Florida Keys’ Watercolor Kapers
by Bob Kranich
Wrecker’s Tale, (Part 13, Excerpt 64)
Wrecker’s Tale, (Part 13, Excerpt 64)
This is a 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. They are returning from Charleston South Carolina and run into a ferocious storm as they round the mainland and start along the Keys. Then as they near their base on Key Largo, they find that a three-masted cargo ship is up on the Carysfort Reef. They go in to help her.
Wrecker’s Tale
“Strange you should ask, Captain James. Meet Benjamin, one of the best Bahamian divers in these here waters,” Captain Dan said proudly.
“You build me up too much, Sir,” Benjamin said.
“Benjamin, you will have your chance to prove it! Let’s go to the Stern,” the captain commanded.
They looked over the rail. The seas were now long swells going inland fighting the outrunning tide.
“I think something has come loose on the outside. We checked everything below as we were heading towards the reef. The good news is we’re manning the pumps, and we don’t have very much water in the bilge.”
“I’m going to need to dive off the quarter-boat, Capt’n Dan,” Benjamin said.
“You’ve got whatever you need, if we got it,” Dan exclaimed “John take whatever men you need to go with Benjamin.”
“Here John take these chain, bolts, wrenches, master link, and a safety rope,” Captain James handed over the parts to John.
“Thank you, Sir,” John said, “I need a couple more men to hold her steady.”
Jonathan pointed, and a couple of the sloop’s men went with John. They maneuvered the quarter-boat close to the stern of the Victoria, dropped anchors, and that together with the rowers kept her steady.
Benjamin stripped down, and overboard he went. He swam to the lee side of the Victoria, took a good breath and dived. He couldn’t see any farther than his hands, the storm had so stirred up the water. He found the rudder, felt around, needed some air, and went shooting back up to the surface. He saw that the quarter-boat had maneuvered close to where he had dived down. They were expert rowers and seamen. This was perfect. He grabbed on the gunnels and breathed hard. They were watching him. No one said anything. They knew he was catching his breath. He took another deep breath and went back down. This time he knew just where the rudder was. He felt and then, that was it! A chain was hanging loose. It was one of the control chains that connected to the rudder. He felt around and found where it had broken off.
Back up he went. The boat was still there, the men holding it steady. This time he said, “I need that safety link. I think I got it!”
John said, “She snaps in like this. No bolt needed.”
Down he went. He found the chain and where it went on the rudder. He forced himself to stay down, put his face right next to the rudder, opened his eyes, and snapped the safety link into both the chain and rudder. He immediately pushed off and up, his lungs pounding in his chest. He shot up and broke the surface. John and Clyde grabbed him and pulled him into the quarter-boat.
They came back around to where the sloop was lashed to the Victoria.
They gave a wave to both Captains.
Captain James was smiling, “It worked! The wheel works!”
He turned to Captain Dan, “If your two boats with the cargo can follow me to Key West, we’ll settle up. The Wrecking Court will be awarding you charges. We won’t be contesting, and we shouldn’t be held up very long.”
Captain Dan said, “Sounds good, Captain James. We’re with you, and we’ll make sure you get in safely. It’s been good working with you. Take her into the wind, and we’ll be following. I’m going to put the sloop out front.”
“That’s a pleasant sight, John. Key West harbor,” Captain Dan exclaimed.
They pulled into the harbor and dropped anchor. Three quarter boats converged at the dock, one from each boat. Captain Dan had the pleasure to convey the two ladies back to Captain James.
“How did you two ladies fare?” Captain James asked.
“The Jenney May is a pleasant ship, Daddy.”
“Well, Captain Dan, I’m going to get these ladies checked into some lodgings. I’ll meet you at the Wrecker’s Court in one hour.”
“If you could make that three hours, I’ve got to check in first with my family,” Captain Dan said.
Dan turned to John, “John, if you would, please see that the Wrecker’s Court people are getting along with the inventory and then see that the men are fed and rested. I am going to run on home and will return in three hours.’
“Aye aye, Sir,” John answered.
This was the first time that he could remember, but Captain Dan was so worn out that he hailed a buggy.
“Hi Sam,” Dan said to the driver, “you know where I’m heading.”
“Yes, Sir! We're on our way,” the driver said as he snapped his buggy whip in the air over his horse’s head.
Crack! “Now get along, Betsey!”
“Hope you had a good sail’n Mister Dan.”
“Sure did. Thank you, Sam.”
“Well here you is, Mister Dan.”
“Thank ye kindly, Sam.”
As he turned to go up the stairs to his house both of his girls ran down the steps and grabbed him with big hugs. As they let go, his wife Jenney May came up and greeted him with a kiss.
“We’ve been missing you, dear. How was your trip?” she asked.
“Well, Honey, except for a pirate attack, no wind, dealing with the Confederate South, a hurricane, and then getting a wrecked three-master off the reef… just normal,” Dan said with a smile.
The End
In a couple of weeks we will start a new story titled, The Cayman Turtle Schooner. This story will tell about the forming and history of the Cayman Islands, the green sea turtle’s habits and life style, the building of a dugout canoe, and then a schooner, and lastly watercolors of the historic two-masted turtle schooner, A. M. Adams.
Wrecker’s Tale
“Strange you should ask, Captain James. Meet Benjamin, one of the best Bahamian divers in these here waters,” Captain Dan said proudly.
“You build me up too much, Sir,” Benjamin said.
“Benjamin, you will have your chance to prove it! Let’s go to the Stern,” the captain commanded.
They looked over the rail. The seas were now long swells going inland fighting the outrunning tide.
“I think something has come loose on the outside. We checked everything below as we were heading towards the reef. The good news is we’re manning the pumps, and we don’t have very much water in the bilge.”
“I’m going to need to dive off the quarter-boat, Capt’n Dan,” Benjamin said.
“You’ve got whatever you need, if we got it,” Dan exclaimed “John take whatever men you need to go with Benjamin.”
“Here John take these chain, bolts, wrenches, master link, and a safety rope,” Captain James handed over the parts to John.
“Thank you, Sir,” John said, “I need a couple more men to hold her steady.”
Jonathan pointed, and a couple of the sloop’s men went with John. They maneuvered the quarter-boat close to the stern of the Victoria, dropped anchors, and that together with the rowers kept her steady.
Benjamin stripped down, and overboard he went. He swam to the lee side of the Victoria, took a good breath and dived. He couldn’t see any farther than his hands, the storm had so stirred up the water. He found the rudder, felt around, needed some air, and went shooting back up to the surface. He saw that the quarter-boat had maneuvered close to where he had dived down. They were expert rowers and seamen. This was perfect. He grabbed on the gunnels and breathed hard. They were watching him. No one said anything. They knew he was catching his breath. He took another deep breath and went back down. This time he knew just where the rudder was. He felt and then, that was it! A chain was hanging loose. It was one of the control chains that connected to the rudder. He felt around and found where it had broken off.
Back up he went. The boat was still there, the men holding it steady. This time he said, “I need that safety link. I think I got it!”
John said, “She snaps in like this. No bolt needed.”
Down he went. He found the chain and where it went on the rudder. He forced himself to stay down, put his face right next to the rudder, opened his eyes, and snapped the safety link into both the chain and rudder. He immediately pushed off and up, his lungs pounding in his chest. He shot up and broke the surface. John and Clyde grabbed him and pulled him into the quarter-boat.
They came back around to where the sloop was lashed to the Victoria.
They gave a wave to both Captains.
Captain James was smiling, “It worked! The wheel works!”
He turned to Captain Dan, “If your two boats with the cargo can follow me to Key West, we’ll settle up. The Wrecking Court will be awarding you charges. We won’t be contesting, and we shouldn’t be held up very long.”
Captain Dan said, “Sounds good, Captain James. We’re with you, and we’ll make sure you get in safely. It’s been good working with you. Take her into the wind, and we’ll be following. I’m going to put the sloop out front.”
“That’s a pleasant sight, John. Key West harbor,” Captain Dan exclaimed.
They pulled into the harbor and dropped anchor. Three quarter boats converged at the dock, one from each boat. Captain Dan had the pleasure to convey the two ladies back to Captain James.
“How did you two ladies fare?” Captain James asked.
“The Jenney May is a pleasant ship, Daddy.”
“Well, Captain Dan, I’m going to get these ladies checked into some lodgings. I’ll meet you at the Wrecker’s Court in one hour.”
“If you could make that three hours, I’ve got to check in first with my family,” Captain Dan said.
Dan turned to John, “John, if you would, please see that the Wrecker’s Court people are getting along with the inventory and then see that the men are fed and rested. I am going to run on home and will return in three hours.’
“Aye aye, Sir,” John answered.
This was the first time that he could remember, but Captain Dan was so worn out that he hailed a buggy.
“Hi Sam,” Dan said to the driver, “you know where I’m heading.”
“Yes, Sir! We're on our way,” the driver said as he snapped his buggy whip in the air over his horse’s head.
Crack! “Now get along, Betsey!”
“Hope you had a good sail’n Mister Dan.”
“Sure did. Thank you, Sam.”
“Well here you is, Mister Dan.”
“Thank ye kindly, Sam.”
As he turned to go up the stairs to his house both of his girls ran down the steps and grabbed him with big hugs. As they let go, his wife Jenney May came up and greeted him with a kiss.
“We’ve been missing you, dear. How was your trip?” she asked.
“Well, Honey, except for a pirate attack, no wind, dealing with the Confederate South, a hurricane, and then getting a wrecked three-master off the reef… just normal,” Dan said with a smile.
The End
In a couple of weeks we will start a new story titled, The Cayman Turtle Schooner. This story will tell about the forming and history of the Cayman Islands, the green sea turtle’s habits and life style, the building of a dugout canoe, and then a schooner, and lastly watercolors of the historic two-masted turtle schooner, A. M. Adams.
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 Onlinw 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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