I woke to kisses from the person who was lying completely on top of me.
Mercy kept kissing me, saying, "I love you, wake up, my love."
As she sat up on my hips, Sue leaned over and gave me a kiss that would make any man happy he was a man.
She smiled and said, "I love you, Husband. Let's take our family out to sea, this morning."
Juanita even got into the action this morning by scooting over to rise over me. She kissed me sweetly on the lips, then she kissed Sue, and then Mercy.
"I love all of you so much. I wish I were younger, so I could be another wife and have babies, too," Juanita said.
Mercy said, "You don't have to have babies to be a part of us. You are very special to us, Juanita. We love you, too. But this is getting our man up in the wrong way. I want to go sailing and not spend another minute in bed. Let's go."
We were all showered and dressed by six. While I had some coffee and a light breakfast, the girls were getting the little ones up and dressed. The more I thought of our sailing adventure, the more I questioned my sanity. Who in their right mind would go sailing in a sixty-five foot sailboat with three women and three kids in diapers? Was I nuts, or what?
The plan was to take the Expedition to the yacht club and leave it there. Tiny or Phil or whoever would bring it home, when they went over to use the cruiser. We kissed and hugged everyone, loaded up, and headed toward Dunedin.
We loaded the boat with our clothes, and the four aluminum briefcases full of protection. Considering all of the extra ammunition we were carrying, you would think we were planning an invasion. I asked Sue if she had all of our passports and she did. Even the little ones had passports, should they need them. We were not planning on entering any foreign ports, just U.S. owned ports, but you never knew what might come up.
John was a surprise visitor this beautiful morning. He showed me a gift he had installed in the lounge and in the galley area. He lifted a lid to show a slim flat screen TV. He said the reception was from a tiny, gyroscopically stabilized satellite antenna, that was used for the phones as well. He said that we would be able to get accurate weather reports, and view weather maps from the weather channel, at any time. It was a good idea. It would also give little Steve the opportunity to remain close friends with Barney.
John helped me go over the boat to make sure the holding tank was empty, the fuel and freshwater tanks were full, and that all of the lines and spares were in place.
He got me off to the side to ask about protection. I explained that we had all been to the gun shop and range. The girls were all able to use both a rifle and a handgun. He smiled at me, saying to make sure that when we went into ports, we secured them properly so we wouldn't be questioned.
Everything appeared ready, so I opened the engine vents and started the fans. After starting the engines, we disconnected shore power then engaged the generator. The surprise was Juanita. She was at the bow ready to handle the bow line, just as Mercy was at the stern, ready to pull the line there.
John waved and saluted as I slowly backed out of the slip. As soon as the boat was clear of the dock and other craft, I swung her gently around, to head out into the bay that led to the Gulf. All of the electronics were on line, and appeared to be working correctly. We would do a radio check with the Coast Guard once we were out ten miles or so.
Our plan was to head out into the Gulf, and then south, to sail between Cuba and Mexico. We would pass near the Cayman Islands, then between Cuba and Jamaica, to the south of Hispaniola. We'd make landfall in the U.S. Virgin Islands. This would take a minimum of a week. The plan was to stay at sea, and not go ashore, if possible.
It didn't take long to be free from land so we could raise sail, and be underway.
During the morning, the girls formed some kind of agreement that they each would spend some time in the lounge, with the kids. The other two were either with me, or sunning themselves on the bow. We had a good wind, which sent us gliding through gentle seas.
Juanita and Sue were with me at the wheel when Juanita told us her family had been fishermen. She said that she had grown up on the water and was very familiar with sailboats. To her, our boat was like a spaceship. It had electric motors to raise and lower the sails, plus all of the electronics that had not been available when she was on Cuban fishing boats.
Throughout the day, the girls would put a tiny life jacket on Stevie, along with a line that they could hold. He could stagger around on deck to get some sun, and feel the Gulf breezes on his face. The ladies also carried the two younger ones around and put them in their little chairs, so they could get some sun, too.
The first night we went near a small island off the coast of south Florida, and anchored. The water was deep enough, so that at the low tide predicted in the morning, we would not have any trouble getting back out into the Gulf.
We slept soundly after setting our perimeter radar. This was a small unit that detected anomalies, abnormal movement, or objects that entered a perimeter of a hundred meters. A jumping fish or dolphin would set it off, but it would also sound an alarm if a swimmer or another boat came near our boat. The perimeter radar was developed originally as a land based anti-personnel detection device. It had been adapted for private maritime users, because of people taking advantage of boat campers, and folks sleeping overnight in their boats.
During the morning of the second day, I used the satellite phone to call work to make sure all was well. It was. Then I called the Key West Coast Guard Station, as promised, to have coffee or a meal with them. The officer that I wanted to see was out on patrol. They gave me the private frequency that the boat used, so I could call them, off of the public network.
I only called once, before the officer answered quickly. His signal was so strong that we had to turn the volume down on our set. They were only about ten miles from us, and were heading our way. I told them to stop and we would share some coffee. I asked how big his crew was, only to find out it would be tough to feed twelve. Sue said she had a big box of donuts that we would never eat. She went downstairs to put them in the oven for a few minutes. Juanita put on a second pot of coffee after pouring the first pot into a thermos.
Watching the radar, I was able to pick up the Coast Guard boat as an approaching target. As he came to about two miles, I lowered sail, and started my engines so we could maneuver, if needed.
The helmsman on the Coast Guard cutter brought his boat up parallel to us, and with both of us having bumpers we were able to tie up securely.
The officer asked permission to board for a safety inspection. Little Stevie was standing next to me in a life jacket imitating me. When I saluted, he did too, causing all the Guardsmen to laugh.
The girls brought out foam cups and the coffee with the tray of donuts. We visited for a half-hour and had the Guardsmen do a real safety inspection. They said we had good equipment and appeared to be prepared for emergencies.
The officer thought I was nuts to go on such a big adventure with three ladies and three little kids. I agreed with him but said that all three women were capable mates.
The officer said there had not been any bad situations reported lately, so as long as we remained vigilant, we should be fine. He gave us coordinates to several small 'dry' islands (without any source of water) that would be good places for us to anchor overnight. There we would be out of the weather, should the seas get heavy. I carefully marked each on my charts, knowing that these men knew the Caribbean like most people know their own neighborhood.
After untying from each other and pulling up our bumpers, I raised the sail and began our journey again going almost due south to go around the western tip of Cuba.
The sun was going to get to us at the helm, so we erected the canvas cover, to shade the wheel area and instruments. Sue found some cushions that formed a sort of lounge next to the helm area. Again, the girls switched back and forth being outside or inside with the kids. Each time I had one or two of the ladies, I would go over how to watch the wind direction and what to do with the sails. The instructions included how to tell which objects on the radar were small islands, and which objects were boats. It was easy to note what direction a target object was going. You just use a small grease pencil and mark the target's position. Then, fifteen minutes later, you mark the new position. Since we had the radar set at fifty miles, we had quite a few targets. Most were fishing boats, that were trolling along at a few knots per hour.
As the second night approached, we were going to be in open water all night. I told the girls to take shifts to sleep, and to be topside with me. While they were on watch, I would lie back in the lounging cushions and get a little sleep. That way I would be right there, if I was needed quickly.
The watches worked easily. They changed each three hours, and I actually got quite a bit of sleep. We would take some naps during the day, but were all rested as we sailed south of Cuba.
The third night we drifted up near one of the dry islands that we had been given by the Coast Guard. The object was to get close to the landmass so our image merged with the island and wouldn't be easily detected by a passing boat's radar.
We set the perimeter alarm, washed up, and enjoyed some loving. I think that trying to satisfy three healthy women is a little too much for a man. Actually, two women is almost one too many, but three meant that at least one of them didn't receive a deposit. Well, they could if they waited long enough, and if they helped stimulate the manufacture of the special serum. At least they all helped each other have multiple happy orgasms, to help them sleep.
The perimeter alarm went off at about three thirty. I raced up to the deck, grabbing a rifle on the way. After looking around quickly, I couldn't see anything. Then a dolphin leaped from the water, obviously chasing the fish that were schooling in the little island's bay. I watched the dolphin a few minutes, after turning on the radar to see if there was anything else out there.
The dolphin left with the schooling fish. I reset the alarm, and then went back to bed. I told all three ladies that everything was fine.
After waking up the next morning, I got out some fishing tackle. I used an artificial lure, cast toward the shore, and then dragged back to the boat. On the third cast, I hooked up with a nice sea trout. Using the cleaning tub and a bucket of seawater, I filleted the fish for lunch or supper, and put it into a plastic container.
While I was doing this, Juanita had tied just a plain hook with a heavy leader to the line and baited it with a mixture of bread, cheese, and blood from the trout. A couple of minutes later, she had a very large sea bass for me to clean.
When I was finished cleaning the second fish, Juanita took some of the entrails of the fish and put them into another plastic container to use as bait, the next time.
We had trout, bass and eggs for breakfast. Little Steve seemed to really like fish. It was a good thing, as all his parents enjoyed fish. Juanita said she would make some good Cuban food that included fish. She said we would all enjoy some of her native foods.
Day five found us getting close to the U.S. Virgin Islands. Our main goal was to go to St. Thomas, first. Once we neared all of the small islands and channels, we pulled down the sail and used the engines and GPS to motor into the harbor. A harbor boat came out to meet us and directed us into a customs dock before we could be put into a rental slip.
They checked our papers and did a cursory look around the boat noting that the Coast Guard had boarded us less than a week ago for a safety inspection. We were able to relocate to a slip that we could tie up to, instead of anchoring to a buoy, where we would have to use the dinghy.
I had the marina's attendants connect shore power then empty and flush the holding tanks and refill the water tank. I noted that we were being conservative with the water, and that our use rate was well under what I had anticipated.
That evening, we ate at an on shore restaurant. The little ones were remarkably good even though Mike and Lizzy were both cutting teeth. They chewed on bread crust the entire evening. They didn't eat much, they just chewed and chewed.
It was nice to lock up that night, open the portholes and enjoy a peaceful night's sleep. The marina was secure, so we all slept well.
The next day, we went into the small city to visit the many tiny shops. Then we went to a small grassy park where Steve could run and play for a while. He wore himself out, trying to climb on some of the children's playground equipment. He did enjoy the swing, as did all three ladies. The two little ones were put down on a blanket, to roll and crawl around. We had to be careful, as both of them tried to eat the bugs they captured.
The girls said they wanted to move around to St. Thomas the next day, so we went to bed early.
We left at about six, to motor around the island. We finally arrived at a fancy yacht club, where we had reservations. We had to do a cursory customs check, but we were soon docked in a slip, with the girls on their way into the little town to shop.
I took two big baskets of clothes and bedclothes to the Laundromat at the club. Two hours later I was putting the clean stuff back where it belonged.
I met several other boat owners who were impressed that we were traveling without a crew. I kept telling them that the three ladies were all good mates and that I couldn't have a better crew. When my crew came back, the guys that I had been talking to all drooled over the well-endowed and beautiful Sue, and the erotic looking Mercy. When Juanita came into view, wearing shorts and a halter tied around her neck, that did it. I think every guy there wanted to join my crew.
The next morning, we again went exploring on the island. There was a lot to see and a lot of history to learn. After lunch we took the little ones to the boat so they could nap. The girls all donned tiny bikinis and sunbathed on the bow.
All this did was to gather men from the surrounding boats. The benefit was that they all wanted to share their beer with us. Several of the neighboring wives also came out in skimpy attire to join my three ladies in the sun.
A Coast Guardsman came by the docks to advise us all that a thirty-five foot fishing boat had possibly been attacked, south of Puerto Rico. Apparently the boat had called on an emergency frequency, but by the time an aircraft was able to respond, they couldn't find the boat. They didn't know whether the boat had been sunk or taken somewhere. They had a handout describing the boat and the two men who had been on the boat.
The girls and I decided we would sail to the north of Puerto Rico, and stop in at San Juan, before heading across the Gulf to Texas. Why not avoid an area where a problem might exist.
That night after eating at a nice restaurant, we went to bed early, in anticipation of sailing to San Juan. In the morning, as we motored out of the harbor, the Coast Guard came alongside of us and advised us that there had been two more instances of private craft being attacked. I described the route we were planning to take, and they said for us to be watchful, and not to let other craft approach too close.
As we motored out to sea, Mercy took the wheel, and I went into the lounge. I assembled all of the AR-15s, putting magazines in each. I loaded the Glocks, and put a Glock and an AR-15 at the helm. The rest were stowed beneath cushions, just inside the lounge. Should something happen, we were prepared. Just to be cautious, I had one of the girls remain on the bow with binoculars to check on other craft as we passed them.
The trip to San Juan was without incident and when the customs men checked the boat we had to warn them of the weapons. They understood, and didn't have anything to say about us having four good military quality rifles and four good handguns.
San Juan is a big and busy city. The island of Puerto Rico is amazing. There are beautiful mountains and many areas that are almost impossible to get to by road.
We did get to see some of the rural areas on a small tour bus. We stopped at a small community that mostly made cigars. There was a large cigar factory there, but some of the older men still made hand-rolled ones. Sue and I bought a dozen cigars for our friends, along with some hand made trinkets.
Traveling with three attractive women and three small children has both advantages and disadvantages. The kids need constant attention, and the three women receive a lot of attention. If women are attractive, men flock around them, in any country.
That night, the girls decided they wanted to leave San Juan, as it was just another city. They said that if I wanted to, we could stop at another small town on Puerto Rico, but they were tired of shopping and the bustle of the city.
We left the next morning early. By seven we were under sail heading west toward our goal, the Padre Island yacht club. Five days later we pulled down the sail, and motored into the yacht basin. An attendant waved us to a slip, then asked us to remain on board until a customs agent could inspect us.
The agent took about five minutes to look around, then told us to enjoy. The girls were off the boat with the kids in minutes, heading toward the little community on the island. I had the boat attended to while they were wandering. I'm just not big on shopping for T-shirts.
I kicked back and enjoyed a beer, while watching TV. I called the shop to talk to Tiny. He said everything was going well, and that Phil had a group out on the boat today. Tiny suggested that I take customers out on the sailboat too, as some might really enjoy a day sailing in the Gulf. I told him to remind me and we could offer that to some people.
I called Glenda and she said all was quiet on the home front. She did say that Terrell had some questions for me, so as soon as I finished talking to her, I called him.
Terrell said he was finishing the air charter office building, between the two hangars, and wanted to make sure about my office. He said he had it on the second floor, with windows on both sides that looked into the two hangars. His question was whether I wanted stairway access on each side or not.
I laughed and explained to Terrell that I didn't know I had an office at the Aero Park. He said the manager had a big office to the rear of mine and both offices had windows to both hangars and stairways were planned for him. I suggested that we only have one stairway per side with a platform between the two doors. He thought that was a good idea and that all four hangars should be complete by the end of the month. The tarmac and connecting taxiway was completed between the hangars and the rest of the park. He mentioned that our airplanes were now housed in the hangar nearest the operations building.
I wondered why I needed an office out at the Aero Park. Well, if Tiny thought I did, then I did. Who knows what we'll be involved in?
When the ladies returned, they put the kids down for naps, then dressed in some new, scandalously tiny, bikinis. They came up on deck to lay in the sun. They told me to get my swimsuit on and join them so I would have more of an all over tan. I did but I had a difficult time because of the tiny suits the girls had on. I suppose you could say I was having a "hard" time.
As you could guess, we quickly made friends with our neighbors again. Several of the wives of the neighbors were lounging around on their boats without tops at all.
When a few noticed that my three were receiving a lot of attention, they migrated over to lounge topless with my three. Talk about a hard time. A couple of the ladies' swimsuit bottoms were so brief, they pulled right into their puffy lips, causing the gawking male viewers to groan.
Soon, the kids were up and we dressed to go to a nice restaurant for supper. We made a plan that night to rent a car and go the two hundred miles to see Galveston, then take a couple of days and drive to Austin. I had never been there and thought that the Texas capital should be interesting.
We did three days of sightseeing and staying in hotels. Having three ladies to help with the kids makes it easier by far. When the kids got too fussy, we would try to find a quiet outdoor area, and let them crawl around or fall asleep for a while.
Back at the boat, our next stop was going to be New Orleans. I asked around where would be a good place to stay while there. Most said that there really wasn't a good place. However, the yacht club manager gave me coordinates and the telephone number of a yacht club in New Orleans, that should be able to handle our boat. I called and told the New Orleans club manager that we would arrive the day after tomorrow, and we were given reservations. All we had to do was to call as we neared their yacht basin.
New Orleans is a great place to visit. Neat sights, great food, but for a family, not a place to visit for very long. There aren't many grassy parks near the tourist areas. The rest of the city is just that, city. So, on the second morning we were on our way to Mobile, Alabama, with reservations for a casino berth.
In Mobile, we were berthed at a long dock near a Harrah's Club Casino. The club was actually out over water on huge barges. I took care of the kids, while the three ladies used up a great deal of money, trying to get the slot machines to give it back to them. Amazing how those things keep taking, but don't give much back.
When we woke up the second morning, the girls asked if we could head toward Panama City. It would be a long day to get there, but we were soon berthed in a great area, full of huge boats.
Next to us was a boat very similar to Dewey's. The owner wasn't around, so we could only gawk at the boat that was nearly twice as long as ours. We had a good time in Panama City Beach getting T-shirts for a lot of our people. We bought food, and brought it back to the boat to have supper there.
While we were eating, out on deck, an elderly man came to the big sailboat next to us. He went inside, poked around a while, and then came back out with a drink. I asked him if he'd like to eat with us. He smiled and came immediately, introducing himself as Marshal Tucker. The girls fixed him a plate and he joined us eating baked grouper. They poured him some our good wine and we talked of sailboats. He marveled at our trip, and said he wished he had the nerve to take a big trip.
Marshal explained that he'd had his sailboat made to be used as a business showpiece. He had planned to take customers out on short overnight cruises, to conduct business in privacy. The problem was crews. His business was good, but not good enough to have crews completely devoted to entertaining customers.
"I've misjudged the value of the boat, as I can't handle a boat this big by myself. I'm not a very good sailor, and this boat is just too big."
I gave him a tour of our boat then he gave all of us a tour of his. It was fancy, even fancier than Dewey's. He had most of the right equipment, but there were a lot to things that could be done to make it easier to handle by yourself.
The boat was a hundred and ten feet long with a twenty-four foot wide beam. There were three big staterooms, a dining room and lounge next to a big galley, and then a huge lounge up on deck. The helm was a little sparse with no radar, a single radio, and a cheap GPS.
The girls said they were going to go into Panama City in the morning, and suggested I give Marshal a ride out in the Gulf on our boat. Marshal was eager, so I said sure, we could take a ride.
The next morning, I took down the shade canvas over the helm to give him an open feeling. We eased our way out of the berth. It was immediately apparent he did not have a great deal of experience yet, as he observed what I did. As I turned on all the electronic gear, he was amazed at what I had. He loved all the toys, and he even made a call on the satellite phone to his office.
I had him push all the buttons, and throw all the switches. Then I had him take the helm, as we picked up wind and skimmed over the Gulf waters. We made a huge circle, then headed back. I had him go through the engine startup procedures of opening the vents, and turning on the fans before starting the motors. After putting the bumpers over the side, I had him idle the boat into the slip a little at a time so he could feel how it handled. Once we were tied up and shut down, with the shore power connected again, he said he could probably handle a boat our size.
I asked him if his boat was ready to sail and he said he didn't know, but if I would help him, we could check it. The first thing I did was to check the fuel level, which was at only about half a tank. The water tank was low and probably stale, and the holding tank was indicating almost full. I used my cell phone to have an attendant come flush and refill the potable water, and to flush the holding tank.
While all this activity was going on, I uncovered the sails and tested the motors. All were okay. I checked the meager electronics he had, and they worked. The wheel appeared to be good so I opened the engine vents, and started the fans. I disconnected the shore power and connections, started the engines, and watched the gauges to make sure the engines were running correctly.
About the time I was ready to let go the lines, the girls showed up and wanted to ride along. They brought the babies into the lounge. Then Juanita and Mercy handled the lines, while I eased the transmission into reverse. I slowly backed the long boat out into the basin. Once cleared of obstacles, I shifted into the forward gear, and began turning us to head out of the harbor.
When we were clear, I began to raise the sail. He had a lot more sail than our boat did, but about the same as Dewey's, and all the sails had electric 'roller reefing' like Dewey's had. This made sail handling very easy. We shut down the engines then began sailing at pretty much peak speed, away from Panama City.
Once out in the Gulf about five miles we began turning in a big circle. The boat handled very nicely and responded well to the wheel. I had Mercy go in and use the wheel inside then went in to see how it handled. She said she couldn't stay in there as there were no instruments at all.
During our turn I knew there were some low areas and began looking for the depth indicator. When I asked, Marshal said he didn't have one, and that he just stayed in the channel. I looked for buoys and lined myself up between them to get back to the marina.
We dropped sail, started the engines, and motored into the berth, then tying up to secure the boat. We reconnected the shore facilities for Marshal, telling him he needed some more equipment to make the boat more seaworthy, and easier to maneuver, near shore.
He said he guessed that is why crews were so difficult to keep. Marshal had a well stocked liquor locker in the lounge and made the girls a rum and Coke and me a big Beefeaters. While we were sipping he asked if I could show him how to turn on the battery lights, and how to turn on the generator.
First, I had to find the generator. The switch panel was just inside the lounge, but I had to look for a vented area, to find the generator. When I found it, I discovered it still had all the factory seals on it. We found the book for it and did the prep. Then I turned on the fuel line and started it up. We followed the directions then flipped over from shore power to generator power. When he asked how long he could run the generator, I told him for as long as he had fuel, but that it was more efficient to run the boat on shore power when he was docked. I showed him the connections he had to use when he was in countries that used 220/50 cycle power.
Marshal recognized that Sue was the dominate female among the group and asked her, "How do you like my big sailboat?"
Then a little later he asked, "Would you rather have my big boat over yours?"
Sue answered honestly that she thought his boat was very nice but ours was the better boat because it was outfitted better. Mercy said that if we had his boat we could probably sail anywhere.
Marshal surprised us as we were going to our boat to fix supper.
"Would you consider trading boats? I know I might have to kick in a little cash, but I'd love to have your boat. I think I can handle it but I can't handle this monster. Your boat is the perfect size for me to live on, and to enjoy. I could sail around the Gulf and along the Atlantic coast in the summer. If I needed help I would only have to have one guy, not a whole crew. How about it, would you trade me?"
I thought Mercy was going to choke to death. She began coughing, and Sue had to pat her on the back to get over it.
Juanita went up to the man and said, "Are you serious, Senor? That little girl loves your boat and would trade instantly, but Steve and Sue are the ones you have to make the deal with."
Sue and Mercy had gone below to fix supper. Sue had called my surveyor, John. She had told him to drive, fly, boat, or walk; but to get up here to Panama City Beach, as fast as he could. We needed his eye and opinion this very minute. Sue told him to go to the Aero Park and she would have someone fly him up this evening.
A few minutes later, she had our main pilot on the way to the Aero Park, to fly John to Panama City.
John made it by seven forty-five. Sue briefed him on the phone as he was crossing the causeway from the airport. As soon as he arrived, we had Marshal show him around and to get out his papers on the boat, so John could see who made the boat.
"I don't need the papers to know who made this one. This is from the Magellan brothers in Miami. It can't be very old, probably less than a year. There are QC (quality control) stickers everywhere. It looks like you fired the generator for the first time today, did you?"
Marshal yakked the entire time John looked over the boat.
"How did the boat get up here, Marshal?" John asked.
"I hired a crew in Miami to sail it up here. They were supposed to stay here and teach me how to sail, but they left. I really want a boat, but this thing is too big for me. I like Steve's boat a lot. I'll trade and I'm willing to put some cash with this boat, to cover all the electronics Steve has to get."
John was not very tactful, "Do you have more money than sense?"
"I know, I know. I spent way too much for this boat and can probably not get what I paid for it, out of it. At least I recognize that, and I'm willing to spend what it takes to make up the difference."
John just shook his head.
"I'm recommending that Steve take you up on the trade, if his women agree."
Mercy said, "I'll start moving our stuff."
Marshal said, "You don't have to do that. I don't stay on the boat anyway. I just come down to the boat in the afternoons to enjoy sitting on it. With your boat, I'll take it out."
John suggested to Marshal, "Tell you what, you give Steve twenty-five thousand difference and I'll make sure he throws in a month or two of sailing lessons so you can get your captain's license."
"You would do that?" Marshal asked me.
"Sure, I would. Let's shake on it and we can draw up an agreement and exchange papers. John knows how to do all of that."
John opened his briefcase then took out some papers and wrote up an agreement then had both of us sign them. John said, "I'll come back out in the morning and witness you giving Steve a check then the deal will be complete. I will have your new captain instructor here in the morning to begin your lessons."
John turned to me, "Do you think you can get it back to Dunedin without the other gear?"
"I think so, we'll probably go out in the gulf a little to see if we can get this baby to fly," I said thinking of how Dewey's boat used to skim the waves.
"I would do the same, how about I ride with you so I can watch you fly it." John said.
"Take a hint, Steve," Mercy said, "He wants to sail on this thing too."
"Sure, come along. But you might want to stay on the beach tonight as the berths are not that clean even though they are new. There aren't any bedclothes for them, either."
Sue said, "If we can get back to Dunedin, tomorrow, we'll just leave it the way it is and clean it up later. We'll probably want to take this thing out after it's fitted with what we want anyway."
Marshal was all smiles, "Thank you, all of you. I think I'm getting the better deal and you think you're taking advantage of me. I don't. I'm making out like a bandit and I'll be able to handle this boat by myself. This will be perfect."
Mercy was still glassy-eyed, standing on the bow of the huge sailboat.
John went to find a room, and Marshal shared another drink then left the keys to his boat with us, as he went to his home on the mainland. The girls figured out that they would leave most everything except the guns, the fishing gear, and the life preservers.
They would move Marshal's liquor to the lounge in our boat in the morning. We cleaned up the small stateroom so the kids would have a place to take a nap tomorrow afternoon.
In bed that night, Mercy was energized.
"This is an answer to a dream that I had the night we went sailing with Dewey. This is really wonderful. Perhaps we could sail it through the Panama Canal then up the west coast to Dewey's. Wouldn't he be surprised to see us?"
"That he would, Mercy, that he would. I think your folks would be even more surprised," I said.
"Oh, wow, I forgot about that. We have to go, we have to do that, please, could we?"
She was like a little girl. Sue said we would think about it. Juanita said she was ready to go with us, as she felt like for the first time in years that she was a part of a family.
Editing on this chapter by Pepere and TenDerLoin