MartyS

Errr CJ, You have already admitted, “Goats can’t count. It appears to me you have just demonstrated that. CJ, I would like to bring to your attention there are FOUR (4) signs. I would like you to teach me how you programmed your spellchecker, to read the words on the four signs

Is this a spoiler or maybe a prophecy? Sorry I don’t understand. What is a BBG, when it is at home?

Ahhhh CJ, Such a welcome and perplexing announcement. What mystifies me is the Title of Chapter 74. Intrepid is such a strong word. A synopsis of the definitions for the primary word is “Brave.” It is the second word, “Investigators,” which clouds the meaning. When I ruminate the activities of the current active members of this story, a large number of them could be designated “Investigators. Please permit me to summarize. Starting out with: TREVOR – He is looking for his mother Rachel. He is assisted by, JOEL – His best friend, who adopted Trev as his brother. Joel is being led around by his fiancé, LISA – Another life-long friend of Trevor. If she assumed the name Phyllis Diller, it would be appropriate. She has placed herself and her lover in harms way. As the two of them chatter away in bed, she is unknowingly setting up Trevor to be killed. The Dark Duo is watching the two of them covertly. The female member of this doubles act, BRIDGET – has become suspicious of Lisa. She failed to inform the “Witch of the North,” about her upcoming meeting with a Private Investigator. Bridget mentions this to GEORGE – her partner-in-crime. He has been planning to eliminate Trevor, Joel and Lisa. This rogue cop has been clandestinely altering the facts to confuse and misdirect, SGT. GONZALES – The apparent lead investigator of a multi-jurisdictional task force. This police officer has almost disproved, one of the principle charges against DIRK – The father of Trevor. He is also the husband of Rachel. Dirk is not personally conducting an investigation. He has engaged the services of a private investigator. His name is HENRY – This PI has been assisting and attempting to point Sgt. Gonzales in the right direction. Unfortunately, he is about to meet the local version of the Keystone Kops. (AKA Lisa and Joel) We should not forget the investigators and others who are involved in this saga, Police from Egypt, and the Seychelles have a piece of this puzzle. In Australia we have Officers Greg Fowler and Craig Grundig. Our freelance reporter is working away investigating his story. Last, but not least we have Ned. He is conducting an investigation into the physical problems with Trevor’s Atlantis. He might very well be the one who breaks the case wide open.

I read in the past week or so, New Zealand has an annual competition, to decrease their rabbit population. I have just completed a fast Google search. I did not get any hits for a current bounty on rabbits in Australia. I am wondering why Shane bought extra carrots, when he doesn't like to eat them. Maybe he has plans to use them as biological, biodegradable dildos. Hmmmmm.

TalonRider Is it your prediction, that I will be ROFLMAO, when I become of the aware of the subject matter you prophesy? If this is the case, I will speculate, my trousers might well come off. This should most likely increase the jocularity of the occasion, for any observers. Marty

Thank you TalonRider, for your illuminating remarks. I always enjoy a good laugh. This is the most fun I have had in years. With or without my trousers on. Marty

Confessions, Observations and Wishful Dreaming I hate to admit it, but I goofed. I do not know how many times I have read and reread the Prologue. Once I reached the conclusion that, Dirk and Rachel had switched the Ares and Atlantis, I totally failed to properly read and consider a rather important paragraph. I admit to being a speed-reader. Many times I miss something that is buried in the text. Doing so around CJ can have disastrous consequences. It was my belief; the time-span for the charter was five days. This assessment was arrived at, based on the information contained in the following two excerpts. “As the shuttle faded from sight, Rachel hauled up the mainsail and began trimming the Ares for her hundred-and-fifty mile overnight voyage to the reefs and cays of Grand Bahama Bank, where they would spend four days” “After the charter, Ares dropped the guests off at Nassau on schedule and Rachel filed a route plan to take her directly home. Rachel sailed from Nassau as the last rays of sunset glittered off the calm, azure seas.” I failed to note the following passage from an earlier paragraph: “on a private scuba charter that included a close look at a shuttle launch and then ten days on the reefs in the Bahamas.” All the above quotes I attribute to the Narrator of this Saga. It is my understanding, an author, writing as the Narrator, may not lie. He is allowed to misdirect the reader, but must tell the truth. In all honesty, CJ did a first-rate job on me. My erroneous understanding was the length of the charter. I incorrectly concluded, it was for five days. Once I factored in the information, from the earlier paragraph, it was twice that duration. I am not sure how this affects the story. However, let this be mea maxima culpa I discovered my error when I returned to the Prologue to review my understanding of Rachel. Part of my conclusions, regarding her character, was and is, she enjoyed being “at sea.” The following quote by Shane raises some doubt, in my mind, that Rachel is using the nom de plume, Sarah Blake. QUOTE SHANE. “I didn’t know them at all at first, but pretty quick I was living with them on Kookaburra and doing charters, though Mrs. Blake only came along a few times.” When you examine the entire dialogue, by Shane, It appears he is speaking from his heart. I am solidly on record as stating, “I do no know where Rachel is, nor what she is doing, at the present time. (November 2006) This is not so with Shane’s attempt to miss-direct Trevor regarding Martin Blake’s spread. (Ranch, farm?) In a previous chapter, Martin, in a private conversation with Shane mentions having to return home directly because; “he had some ewes getting ready to lamb.” One thought popped into my head when I read Martin’s comment the first time. I know as much about ranching and farming as I do about deep sea diving. My limited knowledge has been gained by reading. One thing I have become aware of. When you are involved in either of these occupations, the day’s work starts at sunup and ends when you are finished. Both of these livelihoods are a 24 x 7 x 52+, sort of job. Until Chapter 70, the Blake’s were described as living elsewhere during the non-boating season. Never a comment regarding the type of lifestyle or activities they were involved in. The thought that came immediately to my mind, after reading his statement was: Who takes care of these matters, when he is “Sailing, Sailing, over the bounding main?” This raised a futher question, in my mind, “Why had Martin gotten involved in boating, even more so, the commercial operation of a charter vessel.” The definition “A boat is a hole in the water, surrounded by wood, metal or fiberglass, into which you pour money,” is an axiom. Martin had previously stated, the income from Trevor’s charter, was very welcome. A fifty-five foot boat is a rather big challenge for a novice. Compare Trevor’s descriptions of two different homeports. His vivid description of the waters and piloting in Florida and Shark’s Bay is enlightening. Shane had crewed aboard Kookaburra long enough to be permitted to live aboard, during the off-season. He was honest about his inability to handle her in confined waters. So, Who taught Martin? You don’t learn how to conn a vessel out of a book. A Lagoon 55 or 57 appears to me to be a vessel with little draft compared to their freeboard. Add in their superstructure and upperworks. Even with all her sails furled, in my opinion either vessel could be easily affected by a light breeze in close waters. Shane is the Tour Director. Trevor has the Conn. I repeat, you don’t learn how to conn a vessel out of a book. Again I ask: Who taught Martin? His explanation to Trevor, regarding his learning, I would best describe as brief and sketchy. Martin Blake does not appear to be a reticent man. If Shane wants to setup Trevor, he should do a little research. Since Trevor admits to never having seen a kangaroo, Shane can tell him almost anything. But, payback can be a bitch. As to “Trevor’s Clunker,” and the Dark Duo’s plans for it. Their plans bring to mind, the following lines of verse, which express my wishes for their strategy. (Penned by Robert Burns, regarded as Scotland’s national poet.) The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men Gang aft agley, An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain, For promis'd joy Translation for any Sassenachs: The best laid schemes of mice and men Go often askew, And leave us nothing but grief and pain, For promised joy!

Great chapter CJ.

There were Budgies in the trees. However, Trevor denies seeing them before falling.

Yes, Wildone, I agree. It is all part of the Evil Goats Plot We really need to be kind to him. I seriously believe he is challenged in more than one way. He refers to himself “The King of Typos.” Could this not be his was of disguising his ability to spell correctly. I wonder sometimes whether he even knows what day of the week it is. Maybe he does not how many days there are in a week. Have you noticed he keeps loosing some Tuesdays, and has to wait until Tuesday comes around again, before he gets back on track? I am becoming certain he does not have a clue as to which way the wind is blowing. Be kind to him. After all, if we pick on him too much, he might just decide not to finish this story.

IMHO Trevor can be clueless at times, He has been apprehensive, on more than one occasion, about Australian slang, when used by Shane. He appears concerned the slang Shane has uttered, is derogatory toward gays. In this chapter, Shane point blank accuses him of being distracted by males, wearing Speedos. He does not seem concerned when Shane says: “So you’re budgie spotting, then? And that’s why you fell?” Immediately prior this statement by Shane, he had summarized Trev’s abuse of Newton’s Law of Gravity. My recollection is they all involved Trevor’s being distracted by Shane. In Chapter 65 Trevor demonstrates he is aware of the use, by Australians, of the word “Budgies,” when discussing Speedos. IMHO, the summery I have just written, clearly indicates that Shane has, in fact, finally busted Trevor. If you factor in the actions of the beach run, that is all the proof I require. I might be incorrect, but I do not think so.

One thing for sure. Bridget now has possession of Trevor's klunker. The interior certainly would be an excellent source of Trevor's DNA.

FYI Check Snopes http://www.snopes.com/business/money/cocaine.asp

CJ I am glad you said something. I was beginning to worry about you. When you were a little kid, before you became a big goat, I was told they sent you to school. The old farmer who raised you, wanted to get you Edumakated. He wanted you to learn the three Rs: Redin,Riten and Ritmatic. After reading that post I thought you were failing two of the three subjects. I knew you wouldn’t want to sit in the corner and wear a pointy cap. Now you explained. You are not dumb, you are challenged. Now I wont be worried any more. Marty

Hi TalonRider, You are absolutly correct, as do I. What caught my eye, was the combination of Australia and weak. I thought I would rib him a bit. If I write a lengthy post, I do it in Word first. Without a spellchecker, I would be dead. I thought it kind of funny. In a very short post, he admits to being unable to count, and then demonstrates a spelling error. I guess I have a weird sense of humor. Marty

CJ Did you say weak? HMMMMMMMMM Maybe you should submit your Forum posts to your team for editing. You just told us, goats can't count,and now this.

Hmmmmmmm. Listening to CJ saying that, I definately think he is is getting more confused by the day, I would not be surprised if he attempted to create an 8 day week. You know what I mean. Like 2 Wednesdays.

Hi Colin, Shane does seem to be getting more touchy feely lately. I think I will make a guesstamation. Somewhere down the road, or it’s equivalent on the high seas, Trevor will have a real bad nightmare. Shane will be awakened, and go to check. He will comfort him. I believe you can figure out the rest of plot. I disagree with you. Bridget is not under a cloud of suspicion in Mike Gonzales’ eyes. He is damn shure she is dirty. I doubt he realizes she is as crooked as a corkscrew. I seriously doubt he will learn about the money from Joel and Lisa. Neither one of them would tell him the wrong time, unless it was to screw him up. I agree, all of this is rampant speculation. Or is it? Marty

Ahh Yes TalonRider Every thing you say is correct until you reached the word "Assuming" Think about it. Do you trust a nasty old goat, not to take advantage of us. Please remember what I said about CJ and "The Land of Smoke and Mirrors". She may be there, She may not be there, I do not have a clue. Marty

While Twiddling my Thumbs I had an epiphany There is no question in my mind that what I wrote in # 20 of “Twiddling our thumbs, regarding the disappearance of the vessel, which Rachel took on the charter, is accurate. Seeing as no further chapters have been published, since that posting, I would like to make a retraction and an addendum,. CJ, I have written, “plans carefully to put us in the Land of Smoke and Mirrors.” Oh, yes he does. I ask you one question. What has been written, in any of the chapters posted so far, which indicates Rachel is in Australia? After reviewing the posted chapters, I have come to a conclusion, Nothing!!! There is not even an inference she is there. CJ has permitted me, and mayhap you, to build a house of cards, which could topple at the slightest touch. He has skillfully hidden this mystery in the obvious one, the disappearance of the Ares. It certainly might make me feel all warm and fuzzy, if Trevor was reunited with Rachel in Australia. Rachel demonstrated a feeling of sadness in the Prologue, while thinking about her son. But, Dirk and Jim have discussed the fact that it was good for Joel to be with Trevor, when he learned the truth. This was before they became aware of the fact Joel was no longer with him. They also did not know about the pirate attack at that time. I am looking forward to read about Dirk’s reaction when he learns of it I am removing the sentence, “Rachel goes to Australia,” from #20, THE BOTTOM LINE. I believe that Rachel did not die at the time, the vessel she took on the charter, was reported missing. Where she went, or what she is doing now, is a mystery to me. She might even be the master of the vessel Stardancer that Bridget observed. If she is, that might help to explain Dirk’s insistence that Trevor stay away from the Bahamas. Let me wander down that possible path a little way. Ares is a celestial sign. The name Stardancer is self-explanatory. Could this be a tie-in. This is just a thought. One thing I did not go far enough into was Dirk’s coming clean. He is waiting until the Statue of Limitations has expired. Why? He does not wish to be prosecuted for any offenses, he may have committed, setting up Rachel’s Witness Protection Scheme. He could go public. He is going to need to prove she did not die at that time. He may or may not know where she is at present. He would not have to produce her in the flesh. If he were to produce evidence, which positively identified her as being alive, at a date subsequent to May 19th, 1997, that should cover the point. In fact it would be best for him and Trevor, if he could prove he has no knowledge of her present whereabouts. Bridget and George are very worried about the Cartel learning what might be concealed on the Ares. If the Cartel even suspected what, Bridget and George fear might be there, the two of them would be history. Bridget has said so. If the Cartel moves on them, they would not stop there. They would want to clean house. They damn sure would want the Ares and Rachel. Dirk and Trevor would become the conduit to finding them. It may be the path to salvation for Dirk and Trevor is already in progress. Ned is involved in the rehabilitation of Trevor’s Atlantis. What might he find? A large amount of money would be nice, or solid leads to Arnold’s stash. Whatever Bridget and George fear was hidden on the Ares might wind up in the hands off the authorities. A combination of the two would most likely help the authorities believe in the authenticity of the information. If I remember correctly, the person, or persons who, provide the United States Government, with information, leading to the seizure of smuggled items gets a tax-free reward. That certainly would be nice, if Trevor’s insurance company gets itself off the hook on his claim. If they do not get off the hook, that reward would certainly get Trevor a head start in his planned career as Master of a charter vessel. I would also guess that Ned would put Trevor on his Christmas card list. (And Vice Versa) If cash were discovered Trevor might have a fairly good chance to claim it. I am willing to bet the bill of sale, included language indicating all property aboard was part of the Ares. Bridget did eliminate Arnold before he had actually turned over the vessel. The sale had been finalized. Bridget has stated she was unable to stop the actual transfer because of this. Arnold did not have a chance to remove anything he might wish to keep. It was not until much later, Bridget learned about Arnold’s possible construction of additional hidden places.(If this did happen as I outlined, I bet Arnold has been sitting for almost ten years, looking up at Bridget, and laughing his head off.) If Trevor wanted to keep clear of any IRS involvement he might consider staying away a little longer. My knowledge concerning money earned overseas is years old. I never dug into all of the requirements. I was considering working overseas many years ago, but changed my mind. One thing I vaguely recall is: absence from the United States for eighteen months was required. Trevor has already admitted to concealing income. In this, he is a man after my own heart. I do not believe it is a crime to cheat on taxes. Unfortunately the US government does not agree with me. I have made honest mistakes filing my taxes. (Believe me, they were honest mistakes.) (It is true, so help me.) Unfortunately, honest mistake or not, they sent me a bill for the amount, PLUS INTEREST AND PENALTIES!!!!! If any IRS Fink is reading this, don’t start licking your chops, there is nothing to find. I do not touch a hot stove a second time. Now a, Wet Paint sign is different. After all, it might have dried since the sign was put up. Approximately twelve hours and we can bring to a halt twiddling our thumbs. We will be able to continue our literary journey. Unless, CJ posts another delay notice. If he does that, I will strongly consider modifying one of my other posts. I could replace the Bless with an F***, and revise the wording. NO. Can’t do that. I would get in trouble with the moderators for use of improper language. (Even if they agreed with me about the provocation.)

Response to Red_A This posting took a good while to write, edit, and, edit, and, edit. It certainly gave me a better understanding of what CJ goes through to produce a single chapter. On top of that, he has to develop the plot and the dialogue. I would not even think about doing it. Like with all my larger posts I used word. At least it takes care of my spelling and typos. I am familiar with writing narrative reports, based on my observations. This plot jumps all over the place. I once had the responsibility of reviewing reports prepared by others, describing their observations or actions of the same incident. That was interesting. If you review section 20 that is my barebones statement about what I believe occurred. Some of the follow-up info is speculation. One set of facts I listed, I believe completely. They are what tie my opinions together. Trevor’s statements concerning the speed of the Ares and Atlantis being basically the same. One has had new engines installed. The other did not. Unless Trevor is lying deliberately, that is almost impossible. When you factor in that Trevor could not get the Kookaburra above 10 knots, this what ties my whole set of observations together. Either the Kookaburra is the original Atlantis disguised or it is a different boat. Howevver, she is almost identical to the Altantis. The Altantis is approximaately 50% faster than the Kookaburra. No has mentoned Kookaburra's engines were replaced. Rachel was not killed by Dirk. If Dirk had killed her, he would not be worrying about a Statue of Limitations. Anyway I have posted my conclusions and surmises. Thank you for your comments. Marty

Here we sit, twiddling our thumbs, waiting for the expiration of CJs latest hiatus. I think I would like to look back at what has occurred so far. CJ would like us to believe, that Rachel took a charter party to the Grand Bahama Bank for four days on board the Ares. At the conclusion of the charter, Rachel is alleged to have dropped off her passengers in Nassau. Then she and the Ares set sail, for home, from Nassau. Six hours later the Coast Guard received a fragmentary radio message. The communication identified the vessel as the Ares, taking water, twenty miles northeast of Bimini. Despite a search, no trace was found of the Ares or Rachel. This occurred on May 19th, 1997. All of this is contained in the Prologue. Approximately nine years later, Rachel’s son, Trevor sets sail after a harsh disagreement with his father. Trevor decides to do a solo circumnavigation. Since he began his trek, there have been two, unsuccessful attempts to kill him. At the present time in the narrative, he has arrived in Australia. Bridget Bellevue and Detective George Alfred are lovers. They are also partners involved in smuggling drugs into the United States. It is they who arranged the two attempts on Trevor’s life. Many chapters into in the story, Bridget and George are having a private conversation. She reveals to him, she had been in Nassau, the evening Ares had disappeared. She puts George in the picture. She recounts how she set out in her vessel, after hearing the distress call. She had arrived at the location prior to anyone else. She went on to say, all she had found, was a damaged zodiac and a small amount of wreckage, showing scorch marks. She explains to George, she gathered up all she found and departed the area, before other vessels arrived. Her belief is the Ares had been destroyed by Dirk using a bomb. I think that is a fair summary of what has occurred so far in the story. Up until recently, I wished I had not discovered this story until it was complete. Instead of reading a completed story, I became hooked on it several months ago. There I was, waiting each Monday evening, so I could read the next chapter. Normally when I read a story, chapter-by-chapter, as it is published, I do so until the conclusion. Then I go back and read the entire novel. During the course of the posting, I like to go and read the comments in the Forum. They are almost as good as the chapter itself. However, this time it was different. I have some understanding of law. I am not an attorney (Thank God.) The puzzling comments concerning the Statue of Limitations just plain got my goat. (NO not CJ) I then did something I have never done. I posted a lengthy, critical comment regarding this. One thing occurred, that I did not expect. I received my first PM. CJ wrote me and we exchanged additional correspondence. As the result of those communications, I decided to start my re-read then, instead of waiting for the narrative to conclude. I worked my way through the chapters. I read each chapter closely. At this point, I was plodding along, taking what CJ was spoon-feeding us. It was while I was reading one of the chapters in the 20s that it happened. It was like a goat butted me in my posterior. (It is not my intention to identify which chapter.) I immediately went back to the Prologue and read it again. As I continued to read, for me things started to fall into place. The following is an outline of what I believe actually happened. I have also included some items, which are speculative. The majority of the latter are alternative paths. My review should not be taken as correcting errors made by CJ. He plans carefully to put us in the Land of Smoke and Mirrors. He sucks you in like a 3 Card Monte dealer in Times Square. When you are the Mark that game, you are getting mugged, without the violence. When all is revealed by, by CJ, we will find out how he led us down the garden path, blowing smoke into our ears (or maybe a different location.). He will try to bamboozle us and whisper sweet nothings to us. Remember: Poets (and Writers) who read their works in public may have other nasty habits. (A loose quotation from the Notebook of Lazarus Long) If I am wrong, I guess I will have a lot of egg on my face. No matter: I am having the most fun, with my pants on, than I have had in years. OK!!! Here goes: 1. Rachel was involved in illegal transactions with Bridget. 2. Arnold dies under suspicious circumstances. I recall nothing written to date, which indicates Rachel was involved in any illicit activities with him. 3. It is my opinion she became aware of the Bellevue’s connection to the Columbian Drug Cartel. I believe she had some serious reservations about the death of Arnold Bellevue. She may have become concerned about the safety of her family and herself. What and how much she learned I do not know. Based on the timing, I believe Rachel learned something important, after the preparation of the preliminary divorce papers. 4. I believe she and Dirk had some long discussions regarding this. As the result of these, they worked out a plan for Rachel to create her own Witness Protection Program. Rachel had relatives in Australia. All she needed to do was stage a credible disappearance that people would accept. 5. This is what I believe she did. It was not the Ares she took on that last charter. It was the Atlantis. The transom was altered to display the name Ares. No need to change the bow numbers. Two of the passengers aboard the Ares were attorneys. It is entirely possible that one or both had an attorney/client relationship with her. As to the debris found by Bridget, I am considering the possibility it had been left at the reported sinking site, on the inbound passage to Nassau. The official reports say the weather was good. The items she jettisoned would not have drifted far. Once Rachel had unloaded her passengers, she got under way, sailing into the sunset. Check it out. CJ does not say, “The Ares sailed.” It is right here that CJ starts to lead us down the garden path. Six hours later Rachel made the radio call. The approximate distance from Nassau to the reported location of the alleged sinking is 110 nautical miles. In order to reach this location Rachel’s vessel would have had to average 18 plus knots per hour. At some point in time, Rachel removes the Ares name from the transom. The easy way would have been to have the name Ares painted on a board. This could have been attached to the transom, covering the name Atlantis. So away she sails. The Bill of Sale papers, for the Atlantis, identify the vessel by Hull Identification Number, not by name. She possessed valid papers for the Atlantis. So she would have no problems using either the Suez or Panama Canal. Agreed, she might have used the Cape of Good Hope or Cape Horn. Her course will no doubt be revealed in future chapters. 6. The possibility exists the vessel never left the Bahamas. Bridget did observe a Lagoon 55 during one of her recent trips there. Keep in mind, there were only twenty of them built. If this turns out to be the scenario, that would modify my theory regarding her actions with boats in Australia. 7. In the meantime Dirk is sitting in Florida. Everyone knows the Atlantis is berthed there. The only thing that needs to be done is to change the visible name and affix the Atlantis bow numbers on her. The Hull Identification Number will have to be altered. I do not see that as an insurmountable problem. Trevor is the legal owner of the Atlantis. He is eight years of age. His world has crashed around him. How often would he have gone out on her at this age? Dirk cannot take her out. I am sure Dirk made arrangements for a captain and crew. After all there were expenses to be met. Such as Dockage fees, insurance and maintenance costs. 8. Back to Rachel. She makes it to Australia. She now has a vessel with her, accompanied by legal papers. I would like to believe the Atlantis was converted to look like a Lagoon 57. However, it is possible she just sold the Atlantis, the vessel being identified by her Hull Identification Number. The proceeds could then be used to assist in the purchase of a Lagoon 57. This she named Kookaburra. As to what her relationship is with Martin Blake is I do not know. If they are actually married, that in and of itself could be a continuing offense. There is no way for us to know what her feelings are for Dirk. There certainly were problems throughout a good portion of their marriage. They had already agreed on a divorce. In all honesty I have no idea what the laws are concerning co-habitation in Australia. There is one thing, which is sticking in my craw. The statement Martin made to Trevor about the Kookaburra being purchased new. Martin could be lying, but I am not sure. 9. The fact that Martin would not give permission for the Kookaburra to be used without consulting with “The Misses,” must be seriously considered. Please note she did not come to meet Trevor. If I am correct, that is perfectly understandable. 10. Trevor has clear recollections of sailing on the Ares with his mother doing an excess of 14 knots. Trevor has sailed the Atlantis at 15 knots. There are statements regarding the overhaul of the Ares, which included replacing the engines. There is no mention of any such work being done of the Atlantis. 11. Trevor should not have been anywhere near Carnarvon. His original course did not come anywhere near the Kookaburra’s mooring. I did entertain some thought that Shelly (Lime Key Pie) Fowler might be Rachel. I dismissed this idea, when she delivered the pie to the Custom Shed. I do not believe she would have risked running into Trevor. Keep in mind; Greg Fowler and Martin Blake are old school mates. 12. Before the major problems arose between Dirk and Trevor, Dirk was attempting to get him to go Australia in December. Dirk has told Trevor, he will answer his questions in December. You need to keep one thing in mind; Trevor knows absolutely nothing about any Statue of Limitations. 13. There is something I cannot figure out. That is the reaction of Dirk to Trevor searching around the waters around Bimini, Based on CJ’s description of Dirk, he is afraid both for Trevor and about what he may discover. If my hypothesis is correct, he will not find he Ares. A good rule to follow in any plan or venture is summed up with the acronym KISS. (Keep it simple stupid.) Any involvement of others in their activities, concerning Rachel’s alleged drowning, would increase the chances of it becoming public knowledge. (This is a Puzzlement.) 14. If we consider that Dirk was intending to come clean, as soon as the Statue of Limitations had expired, he might well have wanted Trevor safely in Australia. I do not know what or how much Rachel may have learned or discovered about Arnold and Bridget’s operations. Dirk may believe he is dealing strictly with Bridget, not a world wide criminal conspiracy. One that could order an assassination by telephone half way around the globe. 15. If I am correct, Ned may find Arnold’s little cubbyhole, which Bridget is so concerned about. After all he is doing a rather extensive, intrusive, large-scale reconstruction. I really hope he doesn’t discover the altered Hull Identification Number. This might very well create a problem for Trevor and his Atlantis. Keep in mind, an insurance company now owns, the Ares. 16. Let us not forget, our soon to married team of amateur Private Investigators. (The North’s they are not.)They are a catastrophe looking for a place to happen. (They remind me of Abbott and Costello. Well meaning, but still klutzes.) I certainly hope that Henry is as smart as he has been portrayed. The two of them certainly give the phrase, “Pillow Talk”, a whole new meaning. Just think about the problems they could create, should they chatter away, in their love nest, about Sergeant Gonzales and Henry, Dirk’s Private Eye. 17. Then we have that stalwart defender of Truth, Justice, and the American Way, our very own, Sergeant Gonzales. He is a conundrum. He demonstrates his abilities by seeing through the smokescreen created by the Bridget and George. I have to give credit, when it is due. On the minus side, however, he is fixated on convicting Dirk for Rachel’s murder. Why!!! There was no body recovered. Nor crime scene evidence processed by any law enforcement agency. The documentary evidence, which he is aware of, hardly brings his investigation to the Reasonable Suspicion level. His does not get anywhere close to Probable Cause. The entire scenario took place approximately nine and a half years ago. Did he know Rachel or had he seen her at some time? How old was he? I am looking forward to seeing his reaction and anguish, when he learns he has been trying to send an innocent man to Death Row. 18. Next, the mythical explosion. Yes, that is exactly what it is. A myth. A figment of imagination. Let’s face it. We know of two people who believe a bomb was used to sink the Ares. There is Bridget and our own Sergeant Gonzales. I am surprised at Bridget reaching this conclusion. There is every reason to believe Bridget knows boats and boating. In addition to this, she was the first responder. She recovered what miniscule debris that was at the Datum Point and absconded with it. She knows boats, especially twin hulled catamarans. She knows how little the amount of debris, which was recovered. To tell the truth, I am disappointed in her. Now, the good sergeant. He manufactured a bomb out of thin air. Then, like the Pied Piper, led an entire task force of local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies down The Yellow Brick Road. Agreed, good old George was in there, polluting the investigation. Granted, the sergeant has, for some time, believed a bomb was involved. But, I find it very difficult to understand how, with so many agencies involved, someone didn’t yell, “Time Out.” Florida is a boating state. As far as law enforcement is concerned The Ares was a twin-hulled vessel. So, how big was the bomb? If it was big enough to destroy the Ares in one, BIG blast, how was Rachel able to get out a radio transmission? Small blast!!! There would have been a lot of flotsam. In fact, there should have been a hell of a lot of flotsam either way. How come no oil slick? 19. There is something that needs to be kept in mind. Because of the trials and tribulations occurring on the last leg of his journey, Trevor has formed a bond with his Atlantis. Let’s examine his ownership of her. Trevor has stated, “The Atlantis was left to him, by his mother. OK. How? I guess in her will. Rachel has been declared dead legally. Early on in this narrative, there is a statement, which informs the reader, when the Atlantis was purchased, he was listed as the owner. There seems to be a conflict there. Now, for the sake of argument, let us consider his ownership, if I am correct about Dirk and Rachel’s scheme. Rachel sailed away with the Atlantis. If Rachel has sold the Atlantis, the buyer would have to see the vessels papers. Her name would not be listed as the owner. I seriously doubt the buyer would have competed the transaction, without consulting an attorney. The only way I can see to do that would be, Rachel could have had the ownership of the vessel, identified by the Hull Identification Number, transferred to her name. This would allow her to complete a valid sale. Her will would return the vessel in Florida to Trevor. Lisa might find the records of the transfer, but not a sale outside Florida, if it was sold in the Bahamas, Australia or any point in-between. Now let us look at it from a different angle. Again, assume I am correct, about Dirk and Rachel. They switched boats. Trevor becomes the legal owner of the Atlantis in accordance with her will. But, his Atlantis, which he believes saved his life, is really the Ares. The insurance company that paid out to Dirk owns the Ares. Trevor is involved with real hefty insurance claim with his vessel. Insurance companies will do almost anything to get out of paying on a claim. Interesting, isn’t it 20. THE BOTTOM LINE. Dirk and Rachel entered into a criminal conspiracy to keep her out of harms way. Rachel sails on the charter. The vessel she sailed on was the Atlantis. The name displayed on the vessel was Ares. The Ares remained in Florida. Her name was changed to Atlantis. Rachel sets the planned disappearance scenario in motion. Rachel goes to Australia***. The Statue of Limitations, for the criminal acts committed by Dirk, will expire in December 2006. THAT’S ALL FOLKS. *** See Post "While twiddlng my thumbs" for Removal and Retraction. 21. I am not sure how many chapters remain. At the present rate of advance, one or two days per chapter, we have a long way to go. (I certainly am not complaining.) The Kookaburra is anchored off Monkey Mia. It is now Nov 24th as near as I can figure. Six more days in November. Seventeen days in December. Roughly twenty-three story days to go. That seems to work out to be about twelve chapters. Then add on the couple of days for Joel and Lisa to get there. It would not surprise me to see this story get close to one hundred chapters. Of course CJ is talking about some real long chapters. That possibly means additional delayed postings. Oh Well. I guess we will have to stick with it until CJ finally writes “30”

Hi Red, I find your post interesting. I would like to make a few points. I believe I clearly stated my level of experience is limited to power vessels. I have only made one international voyage. It was of some length. I started on the west coast and arrived in Yokohama. The vessel left there and the next port of call was Inchon. I do not remember the name of the Troopship. I do recall it was named after some general and was operated by MSTS. I guess you could classify me as a passenger. I really felt more like cargo. Eighteen months later my tour of duty finished. Lucky for me a family emergency arose and I was returned stateside by air. What little knowledge I have regarding sailing vessels I learned from reading. This story has taught me quite a bit. I thought I clearly stated I was referring to a United States Flagged Vessel. I apologize for not making myself clearer. Flag Courtesy can be a confusing subject. All I addressed, I believe, was the situations touched on in this story. CJ did explain the necessity of basic flag courtesy. I limited myself to the flags mentioned, so far, in the tale. I will admit to interjecting the Baker flag. I did that with tongue in cheek. After all, if Sergeant Gonzales and Bridget are correct, maybe the alleged Ares should have been flying it. I am well aware of what some boat operators fly on their vessels. I have even seen a woman’s bra streaming from a flagstaff. I think all I did was state what I believed should be done. The main reason I listed the times is simple. I was attempting to indicate, national ensigns should not be flown during the nighttime hours. Privately owned vessels are often secured and remain unattended for lengthy periods. During these times it would not be expected flags be flown. Vessels anchored or moored in a designated anchorage would not display an anchoring signal. A long time ago I watched while a discussion was taking place between I believe a couple of yachters. The basic bone of contention was the display of US Yacht flag, the US Power Squadron and I don’t know what other flags. It ended when one of the participants used a chair, over the head of his adversary. This was enough to convince me to keep off this subject with other vessel operators. I decided at that time, I would comply with the rules as published. What someone else did was not my concern. Unfortunately there is only one photograph, of the many posted on the Atlantis page, which shows the entire mast. I was only able to make out one spreader. There is another photo, taken from abaft the stern looking forward. This shows a spreader with flags displayed. It appeared, to me, to be the one spreader I could make out in the photograph I used as my guide. I appreciate you bringing this to my attention. I have learned many things reading this story. Yes, one thing that shocked me the most appears in Chapter 14. Trevor was instructing Joel about the bouyage system used in the Med. I read this and my first reaction was, Whoa!!!, No!!! It is Red, Right Returning. I would like to think that I have learned one thing in my life. That is to “Check the facts.” I hit Google and learned that what I had learned in my past did not necessarily hold true for other countries. As you did point out, what is supposed to be done regarding Flag Courtesy, is not necessarily what people do. I recall what an instructor told a class I was took a long time ago. The purpose of the course was to teach us, how to present information to students. It covered many things, such as the use of training aids, etc. He told us, it is your responsibility to present the facts and the correct way to do something. If your students demonstrate they have learned the correct way to handle a situation, you have done your job. It is not your responsibility when they go out and fail to follow what they have been taught. I recall seeing a former student of mine, fueling up a vessel, with what appeared to be a cigarette, hanging in his mouth. What did I do? I reversed course and got the hell out of there. My recollection is he was fueling a16 foot Boston Whaler and he appeared to be alone. If I had attempted to interfere with his actions, I would be standing into danger and risking my vessel and those aboard with me. I doubt I will be making any voyages in the course of my remaining years. I also doubt I will ever make my 139th parachute jump. These activities I look back on with pleasure. They are part of my personal history and experiences. I do however, still travel, by vehicle. Before I enter into another state, I definitely make myself aware of the laws, which might effect me, during my time in that state. If I were to make a voyage, I would certainly, as you recommended, check the appropriate laws regarding Flag Courtesy, among other things. Then I would go by the book. I have found this is best in life. Marty

Flag Courtesy and Associated Tidbits I thought I would post something on flag courtesy as practiced by vessels. I am not going into every facet of it. I intend to address only what would usually be practiced, by a vessel similar to a Lagoon 55. Speaking generally, flags are hoisted at 8:00 AM and lowered at sunset. A Lagoon 55, such as CJ has posted pictures of; I would define as single masted vessel, with single yard (or spreader). For the purposes of this post, I am going to assume the vessel is registered in the United States. This means the Lagoon 55 would be classified as a United States Flagged Vessel. The yard is divided into: a Starboard Yardarm and a Port Yardarm. When an American Flagged vessel is: anchored, moored or tied up to a pier, the National Ensign should be flown from the flagstaff, which located at the stern. This is considered to be the “Place of Honor,” aboard a vessel. When the vessel is under way, the Ensign is lowered from the flagstaff and hoisted to the gaff. A gaff is diagonal spar projecting aft from the mast. Please do not refer to the lowering of the National Ensign as “striking.” That term has definitely a different meaning. When a vessel is under way, in the Territorial waters of another country, the flag of the host country should be hoisted, as a courtesy, to the starboard yard. Once the vessel has anchored, moored or tied up to a pier, the National Ensign is lowered from the gaff and hoisted on the flagstaff. The courtesy flag remains hoisted to the starboard yard. Once the vessel has gotten under way, and departs those Territorial waters, the courtesy flag should be lowered and secured The Captain of a vessel would modify these procedures, to take into account existing conditions. What also needs to be considered is, the construction and/or rigging of the vessel he commands. A vessel is considered to be under way when it is not anchored, moored or, to quote a former student of mine “Stuck in the mud.” (Aground) Other flags or pennants may be flown from the yards as appropriate: the Victor flag (I require assistance), Quebec flag (Quarantine) or even the Bravo flag (Explosives aboard). A vessel engaged in diving operations may display the Diving flag. A vessel, which is anchored, should display an Anchoring Ball hoisted in the area of the bow. It is a black circular device hoisted near the bow of a vessel, well clear of the foredeck. At night, a single while light replaces it. BTW: a qualified member of the United States Coast Guard, for inspection purposes, may board a United States Flagged Vessel. This boarding may be initiated in United States Territorial Waters or in international waters. A member of the United States Coast Guard, who is qualified as a Boarding Officer, has awesome powers of search and seizure. When operating in his official capacity, he is not limited by Probable Cause. Nor does he need a search warrant. All that is required is for him to identify himself to the commander of a vessel. He must then inform the individual, “I am coming aboard your vessel to conduct an inspection.” Once he has done so, there are very few limitations, governing what he may inquire into or inspect. Should he determine there is a violation of the laws of the United States, the Boarding Officer may seize the vessel. An individual who is in charge of a vessel is generally referred to and addressed as Captain. He is responsible for the vessel’s operations. He is also answerable for the actions of all aboard. i.e.: the captain of a craft is asleep in his cabin. Another, qualified person is conning the vessel and runs aground. The captain is still held responsible. Writing about courtesy flags brought something to mind, The USS WINSTON S. CHURCHILL (DDG81). Presently, The Churchill is the only U.S. Naval Warship to permanently fly a foreign ensign. The Royal Navy’s White Ensign is flown in addition to the Stars and Stripes. My knowledge and experience of crewing on or being the commander of a vessel is limited to vessels less than sixty feel in length. All of these have been mono hulled, power vessels. (Except for some rowboats I have been aboard.) My last experience was during the 1970s. Since then I have resided approximately 250 miles from salt water. One advantage is, I do not generally concern myself about hurricanes. By the time they reach me, they are mostly rain, which the local farmers love. I have been informed “Farmers never believe there’s to much rain.” Shortly after relocating to my present abode, an acquaintance, I had made, explained this to me. He said, “If farmers needed to use a rowboat to grease their windmills, they wouldn’t complain. I decided desecration might be the better part of valor. I did not inquire as to how farmers felt about floods. There are many advantages gained by living where I do. Since I arrived, there has only been one sizable snowstorm. We joking refer to it as, “The Blizzard of “85.” One benefit I enjoy. The underside of my truck doesn’t rust out. No salt spread on the highways and too far from the coast, for salt-water to contribute to the situation.

Hi Colin, I thank you for the compliment. I do have to confess I shamelessly plagiarized an old WWII drinking song. The construction of the song readily allowed the contents to be modified. The men of the armed forces, be they Army, Navy, Merchant Marine or Marine could easily modify the lyrics and they would be appropriate for their service. You might notice I did not mention the Air Force. During WWII, what became the US Air Force in 1947, was part of the US Army. I posted this because many times the readers, and I am ashamed to admit, including myself, do not treat our authors very nice. I recall an incident, a while back. An author, whom I would best describe as prolific, was being hammered by readers to post chapters for his current story. Well he did. He had already posted over thirty chapters, of what I consider to be a great story. He posted a chapter and titled it “Final Chapter.” He has never returned to the tale. I try to keep in mind what I wrote in my parody. Last Monday, it was getting close to midnight. I went to the Forum. I wanted to see if CJ had posted the title of the chapter he would be posting shortly. I read his notice. Did I get pissed? Did I shout a line of cuss words? On this I will exercise my Fifth Amendment rights. (I think that CJ will get a kick out of my mentioning this. Sorry I can’t explain.) After the air in my humble homestead had changed from blue, back to it’s normal Smokey, nicotine air, I though about it, and posted my little ditty..