by Foster, Ron
“I got you. So What’s the plan, you want me to try to make one boat wreck all the boats or we just disable one and see if the other ones have to tow it or escape on out of here or what?” Crick asked.
“That’s all going to depend on how good of a shooter you are. I just want them the hell out of here and if we can speed them along some, so be it. Let’s light a fire under their ass and get them moving down that pass and I’ll tell everybody about Miss Bell’s not to molest them none if they keep on going out to sea.” Saul said decidedly.
“So what you want me to do is just customize that sailboat a little bit with a wild shot but hopefully an accurate one and they will get the message and move on before they even get down here, is that it?” Crick asked pretty much agreeing with the plan.
“Yeah, what you do is shoot at something that might give them a little trouble or if you are really accurate, that’s a hell of a warning for them to keep on keeping on. Hopefully they won’t freak and come about and head back up river, so try to catch them just as they are coming into open water and away from that sandbar. Otis and I will go back and tell everybody down at the landing to hold their fire unless the idiots decide to come sailing in, which I doubt they will have a mind to. Now hopefully, that should get them out of our area and out into the bay in an hour or so and we can be done with them for awhile. We will post lookouts and such for a day or two but I think once they hit open water and after the scare you put into them plus whatever Murdoch managed to do when he shot at them, will be enough to keep them far away from here for awhile. Then we can go back to oystering and tonging!” Saul said puffing his chest out at his master plan.
“Wait a minute now, I don’t know these woods and roads like ya’ll do, how about you go back to Miss Bell’s place and warn everybody and let Otis here show us the way down there so we don’t get lost or waste any more time?” Crick said to which Saul agreed and everybody took off in two directions.
For an aging man, Otis set a pretty good pace of course, Crick and crew were loaded down with ammunition, arms, canteens of water, and general web gear issues but they found it sometimes difficult to keep up as he took various well worn shortcuts and trails that they would have been lost to follow heading toward their ambush point.
Once or twice along the way, a quick scan from the shoreline had them and the sailboats in a neck and neck race to get to the same point at roughly the same time but the land route gave Hobe and crew the advantage.
“OK, Crick! It’s all on you! You settled in, you need us to do anything?” Hobe asked.
“Morgan, you get up here and be spotter for me in case it takes more than one shot. A good sniper always needs his spotter around and the rest of ya’ll make yourselves scarce in back of some big oaks or something in case he decides to fire back and they got their own snipers on them boats. “Crick said as he pulled out his K-bar knife and hacked a few branches off to help conceal his and Morgan’s positions.
“Ready on the right?” Crick said.
“Ready on the left” Morgan said.
“I will glass them with my scope; you tell me if you see any targets of opportunity with those binoculars. Remember Saul said for us to try to limit it to one shot so we don’t scare them so bad and make them turn around to go back the other way. But the trick is we got to hit something and it might take me a round or two: that’s a pretty god distance and the sun, the wind, and the waves are all playing into how I got to line up this shot.” Crick said trying to estimate in his mind and his line of sight, just how screwed up it was to be shooting at a sailboat bobbing up and down like a duck in a shooting gallery.
One two three four. OK maybe I got this if the waves stay constant. One two three four. OK the boat seems to rise up and down in the water every four seconds or so and when it crests a wave it’s doing like a meter and a half to two meters. Which way is that wind blowing? Where is the water blackest at to give me an indication of the approach of the boat and that boat is going to lean from the wind too. There is too much going on here, maybe I underestimated how hard this is actually going to be. I got the boat going up and down, leaning over; I got the sun in my eyes, non-consistent wind and a damn mosquito buzzing in my ear distracting me! Aw hell! Let’s go for it! Squueeeeeze the trigger after taking a breath and letting it out slowly……
“Paoooow!” Crick said a little bit loudly as he watched through the rifle scope a second or two later and saw his bullet impact.
“You hit it! Just adjust right and count to ten, I’m guessing.” Morgan said seeing the bullet smack into the boat’s cabin not far from the big ship’s wheel whose steersman immediately crouched down for cover and the full boat went on alert.
Crick counted to ten as instructed and simultaneously with a tap on the shoulder from Morgan loosed another round and got a big satisfied grin on his face when it actually took off one of the spokes on the ships wheel! That wasn’t where he was aiming, he had hoped to hit the massive oak pedestal it was mounted on but a hit was better than a miss and as far as he was concerned, he had bragging rights forever saying he had meant to do that!
“Hot damn! Look at that steersman trying not to poop his pants and steering the boat at the same time on his knees! Why you literally scared the shit out of him Crick! That’ll get him going, Otis!” Morgan began before a fusillade of bullets started breaking off twigs and leaves and thunking meatly into oaks all around them.
“Holy hell! They got somebody that can shoot almost as good as you on them boats Crick!”Otis called back.
“Tell me about it!” Crick said hugging the dirt next to Morgan who was trying to make himself smaller in the dust.
The three sailing boats shot out of the bend of the river into the more open stretch heading past Miss Bell’s and appeared to gain speed. The damaged boat that Crick had shot did not appear to be floundering a bit from any damage as it seemed like full sails and run like hell was the order of the day for the occupants. Evidently, Saul had made it back on time to Miss Bell’s and everybody was complying as no more shots were to be heard. Morgan and Crick figured that the ships must have caught a tail wind as they rounded the point and headed for the open water of the bay.
“Now that was fun as hell, even if they did make us duck and dodge a bit!” Otis said standing up with a bit of twigs and leaves in his afro.
Every one stood around listening intently for a few moments longer, still full of excitement from the moment and sporting small grins that the situation was handled so easily and wisely. No further shots were heard and Hobe gave everybody a high five as they headed back towards Jeb’s house.
A small celebration of sorts was held that evening. Nothing crazy, everyone stayed on their guard but spirits were high that the would be pirate marauders wouldn’t be back for awhile.
After conversing with Saul for awhile Hobe and crew decided they were done exploring this side of the bay and would head back towards their objective in the morning. Saul advised them to hug the coastline going home and they would be heading in the same direction Murdoch most likely went.
6
Planning And Preparedness
“So what’s the game plan Hobe?” Crick asked as they finally neared Grand Lagoon.
“Well we are short of any kind of real maps as you know but I think I got enough landmarks to find our way around. We are going to follow the state parks beach around the jetty and up the waterway. I will pull in to the docks at ST. Andrews Park if it looks clear; you all keep an eye out for campers or park rangers. Maybe we can holler over to them on the beach and gain a little info.” Hobe said while advising Randal to trim the sail a bit.
“I wonder if those park police are thinking they are serving in an official government or unofficial public capacity. We have had run ins with what for lack of a better word I would call gangs of former cops who haven’t got over the fact they no longer represent any kind of authority and may even be targeted if they even considering wearing any kind of uniform.” Morgan declared
.
“I have seen some small towns keep their sheriff on by community vote but I know what you mean. Lots of cops got as lawless as the rest of humanity when it got down to basic survival. “Hobe responded.
“I say that we avoid them until we find out more about them. I can’t see us jeopardizing our supplies and risking a run in with them just to find out what their up to.” Crick complained.
“Well they kind of put a kink in my plans by being here, I wasn’t expecting that stumbling block but we aren’t doing anymore than saying hello if we don’t get waved or warned off by them, besides if they are in the area we got to know just what is going on anyway.” Hobe said considering.
“There sure have been a lot more boats sailing in the bay then I would have ever imagined. I would like to hear some of the other survivor’s stories and get an idea about just how many people remain around here. It seems that the sea has managed to provide her bounty and providence to many to see them through this disaster.” Crick responded.
“Keep in mind that those boats mostly kept their distance and avoided us. They were doing the same thing we were, guns ready, binoculars looking, a quick wave and no words spoken as we continued on our ways. Another big question begs an answer if you think about it, where are all those boats berthed at night? We need to know what’s considered open dock space and what’s considered off-limits. Lots of berths around here are looking awful pitiful or non-existent from that hurricane in the past and of course the neglect of time.” Hobe said getting his point across that getting any kind of info on conditions in the lagoon and the bay was vital for their survival as well as creating any good will if they had a chance of trading in these parts.
”How about if we pull in somewhere along the shore and do a land approach; you know, going the regular road route to the front door instead of the water approach to the back.” Randall said.
“That’s not really an option I want to consider at the moment, I’m not getting off this boat or putting into port anywhere until we know a little more about how safe it is around this place. You got to remember it was pretty populated in this area at one time and you always got different factions claiming areas and fussing over whether it’s their turf or whatever. “Hobe said.
“Well I understand that, the easiest way I have found to get info is to usually try to catch somebody wandering around a little distant of where you want to be and ask for some directions.” Crick elaborated.
“Yeah I’m up for that. Why don’t you all drop me off somewhere on the beach and I’ll kind of wander around and see if I can bump into anybody. I say over in the formerly touristy area be best instead of me going directly to the peninsula. Who knows what active or former legal authority is doing over there?” Randall said looking up at Crick while squinting at the shoreline looking for any likely places to possibly put into.
“The way this map looks I think we can pretty much sail around this place anyway we want to except for over by the jetty where it’s a bit narrow, but not that’s not a bad option and the channel should be well marked. The main port we’re headed towards is over in Grand Lagoon and it never was much of any size anyway. So we may as well proceed in that direction and get us a good look and if we bump into anybody we can just holler at them from the boat.” Hobe said in his role as Captain.
“I like Randall’s idea better about looking around in the tourist area first where folks probably won’t be congregating rather than going straight to one of the few docks and marinas down here, but I see your point.” Morgan declared.
“Yeah I’d just as soon have me a tree to hide behind or a cove to hide the boat in for a bit rather than think of fighting from the boat. I didn’t have any thought of joining the Marines when you hooked me into this little scheme” Crick said with a smile.
“I warned you, you old landlubber that I felt safer out on the water than I did in port, so just be ready to repel boarders or pirates like you’re supposed to!” Hobe replied with a grin.
“Speaking of which, looks like we have us a boat run aground up ahead there.” Hobe said reaching for the binoculars and searching the distance to see a big derelict catamaran washed up partially on the beach with evidently a broken mast.
“Must have run aground during one of those storms they get here frequently. It is pretty hard to tell how long it’s been there from here, but look at the size of that thing!” Crick said handing the pair of binoculars to Morgan.
The main reason that Morgan and Crick had come along on this journey to begin with was to find exactly this kind of vessel to barter or trade for. They had no real idea just how they would locate one or for that matter how much one would cost nowadays. That is if they could find someone willing to sell one to begin with but they had come to the conclusion that Florida was the only possible place to get their hands on one.
Crick wanted him a live aboard catamaran that could sail back and forth from Florida, up the rivers and all the way back to the lake and Traders Jubilee. How much cargo you could haul with the thing was secondary to cabin space for now and the rest he would figure out later.
“Well that was a pretty thing; it would have been just what we wanted if it was sailable or salvageable.” Morgan said trying to discern how long it had been since the boat had washed ashore and how big a gale it must have taken for the big boat to flounder and be washed up this far on the beach.
“How long you reckon that thing’s been beached over there, Hobe?” Crick asked.
“ Hard to say from here, doesn’t seem to be any hull damage but judging by what’s left of the tattered sail sheets hanging down, I’d say a most likely a couple of years. Ya’ll want to go have a look see? I know somebody has already thought about getting inside the cockpit and finding any useable supplies by now but I’m kinda curious about that thing aren’t you Crick?” Hobe asked.
“Hell yeah, I’m interested Hobe! But I got a question, if that things hull ain’t all busted up or could be patched, how in the hell would we get it off that beach?” Crick asked as Randall and Hobe readied the inflatable Zodiac boat.
“Oh there are ways! We can use the sail winches on my boat and some anchors just to give you some ideas of how we would maybe go about salvaging it. You need to try to stick to dirt farming and cattle ranching, Crick and let me handle the nautical affairs around here.” Hobe said enjoying his role as ship boss around here and being able to mess with one of the formerly prominent traders who didn’t have much say about things on this expedition.
“The colony as Clem’s plantation and David’s “End of the Lake” Clan were referred to, had many dissatisfied members looking for a change and upon hearing of Hobe’s proposed Florida adventure and Crick’s possible new trade route endeavor, all voiced their opinions loudly that if Panama City Beach looked habitable they were ready, willing and able to move and go colonize the area and the seasonal hurricanes be damned.
David was the unofficial patriarch of the clan had a lot to say in that regard. He told those that would listen that they were chasing pipe dreams of paradise because coastal survival is not something that could lightly be undertaken. They weren’t moving to a tropical paradise and going to be able to just hang out on the beach and enjoy sun and sand. That was some very wrong thinking he explained. Everybody thinking it would be easy to go out and catch fish everyday or collect crabs and shellfish was crazy unless they had those skills practiced them a lot more than a time or two.
The main thing he explained and cautioned about the area in question which he was very familiar with from many vacations and fishing trips was its utter lack of natural drinking water. As a matter of fact the main reason that Crick and Morgan had been able to talk their way on to Hobe’s boat was a promise of them being able to readily find fresh water from maps that David had drawn from memory and provided them with.