At Sea - 4. AS Chapter 4

Preparing for the trip, I packed my small suitcase of clothes, shoes and in a box, I packed my laptop computer, some more CD’s & DVD’s, some more books and a few posters that I had collected from the book store, which were of ocean scenes and aquatic animals of various kinds, and some blue tack to put the posters up on the walls in my cabin.

The next morning, I heard Uncle Jay’s phone ring as I was getting up and getting ready, and as I entered the house for breakfast, Aunty Jacq had a big smile as she was preparing breakfast, “Are you going to tell me, or do I ask Uncle Jay?” I asked her as I sat down at the table.

“Your uncle received a call earlier, it appears that we have an extra crew member joining us” Aunty Jacq said, and I knew right away who she was talking about. “Will she be arriving on time, or do we have to wait” I asked with a slight grin, and Aunty Jacq laughed.

“Yes, she will be on time, and it will be good to have another female on the boat for this trip” Aunty Jacq said to me, as she started to dish out the cooked meal, and handing me a plate.

We arrived at the boat at 5.30, and Jacob was already there waiting for us, “Good morning Jacob, good to see you here nice and early, Amanda, the young lady you met last night will be joining us for the trip after all” Uncle Jay said to him, as he stepped on board, and going to the light box to flick on some lights, before opening the engine hatch to check everything was ok, he then headed up to the bridge.

I helped Aunty Jacq with their luggage, before heading downstairs to show Jacob his cabin, and I went to my cabin on the other side of the boat, to put my bag and box inside. I returned to the main deck just as Amanda arrived, and I helped with taking her luggage down to her cabin, allocating her the other double cabin on the lower deck.

I headed up to the bridge, to let Uncle Jay know that everyone was on board, and he turned and headed towards the door, “Very well, you can take her out, I will go and sort out the lines” he said to me as he left. About 45 minutes later, Aunty Jacq appeared, “Skipper wants me to take over, so you can go on deck” she said to me as she approached and took over control.

I had no idea if Aunt Jacq was qualified to skipper the boat, but I just accepted what she said and I went down stairs. “Why are you not on the bridge, who is at the wheel” Uncle Jay said to me in a serious tone, which made me go ghostly white, as I began to turn around to return to the bridge, before hearing laughter coming from behind me, which made me stop.

“It’s ok nephew, I was just kidding, Aunt Jacq is fully capable of skippering the boat” Uncle Jay said to me as I turned to face him, “Not funny uncle” I said to him annoyed and a little embarrassed at being tricked, and about 5 minutes later the call came that we were approaching the first line of pots.

With the skipper hauling in the pots, I received them from him and pushed them down the table, where I showed Jacob how to retrieve the crayfish and to measure for size, before putting them in the container, or overboard if they were undersize, and stacking the empty pots to the side.

When the first line was completed, Amanda appeared with cups of hot soup and bread rolls for us, which we happily accepted, before she headed to the bridge to give Aunt Jacq a cup also, “I think she would be a great asset to the boat if we can keep her” I said.

“Was that an observation thought, or a statement” Uncle Jay said to me, and I suddenly realised that I had said that out loud and I blushed a little, “Um I guess both, I’m sorry I didn’t intend to say that out loud” I said to Uncle Jay. “Well I think you are right, she is strong, hard-working and would make a good member of the team” he said with a smile.

“Well done so far Jacob, you have caught on quickly and doing a great job” I said when I turned to face him, “I second that statement Nav, well done Deckie,” Uncle Jay said to Jacob, before he headed upstairs to the bridge. When we had completed the second line of pots, Amanda arrived to announce that there are sandwiches and tea ready in the dining mess, so we all headed down to eat lunch.

When Amanda came down to the mess and galley, Amanda stopped near the table and faced me, “I have been wondering, what is in the forward area of the main deck?” she asked me as she continued to the galley to retrieve more sandwiches and to pour cups of tea for the Skipper and Aunt Jacq.

I waited till she was seated next to me before answering, “That area is off limits to crew, it’s the skipper’s quarters, the office and a restricted work area” I said calmly, before commencing to eat. “So, the lower deck has a total of 8 guest bunks and two crew bunks” she said, and I smiled at her, “Yep, and don’t be too surprised if the skipper asks you to accept a regular crew position on the boat” I added, and I saw Amanda’s mouth drop open in surprise.

“Careful you might catch some flies with your mouth open” Jacob said, which made Amanda close her mouth and blush slightly, and Jacob and I laughed, just as Uncle Jay and Aunty Jacq walked in.

“Is that true skipper? Are you offering me a regular position of this boat” she asked Uncle Jay, and he and Aunt Jacq both smiled and nodded their heads, “Yes, we have just finished discussing it, so welcome to the team” the skipper said, and Amanda let out a cheer of joy.

After lunch we set off again, to pick up the third line of pots for the day, and I was happy that like the previous two lines, we have been getting a very good catch. When we had completed the last line, Jacob and I cleaned up the deck and made sure all the pots were properly tied down, which the skipper changed the boats direction for Preservation island – our overnight stop in the small sheltered cove.

Jacob was stunned when we arrived and set the anchors, he said that it is a beautiful place, and that we were lucky to be able to be here. We all agreed that it was a special place, and I headed to my cabin for a shower and change of clothes, when I finished I headed to the galley, where I noticed that Amanda had done the same, and was now busy making preparations for dinner.

“The skipper has suggested a beach cookout, so can you help with preparing the salads please, I’m just finishing preparing the potato salad.

Can you cut up some capsicum and celery very fine, and add a can of drained sweetcorn, to that bowl of cooked rice, add salt and pepper and a teaspoon of curry powder, then give it a thorough mix, with a fork” Amanda said to me dishing our instructions, as she cut up the just cooked potatoes into quarters, and placing them in a separate bowl, before adding finely chopped cooked bacon, cooked minted peas, parsley and half a jar of mayonnaise.

Aunt Jacq appeared just as we were almost finished with the salads, and Amanda handed her the sealed container of steaks and sausages, before disappearing upstairs again. With a green tossed salad already prepared, we headed up on deck, were Jacob was sitting on the back step of the boat, with his legs dangling in the water, and he helped carry the salads to the beach, wading in knee deep water to get there, and we followed.

On the beach, the foldout table, the gas barbeque and 5 chairs were setup on the beach, with plates and cutlery on the table, it was still late afternoon, with at least another hour before sunset, and I suggested for Jacob to join me for a short walk to explore some of the island, while dinner is cooking, which he happily agreed too.

When we arrived just before sunset, dinner was in the process of being served, and we took our seats to enjoy the view of the beach and the beautiful sunset.

The following morning, after a 6am breakfast, we set off again, this time the skipper had requested that I be at the bridge, while Aunty Jacq, Jacob and Uncle Jay worked on deck, with Amanda helping out occasionally, before she retreated to the galley to prepare crew meals. When we arrived at Passage Island for our second night away, I took charge of doing the deck clean up, while the others went to their cabins to shower and change.

When I had finished cleaning the deck, I too went to my cabin for a hot shower and change of fresh clothes, but I chose to remain in my cabin to relax and listen to some music. I went to the dining mess for dinner, and retreated to my cabin straight afterwards.

When Aunty Jacq knocked on my cabin door a few minutes later, I unlocked the door and sat down on my bed again, while Aunty Jacq closed the door behind her and sat next to me.

After a few minutes of silence, she looked at me and took a deep breath before speaking. “I can tell that something is worrying you, so how about talking to me so we can sort it out, it’s not good to keep it bottled up” she said to me.

I remained silent for some time as I kept thinking if I should or should not tell her why I was such a mess, and tears started to appear in my eyes as I prepared to reveal my thoughts.

Over the next half an hour, I revealed to Aunt Jacq that since meeting Jacob, I have realised that I have an attraction to guys, although Jacob was a little younger than me, his looks and his small flirts were making me very uncomfortable, Aunt Jacq smiled pausing for a few moments to think what to say.

“Your uncle and I love you very much, and your orientation makes no difference to this, we have suspected that you are gay or at least bi, and we agreed that we love you no matter what” she said to me and I was shocked, surprised and relieved at what Aunt Jacq had just said to me.

After some more discussions, Aunt Jacq left and feeling tired I lay down and soon fell asleep, feeling exhausted from all the emotions swirling in my head, and I woke up the next morning, to the feeling of the boat in motion, and activity happening above on the main deck.

I looked at the clock and saw that it was just after 8am, and jumped out of bed and quickly dressed and headed to the galley for some breakfast. “Woo their sailor, sit down and relax, and I will get your breakfast” Amanda said to me as I dashed into the dining mess, so I sat down and moments later Amanda placed a plate of cooked breakfast in front of me.

About ten minutes later Aunty Jacq appeared and she sat down at the table, “No need to rush, Jay and I have decided that you need some free time, that is why we let you sleep in” she said to me with a smile, and I nodded my head in understanding.

After a few more minutes of silence, Aunt Jacq stood up, “Come and join me on the bridge, when you are ready” she said as she turned and left. After Amanda had made sure that I had eaten a full breakfast and two cups of tea, I made my way up to the bridge, where Aunty Jacq was at the wheel, and Uncle Jay was standing next to her with his arm around her waist.

“Now isn’t that nice to see, you make a wonderful couple” I said cheekily as I entered, “Cheeky sod, now get your backside over here and take over at the wheel” Uncle Jay said to me with a smile, and I did as was requested and took over steering the boat. “Don’t make too much noise” I said as both of them left the bridge, and I heard uncle Jay muttering something as he walked out.

For the remainder of the day, I remained on the bridge, with Amanda bringing up my lunch and regular cups of tea, and Aunty Jacq came up occasionally, to allow me to have a toilet break. When we had picked up the last of the cray pots, Uncle Jay came onto the bridge to announce that this trip has been the best catch for the whole season, and he announced to me that the whole crew would be getting a bonus for this trip, which I was pleased about.

Uncle Jay also said that once the catch has been off loaded, we would unload all the pots, and store them away in the big shed at the back of their place, before taking the boat around the north-east cape, and along Bass Strait to Georgetown, where the boat will get some work done on it.

After the catch had been dispatched to the processing plant, I remained on the bridge, when Jacob said goodbye to Uncle Jay and Aunty Jacq plus Amanda, on the main deck, and I watch him stepping off the boat, stopping for a moment, before walking towards his uncle in a car nearby.

Once he was gone aunty Jacq appeared and looked at me crossly, “You know it wouldn’t have hurt you to be polite and say goodbye to him” “she said to me in an annoyed manner, “I had to say to him that you weren’t feeling very well, and he looked very upset” she added before heading downstairs.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent, with the remaining four of us getting all the pots transported to the shed and locked away, Amanda had been invited to stay in the guest room in the house, before she would catch the bus back to Launceston, in time for first lecture on Thursday afternoon.