Florida Keys’ Watercolor Kapers
by
Bob Kranich
Wrecker’s Tale, (Part 3, Excerpt 54)
This is a new story, titled “Wrecker’s Tale”. Captain Dan Benson is the captain of a two-masted schooner, the Jenney Mae. His schooner is used to take his pineapples from his plantation to market and also wrecking. Wrecking means he will go out to a shipwreck and save people, ship, and cargo. It is an additional lucrative business because of the many storms and the reefs along the Keys. He is going to sail to Cuba to get some more pineapple slips to plant.
Wrecker’s Tale
That evening, about three hours before sunset, John had a couple of the men and a long boat waiting at the docks to ferry Captain Dan out to his schooner. They were out of the Key West harbor and into the Florida Straights before they knew it, thanks to a light northerly wind. A red fireball sun was touching the Gulf waters off to their right. It was creating a red-orange glow on the high clouds and waves.
“Sir, according to the charts it’s right at ninety miles to Havana. If you please Sir, I’ve got a basic course set for south-southwest 203 degrees. We may have to make an adjustment or two.”
“Very good, John, carry on.”
“Thank you, Captain.”
Captain Dan could see the Jenney Mae was cutting a fine wake. The sails were filled and billowing. He sure did love his schooner. John didn’t have the two upper gaff topsails out yet. Even then he guessed they were traveling at about nine knots.
“Sir, we should reach the axis of the Gulf Stream fifty miles from homeport. The roughest part will be about ten miles before and ten miles after,” John remarked. “It would be nice if this northerly wind would shift easterly for the easiest passage.”
“Where did you get all that information, John, If I may ask?” the captain questioned.
“Well sir, I’ve been talking to a couple of the men, Benjamin included. They have made this trip before.”
“Well done, John,” Captain Dan exclaimed.
Almost all of Captain Dan’s sailing was the Keys and up the East Coast. He never had a need to go to Cuba.
“John, since there’s seven of us, let’s work you and two men the next five hours. I’ll take the second watch. Have the odd man up two and one-half hours before and after the apex. I’m turning in. Call if you need me.”
“Aye aye, Sir!” John hollered, “Benjamin and Sam up in five hours with the captain, Smith down in two and one-half and up five hours later.”
“Aye aye, First Mate,” they said, as they went to their stations and bunks.
Just as John had predicted, along about twelve, the waves became slightly rougher. Then the winds shifted easterly, and the Jenney Mae tacked, leaned to the east and continued to do nine knots.
The captain came up, “I’ll take her, John. Get some rest.”
“Thank you Sir,” and he headed below.
It seemed the sun had rushed around the earth. When John came back up on deck it was now peeking through a morning cloud in the east. The captain came up from the galley holding a cup of coffee. Sam was at the wheel.
“Morning, John, I trust you slept well.”
“Thank you, Sir. We should be sighting Havana soon. That is, if my course was correct.”
“Land Ho!” Benjamin sang out. “There’s also a light. It’s faint, but it’s there.”
“Where is that, Benjamin?” Captain Dan asked.
“Sir, it wasn’t there when I last visited but I heard the Spanish built a light tower right next to the Morro Castle. There it is. You can see the rock base and the castle now.”
“John, we’ll sail into the harbor, drop anchor, and take one of our boats in to check with the harbor master and authorities.”
As they slipped by under the massive walls, they could see the guns sticking out of the gunports on the castle ramparts. They furled sails and dropped anchor in an open area in the harbor. They could see a couple of Spanish frigates.* There were also three large commercial vessels anchored nearby.
Before they could even start lowering their long boat, John said, “Captain, we've got company.”
A longboat was on a straight course for them. It was being rowed by uniformed Spanish seamen with their bright blue and white uniforms.
“John, have a couple of men set up a table and something to sit on. Have the cook put on some coffee and sweets.”
“Aye aye, Sir.”
Captain Dan went to the rail opening. He waved and hollered, “Bienvenido a bordo.”*
He could see the officer say something, and all eight oars came up in the air. They did a perfect maneuver and brought their boat right up alongside the Jenney Mae. A couple of the men threw them lines so they could tie up. The officer came aboard first and saluted. He then said in very perfect English, “I am Captain Juarez of his Majesty Alfonso the Twelfth's Spanish forces. May I introduce Juan Diego, our harbormaster.”
Juan Diego stepped forward, bowed, and said, “At your service.”
Captain Dan pointed towards where the cook had set up the table and chairs, and said, “Would you gentlemen like to sit a minute for some refreshments? Then we can discuss my visit to your country. I am Captain Dan Benson of Key West, Florida. You two gentlemen speak excellent English. May I ask where you obtained it?”
“Yes, Captain, both Juan Diego and I were stationed in New Orleans.”
“A rather busy location,” the First Mate John stated.
“Gentlemen, this is my First Mate, John.”
The cook had put on his sailing jacket and was serving coffee and sweets.
The harbormaster spoke up, “Gentlemen I just have to ask you questions for my report, then you are welcome to visit. Please state your business in Cuba. Also there‘s the consideration of a harbor fee. It’s only twenty-five American dollars. It can be in silver or any other suitable hard currency.”
Captain Dan said, “We need some plantings for our pineapple plantation back in the Keys.”
“So it’s pineapple slips you desire. We’ve got lots of them. There are plenty of plantations. I recommend a trip down the coast to the Bahia de Cardenas. I know the harbormaster there. This paperwork will also suffice for your visiting fee at Cardenas. Tell Carlos de Santiago that you had a nice talk with Juan Diego. For a small persuasion, I’m sure he will put you in contact with the persons you will need to talk to.”
Captain Dan was prepared for the harbor fee, and he placed seven silver five dollar pieces in front of the harbormaster.
“It’s fine U.S. minted silver, Juan Diego,” Captain Dan said.
From the Author:
My second full-length book , Florida Keys’ Watercolor Kapers is composed of 336 pages. There are 12 stories running from 6 pages to as many as 72 pages. It is fully illustrated with 88 watercolors and sketches. The watercolors I made roaming around Key West after I finished my 750 mile hike from Georgia to Key West. (See book or Don Browne’s SouthWest Florida Online News records, A Walk Across Florida.) As you read these stories you will experience Key West, the Keys, and the Caribbean. These stories span the time of the early 1800’s to 1969. bkranich.wixsite.com/bobkranich
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