime,” Trace said. “Up ’til now, it’s been pretty good.”

Makani climbed up the companionway fully dressed and rubbing his eyes. He yawned, “What weather coming out way?”

“High seas and wind,” Trace said.

“How high, what speed?” Makani said.

“We haven’t heard,” Sage said.

“I fix coffee and cinnamon roll,” Makani said. “Need something in stomach to throw up.”

“Thanks for thinking about us,” Sage quipped.

Makani staggered down the companionway.

Trace adjusted the dial on the radio until he heard a weather report. “Twenty knot winds and six to seven foot seas,” the reporter said.

“On the Bering that’s a mild day,” Trace said.

“What’s the biggest seas you’ve been on?” Sage asked.

“Fifty,” Trace said. “And I ain’t afraid to say it, but I was scarred shitless. You literally stare dead with each wave. But our captain had experience with the Coast Guard. It was a pony ride for him. The guy had ice water in his veins. Then there was the season on the crab boat. You haul gear in forty-foot seas. That’s one reason I’m here and not there. I swear to god those guys have a death wish.”

Hmm,” Sage said, “they say a lot of men go to sea to get away from their wives. A cowboy just gets on his horse and rides away for a week and says he’s looking for strays.”

Makani brought coffee and cinnamon rolls. All three bore the rough seas from the pilothouse. They shared stories and spun tales. After twelve hours, the seas calmed. Makani followed Trace to the foredeck. They hoisted the sails.

Makani took the wheel. Trace and Sage went to their cabins. 

Before sleep came, Trace smiled contentedly. ‘Those were precious hours,’ he thought. ‘I almost hate to break the camaraderie by hiring two strangers. Right now, the chemistry is near perfect.’

He slept.