10° 41.97'N, 125° 24.94'W They encounter a line of squalls one evening and the power of the sea reveals itself suddenly and ferociously. Waves break at the bow hurling sea water across the deck and lightning flashes and thunders deafeningly all around them. It's Rob and Dawn's watch and, clipped securely to jack lines, they endure the jarring rolls of the waves and the pelting rain. They are dressed in hooded rain jackets, but their shoes are soaked.
Prana pushes through the troughs and crests, her big white wings furled, with only a working jib and a storm sail up in the howling wind.
Dawn focuses on working the sheets. She glances at Rob, her eyelashes wet with rain, admiring his steadfast concentration at the helm. A year ago, this storm would have terrified her, but tonight she embraces the experience, all her senses on keen, functioning alert.
Then it's over. The stars return, the seas begin to settle.
Dawn has never felt so alive.
0° 49.77'S, 126° 42.58'W At sunset they celebrate with a bottle of Prosecco stashed away for the occasion -- crossing the equator. Prana is passing through the Intertropical Convergence Zone, the doldrums. There is very little wind; the blue and white spinnaker is hoisted and it billows in the light air, occasionally filling with a puff of breeze.
Everyone is wearing shorts and T-shirts and the men's beards are becoming thicker.
As they enjoy a light meal in the cockpit, Cory suddenly points to three dolphins jumping off the port side of the stern. More dolphins appear just off the starboard bow. They arc into the air, and back into the water, seemingly for the pure joy of it.
No one speaks as they watch the dolphins in the golden light. Fellow travelers.
05° 55.06'S, 132° 28.23'W The tropics in Capricorn. They've picked up the trade winds again. It's just after sunset and the sky is deepening into purple. Many stars are visible.
Cory and Julie sit on the foredeck and look up at the stars and pet Snoots, who is lying between them. A moist, gentle wind is blowing through their sun-bleached hair. Shortly, it will be their four-hour watch and they are adapting their eyes to the fading light and taking in the vast expanse of the South Pacific all around them.
It's after midnight, and Rob and Dawn have started their watch. They're at the stern, checking the instruments and the autopilot. They're holding cups of steaming black coffee.
Rob stands behind Dawn holding her against him. They're tethered to jack lines even though the sea is calm tonight. She leans her head back against him and points at the Southern Cross. He looks up at the famous constellation, the wind ruffling his hair, the warmth of Dawn against him. Life is perfect.
09° 45.71'S, 138° 46.22'W Pale gray light appears on the eastern horizon behind Prana as she makes her way westward. Sam is standing at the port wheel reading instruments, adjusting the heading of the boat.
Captain Jeff comes through the companionway with two silver thermos coffee cups. He hands one to Sam, then picks up a large pair of binoculars and scans the horizon to the west. His bearded face slowly widens into a broad smile as he looks through the glasses.
It's sunrise, pink and gold and pale blue. The colors of the sky shimmer and reflect across the still sea.
Cory, Rob, Dawn and Julie are standing at Prana's bow, leaning forward against the safety line, filling their nostrils with the unmistakable scent of land. Ahead, and coming ever closer, are shimmering turquoise waters and, beyond, the emerald green tops of the Marquesas islands rising through the morning mist.
Snoots stands behind them on the foredeck, ears forward, sniffing the wind.
Cory turns to look at his dog. "What do you think? Are you ready for this?"
He observes the dog's quivering nostrils which are taking in vast amounts of information inaccessible to the rest of them. And Snoots' big feathery tail is held high with confidence; it's their pack's banner proudly displayed to the world.
Cory smiles. Yeah, he's ready.
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About the author
A.C. Houston is a linguist and computer programmer who has worked in the fields of artificial intelligence and natural language understanding. Besides writing fiction, she has published technical articles in linguistics and computational linguistics. She resides in Boston, MA.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Forty-Nine
Chapter Fifty
Chapter Fifty-One
Chapter Fifty-Two
Chapter Fifty-Three
Chapter Fifty-Four
Chapter Fifty-Five
Chapter Fifty-Six
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Chapter Sixty
Chapter Sixty-One
Chapter Sixty-Two
Table of Contents
Title Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Forty-Nine
Chapter Fifty
Chapter Fifty-One
Chapter Fifty-Two
Chapter Fifty-Three
Chapter Fifty-Four
Chapter Fifty-Five
Chapter Fifty-Six
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Chapter Sixty
Chapter Sixty-One
Chapter Sixty-Two
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