Never walk alone- Walk on - 5. Chapter 5

David and Janice were already waiting on the dock alongside 'Belle Catherine', when Andrew and Ryan arrived the next morning. The were running slightly late due to Elizabeth having to change her outfit for the day after she spilt some tea on her clothes just before they were due to leave home. Cameron and Elizabeth ran to their grandparents and gave them each a hug and a kiss. Of course they could not wait to tellthe grand parentals the news, Elizabeth getting the jump on her brother.

"Nanna, we're not going on 'Belle Catherine', she informed Janice loftily, "We're going on that one", pointing to the large, sleek, white hulled yacht moored behind 'Belle Catherine. Janice's eyes widened, looked at 'Amira', then looked at Ryan quizzically.

"Oh, are we really, my darling", she answered Elizabeth, still crouched next to her after her hug, but looking at her son over her granddaughters shoulder.
Just then, Darren and Kerry arrived and when everyone had greeted ever one else, Janice asked,

"Is this the Kinleys yacht, the one you were on in the Med and that we saw in Miami. I don't remember it looking like this?
Ryan grinned at his mother.

"No mom, If you remember, their yacht is almost twice as big and wouldn't have been able to sail hear from Miami since we left the US"

"So who else do you two know that is wealthy enough to own a yacht like this? Another one of your charter guests?"

She peered up at the yacht and after a moment asked, "And why is it it flying the Devlin-Major Portfolio flag?"

"No, it belongs to us, mom?, Ryan replied.
His mother's eyes bugged out of her head and David stared at him and Andrew in astonishment.

"What have you two done?", she questioned. "It must a cost a fortune! . Do you really think it was wise?"
Andrew laughed and put his arm around the woman who had become his mother.

"Mom, relax. It didn't cost us a cent. Although it did cost! Ry, be nice and tell mom and dad what's going on".

"Oh, okay! Just thought I would have some fun. 'Amira' is ours. It was given to us as a gift".

"Good heavens, Ry. From who? And why?".

"Let's head over to her and I'll explain along the way". Ryan said, tucking his mother's arm into his.

He gave his parents a quick summary of the previous days events and as they approached 'Amira', Michael and the crew appeared on the main deck and lined up at the top of the port stairs. Ryan also noticed that the engines were already ticking over, judging by the slowly rolling water at the stern.

"And so, we now have a motor yacht", he concluded as he led the way over the paserelle and onto the swimming platform. He waited until everyone was safely on board and then climbed the stairs to the main deck.

"Good morning Michael, morning everyone"

"Good morning Ryan, morning Andrew. Welcome back on board"

"Thank you Michael. Allow me to introduce my parents, David and Janice Major. Mom, dad, our captain, Michael Bester and the crew. Gary, Christine and Ashleigh, our stewardesses and Ray Carleson, our chef. The chief engineer, Brian, I presume is in the engine room getting ready for departure".

"Welcome aboard, folks. Good to have you with us. The cabins are all ready if you want get rid of the stuff you are carrying. I'm sure you want to have a look around. We have tea, coffee and pastries ready in the main salon, and breakfast will be served in the Sky Lounge as soon as we are at sea, probably in about
on hour. Would that be acceptable and enough time for you to take your parents for a walk through, Ryan", Michael said.

"That's perfect. Come mom, dad. Tea and coffee. Then we'll show you around". Janice still looked a bit stunned at what was happening, but followed Ryan into the salon, where they collected tea and coffee and pastries, and then sat down on the main salon seating as the crew bustled around on the deck. Before long, 'Amira' glided slowly sideways away from the dock, before pointing her bow in the direction of the bridge canal to exit the marina into the harbour.
They finished their snack and then the boys took their parents for a tour of the vessel. David and Janice didn't say much, like Andrew and Ryan the day before, a little stunned by the turn of events, but Janice made small comments every now and then, mainly on how beautifully the yacht was decorated.

As they were already underway, Ryan couldn't take them to the beach club/tender garage on the swim platform, so he started the walkabout on the main deck aft where they came aboard and worked up to finish in the Sky Lounge in time for breakfast. They were well past Robben Island and heading out to sea by the time the arrived in the Sky Lounge and were pleased to see that breakfast was indeed ready.

A small buffet had been laid out on top of the bar, with cereals, fresh fruit salad, two types of yogurt, thick plain Greek and strawberry, a small cheese and cold meat platter, jugs of orange juice and a platter of croissants, muffins and Danish pastries, and a toaster and warmers were standing on the service counter of
the bar.

The table was set with blue and white placemats, white crockery that they had not seen before, and assumed it was from the pantry in the galley and 18/10 stainless steel cutlery by Robert Welch. A small crystal vase with daffodils occupied the centre of the table.

They all selected the cold items they wanted from the buffet area and once they had all seated themselves, Christine and Ashleigh took orders for hot food which, they were told, Ray would do from the grill behind the bar.
Breakfast was a delicious, leisurely affair and by the time they were on coffee and tea at the end of the meal, they were once again close to the city and cruising past Green Point, headed towards Sea Point and Clifton and less than thirty minutes later the anchor chain rattled as an anchor dropped down onto the sea
bed to secure them in place in the small bay off Clifton Beach. Being well sheltered, the beach was all but wind free, and the winter sun now shining brightly in a cloudless blue sky, they could sit out on the aft deck with no problem at all. They rose from the table, topped up their cups and moved out onto the sun loungers that had been placed on the deck. Gary also took the cover off the hot tub, to reveal that the water was already warm, which resulted in Cam and Elizabeth wanting to go in, joined by their grandparents and Darren and Kerry.

Andrew and Ryan walked to the companionway to the wheelhouse and stepped down into it. Michael was sitting in the command chair, keeping an eye on their position and monitoring all the systems.

"Hi Michael, are you able to have a chat? We need to run something past you", Ryan asked.

"Yes, sure Ryan. We can sit at the table. I can keep an eye on things just as well from there".

They moved into the seating behind the captains seat and Michael said,

" Firstly, I just want to thank you for asking for my opinion. It makes a great change from just being told what to do and where to go. What do you need to know?"

"Andrew and I have been discussing 'Amira' and what we are going to do with her. As it is part of our business, what with having 'Belle Catherine', how would you feel if we made her available for charter? And how would the crew react?", Ryan enquired. Michael thought for a few moments and then looked at them.

"I am aware that the Emir has transferred ownership of 'Amira' and the berth to you, as well as the financial arrangements. I have to admit, I am very curious as to why he would do that. It's a massive amount of money!"

"Okay, fair question. And one I think it only fair to answer", Ryan replied, and told the tale of how he had been kidnapped and assaulted. "So 'Amira' is the Emir's way of apologising for what his nephew and his friends did".
"Holy cow! Okay, but I can't say I'm surprised. He is an incredibly humble and caring man, notwithstanding all his wealth and power. Prince Abdul is very much like him as well. The others, not so much. Spoilt rotten, selfish and demanding. But to get back to your original question about charters. Honestly, I would love it. I did charters in the Med and Caribbean. As for the crew, I think they would feel the same. We've been together as a team since before 'Amira' was launched. A lot of the time while we were employed by the Emir, we just sat around, waiting for one of the family to decide they wanted to take a trip. We were very rarely allowed any lengthy time on shore, unless we were on vacation, as the royal family would suddenly decide on a whim to get away, and we had to be ready for them. And you can only do so much in the way of maintenance and keeping things looking shipshape. So there was a lot of boredom, followed by short periods of intense activity. As I said, the royal family were unbelievably demanding. Except the Emir and Prince Abdul. They were both very chilled. So as far as the crew are concerned, I think they would love it. They would need some training to do things the way you want them done, but they are all young, eager and willing. Where would want to offer her for charter?"

"Well, that would be our next point!", Andrew replied. "Obviously, we could base you either here or in Durban. That would mean cruises between here and Durban and vice versa. Or up to Mozambique from Durban. But having given it some thought overnight, I think that would be wasting her potential. The alternatives are basing you in the Med or in the Caribbean, both of which have pros and cons. The third alternative we thought of was the Indian Ocean islands and the east African Coast. Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar, Zanzibar, the Maldives etc. For the southern summer. Then maybe to the Med for the Northern summer"

"Hmmm, I like the idea of the islands. We actually came down from the UAE that way. SSE from Dubai to Uligamu in the Maldives, then Mahe in the Seychelles, Toamasina in Madagascar, Durban then CapeTown. It was a slightly longer route but we did it that way to avoid the pirate problem in the north eastern area of Africa. Anyway, the islands were stunning, and there are very few motor yacht charters in that area, if any in fact. As for the Med, yeah, why not. The trip there would be a killer though. Long and alsothe danger of pirates off the west coast.".

"Okay, that's food for thought. But we still have a couple of months to work that out", Ryan replied. "I would really like to give the islands a whirl this summer season and see what sort of reaction we get. Do you want to discuss it with the crew, or would you prefer that I to speak to them".

"I don't mind speaking to them. But from an optics point of view, you doing it might be better", Michael suggested.

"That's fine, no problem. Could you arrange for a crew meeting in the next half hour? We can have a quick talk and get a better idea of where we are heading".

"Yes sure! I'll arrange that immediately. Shall I arrange it for the crew mess?".

"No! Make it the bow lounge area. It looks like the family are quite comfortable up here on the Sky Deck. I'll just tell them to look after themselves for a while".

Half an hour later, Andrew and Ryan sat down with the crew and discussed their plans for 'Amira' and received complete support and cooperation from the crew. As they ended the meeting, Ryan said,

"I want to thank you all for your support. I realise it's a new experience for most of you. To a certain extent, that goes for Andrew and I as well. We have some experience with motor yachts. Me more so than Andrew. But certainly not as owners. So it's a learning curve for us as well. I want to add that our plans are not assured yet. Starting tomorrow, we have to add 'Amira' to our charter website and begin marketing her. Routes have to be planned as well as all the costs involved. Once that is done, we'll just have to wait and see if we get any enquiries, and that might take a bit of time. In the interim, I suggest you all go home for two weeks and see your families. If we could split you into two groups, so that one group is away, and the other is on board keeping an eye on things", Ryan said.

"And", added Andrew, "Before we disembark tonight, if we could get the roster of the split, where you are going and when, we will arrange transportation for you to get home and return. I think the first to go must plan on departing on Wednesday. It will give me time to make all the arrangements"..
They all murmured their thanks and Christine raised her hand.

"If I may, on behalf of the deck crew, I would like to thank you for your generosity and for keeping us employed. We were all very unsure of what our futures looked like. Now we know our jobs are safe and we thank you. I will admit that we were chatting to Darren and Kerry, who were telling us how great you were to work for, and quite honestly, we were rather sceptical of what they told us. But I think I now see what they meant. Even though you have just met us and don't know us well, you have already demonstrated your faith in us, by unreservedly keeping us on as crew and for offering to get us home and back again. I promise we will not disappoint you".

"Thank you, Christine", Ryan replied, adding, "Once we have some idea of how things are progressing on the charter front, we can chat again. All our other enter-prises, Blue Bay Lodge, The Cameron, and 'Belle Catherine' have a staff incentive scheme whereby they all receive a 1% of the net profit at the end of every financial year, of which 60% is paid monthly through the year, and 40% is paid out before Christmas. All things being equal, we would do the same on 'Amira'. But we would need it see the results first. Okay, Ray wants to get back to the galley, I see him glancing at his watch. Thank you all for your time. Get that list together before we get back to port. Also, I want all of you to join us for lunch as well. Will that be a problem, Ray?,

Ray shook his head.

"No, not at all".

The crew all returned to their stations, leaving just Andrew, Ryan and Michael.

"Prince Abdul told me a bit about the two of you and what you were all about. He didn't mention your incentive scheme however. In my opinion, it's genius. Gives your staff something to work towards, and more than likely, keeps them focused on the business at hand", Michael said.

"That's it exactly, Michael", Andrew said. "It gives them a vested interest in the job. Particularly in the lodges, we find it cuts down on wastage and losses on operating equipment. They know that wastage and equipment loss, even just one teaspoon, means just that little bit less for them at the of the financial year.
Just as a matter of interest, your incentive will be 7.5%. The same as what our General Managers are getting"

"Wow, that's amazing, Thank you. I'd like to volunteer for the second group that goes home. It will give me some time to sit and develop some itineraries for you to look at. I'm sure you'll both have some ideas as well. Then we can have a look at them all and decide what to offer our prospective guests", Michael suggested.

"That would be great Michael. Let's make it a week from today to have our next meeting. We'll more than likely be around sporadically anyway before then", Ryan replied.

Back in the Sky Lounge, Andrew advised the 'old' Devlin-Major family that the 'new' Devlin-Major family would be joining them for lunch and then filled them in on what had been discussed in the meeting.

Conversation at lunch, a very tasty grilled Norwegian salmon with a teriyaki glaze, soba noodles and stir fried vegetables, followed by ice cream sundaes, was slightly stilted at first, but as 'Amira's crew became more comfortable with their new circumstances, it became more animated, and by the time Ryan, who
was at the helm on the Sky Deck with Michael keeping a watchful eye next to him, pointed the bow back to the marina, it was like they had been a part of the Devlin-Majors all their lives and it was a very jovial group that tied up behind 'Belle Catherine' as the sun was setting, the yacht causing quite a stir from the
crowds on the walkways above the canal into the marina as they slowly motored past. Michael grinned as Ryan shut down the engines, leaving just the slight hiss of the air conditioning and the barely perceptible hum of the engine cooling fans and the electrics.

"Very nicely done, Ryan. I'm impressed! It's nice to know that I have some backup if needed. Gary and Brian are qualified for watchkeeping only, at this stage, so they're fine when we're at sea. But I've had to do all the harbour work and course planning".

"Thanks Michael, that was fun. Especially as she's my own boat. I was lucky enough to be able to have the controls of a 62 metre San Lorenzo in my hands a couple of years ago. Belongs to a very good friend in the USA. But I will admit, this was much more satisfying. She handles like a dream!"

After getting the roster and travel requirements from Christine, and arranging for Darren and Kerry to take 'Amira's' crew out on 'Belle Catherine' the following day, taking advantage of the perfect weather, the immediate Devlin-Major family disembarked and drove home. As Ryan guided them through the dock entrance, Andrew put his head back against the headrest and giggled.

"So much for trying not to have another big project this year".