Week 4 A New Tide Writers Block - The Sailing Trip
834 Words
She was at the docks at dawn. Still wearing her denim short shorts and that crop top. She didn't have another outfit, it wasn't like she lived here. Nor could she always sneak off, but this was intruiguing.
"You're early. I didn't think you'd get here for a couple more hours." He'd come early to make sure the yacht was stocked, even though he'd sent Kane to make sure there were consumables aboard last night, and fuel.
Her amused smile was clear. "You didn't specify a time, and I thought perhaps you might want to catch the outgoing tide. Low tide in about four hours, so it's a good time if youy want to cruise for a while."
He was surprised, and it was clear. "You're the first woman I've met who knew when the tide was coming in or going out without consulting a cell phone and a measure stick. Why is that?"
She didn't answer his question, rather, she asked her own. "Do you fish, or do you just like to dive and take pictures?" As she asked, she did follow him along the dock to the gangplank of a fairly impressive yacht.
"Mostly? I just take pictures and swim when I am sure there's no sharks. They're ecologically important, but most definitely not my favorite sea life." He gave her an 'after you' motion, indicating that she should board the vessel, the name on the bow proclaiming it to be the 'Sea Siren' in dark green lettering.
Kane called "I'll set the mooring lines loose so we can catch the tide, hope you don't mind some chop, looks like there might have been some bigger waves last night, and it's not going to be completely smooth sailing." He still had a little bit of a Mediterranean accent to his speech, and Ela looked up at him and asked him something in Greek. Dane's startled look was clear, even as Kane shook his head, replying "I still understand it, but I don't remember enough of my Greek to answer you in it."
"You speak fluent Greek too?"
Ela looked back to Dane, and said "Doesn't everyone speak several languages? Isn't that why they exist, to make it easier to communicate if one language doesn't have the right words for something?"
Dane made a 'point' motion, and said dryly "Yes, although not as many people speak multiple languages in America. It's far more common in Europe and Asia."
Ela shook her head, and teased "Who said I wasn't from Europe?"
Rather bemused, Dane headed to the flying bridge and guided the yacht out of the marina docks, guiding it with care and precision, and well below the maximum speed set by the harbormaster. He wanted to take his time and enjoy the oppoprtunity to see the reefs and the ocean again, and this close to dawn, the chances of seeing manatees, or what history said were 'mermaids', was higher. He knew the big, gentle sea mammals were endangered, and he didn't want to hit or hurt one.
After they'd been on the move for a couple hours, he slowly pulled them to a stop and dropped the anchor. Ela had been leaning on the front railing most of the time, gazing down into the waters. The yacht was big enough that he kept it to the deeper waters, but they were still crystal blue and beautiful. The reefs were close enough to see, and te brilliantly colored corals and fish were stunning in the morning sunlight. He joined Ela at the railing, and said quietly "It's so beautiful. There's so much we still don't know about the ocean, and the life that teems within it. And every day, there are fools who assume because it's the ocean, that it will be there forever, and they can just be stupid about it and destroy things, and it will always have more. Yes, there are renewable resources in the ocean, but that doesn't mean we should be careless."
Ela looked at him thoughtfully, and said "Very true. People should be careful what they do to the oceans. Everty day, trash and chemicals and poisons are dumped in it like it's a trash can. How would you feel if someone dumped trash and toxic waste in your yard on a daily basis?"
Kane said "Madder than hell. Which is why he keeps harping on everyone in his businesses being as responsible as possible. No dumping trash and such, and there's a rule that if you see floating garbage, you're supposed to try and fish it out of the water."
Ela looked at Dane, studying his face, and he ducked his head, this strange beauty beside him making him blush because his best friend ratted him out. He said, in an effort to change the subject "There's a shipwreck nearby that's turned into a reef, it's spectacular to dive in, if you'd like to try snorkeling or actual SCUBA diving?"
Ela giggled, and said "What, no freediving?"
- Writer
