bottom stretch for dropping the anchor. We have plenty of line so we will just tie up close to shore or use a large bag as a sea anchor to keep us from moving much."
"Sorry, Uncle Fred. I did not realize there were so many ways to go wrong."
"That's OK. This was meant to be a learning exercise for both of us."
We sailed around till lunch time when we made a quick meal. It was becoming warm, almost hot, so we hung a lot of clothes we had washed by hand the previous day. We put it all on lines around the inside of the cabin. As warm as it had become, they should dry there in a couple hours.
Uncle Fred taught me more sailing techniques as we made our way around the lake, although staying a good distance from the shore to avoid running aground. We were both in swimming trunks with buoyancy belts on. Uncle Fred insisted on that. "Sailboats can play tricks on you. A gust of wind can swing a boom around and hit you in the back or head and knock you in the water. If you have a float on, you stand a better chance of surviving. It is around your waste, so you can still get a good tan on your back and chest."
It was hot enough that I was sweating. The afternoon heating had raised the breeze across the lake so we made good speed. I was jumping all over the place maneuvering the sails. I thought I saw something move in the cabin but figured it was just the clothes blowing around.
"Ernie, how about getting us both something to drink from the ice chest. This heat is drying my out."
"Sure, Uncle Fred. A beer or a coke?"
"Make mine a beer."
I started into the cabin space. My eyes had not adjusted to the dimmer light yet so the first thing I noticed was the hissing noise. I stopped quickly then took a step back. When I could see better I saw there was a large snake with its head raised. Around it were a group of small snakes moving about.
"Uncle Fred, we've got passengers: a bunch of snakes."
Uncle Fred covered his eyes from the sun and looked into the cabin where the small snakes wiggled and the parent hissed.
"The shotgun and shells are on the other side of the snake so that is of no help. Let me try this fire extinguisher to force them back below the floor boards."
He grabbed the fire extinguisher on the back wall near the engine. He stepped towards the snake and fired the extinguisher at the snake.
There was a brief snake-like hiss from the extinguisher and then it was empty. The snake took this as a challenge. It rose more and started to move towards us. I spotted the emergency flare gun container fastened to the side panel. I opened the cover and took out the gun and a flare. With shaking hands I opened the flare gun and inserted a flare. As Uncle Fred and I both moved backwards I fired the flare gun at the snake.
The flare hit the floor next to the snake and proceeded to bounce about the cabin, igniting anything it came close to. It settled near the propane tank for the stove. The snake was still hissing at us so I loaded the second flare cartridge in the gun. I aimed carefully and fired. This time my aim was better. The red hot flare struck the snake. The snake fell to the floor. The flare again bounced around the cabin area igniting flammable objects as it went. We both saw this and raised our arms to protect our faces. The resulting explosion of the propane tank ignited the dry cloth on the lines in the cabin. A burning shirt fell on the propane lantern. A few seconds later there was a second explosion. We both were hit by small metal fragments from the propane canisters. We were no longer concerned about the snakes. The sailboat was starting to burn. It was just a matter of time until the sail caught fire.
"Ernie, the box of shotgun shells is in the front. When they go off, it's going to be like a war zone on this boat. Let's jump before we get killed.. Grab that life buoy. We need to go now! Somebody will have heard the explosions."
We both jumped into the water. It was cold but my arm was burning so the cold water actually helped to some extent. We swam slowly away from the boat. We were fairly far out in the lake so it would take a long time to swim to shore but we hoped someone would arrive soon. Then the shotgun shells exploded like the Fourth of July followed by plastic gas container. The mast fell towards me and I raised my arm to fend it off. It hurt a lot when it hit my arm. Uncle Fred swam to me. He pulled me away from the burning boat while I tried to swim on my back with the float to support me. I could feel the heat from the fire on my face.
I started to shake from the cold water and the shock.
"Don't worry, Ernie. We're both in decent shape. Somebody will be along in a few minutes."
As if on cue I looked around to see a motorboat coming towards us. As it came close the skipper tossed another life ring to Uncle Fred. The skipper positioned the boat next to us. He tossed me a line to hold onto. I pulled myself to the side of the boat where there was a ladder to board the boat. I pulled myself up with the aid of the skipper. I sat in the boat shivering as Uncle Fred pulled himself up. He sat next to me and put his arm around my shoulders. The skipper had a large sleeping bag which he opened. He put the opened bag around us. .
What was left of the Reinell burned. Pieces of it floated away. Some floated, some sank
"I already called for an ambulance to meet us when we get to the dock. Are either of you in bad shape?"
I shivered while Uncle Fred replied, "We're OK thanks to you. I wouldn't want to spend much longer in that water. It's still pretty cold."
"Yes it is. I was just setting out to fish. I got a lot bigger catch than I expected."
"You aren't going to claim us as the catch of the day, are you?"
"No," laughed the skipper, "I don't think you would fry up too well."
"My arm feels like it is already grilled," I joked to show that I was in decent condition..
The ambulance arrived at the dock a little after we did. The paramedic looked at my injuries and said it would not take them long to dress up our wounds. He was right. The doctor had me out of the treatment room in less than two hours. He had picked out all the small pieces of shrapnel. He treated the burns with ointments.
"You guys were lucky. I've seen much worse boating accidents that were the result of a group of drunks behaving like five-year-olds," he noted as he taped the last of my bandages in place. Then he treated similar injuries on Uncle Fred. I think Uncle Fred's older skin is more like cowhide so it can take a lot more damage.. The hospital sold us a couple orderly's smocks to wear over our short pants. We got a ride to where Uncle Fred had left his truck and the boat trailer. Fortunately he had kept his billfold and keys in his pants pockets. We found a discount outdoor store to buy some clothes for the trip home. We had a good meal at a cafe overlooking the lake then spent the night in a motel. We started home the following morning.
The empty trailer bounced along behind us like a horse in a western whose rider had been lost.
###
"I hadn't even given the boat a proper name yet," remarked Uncle Fred as we drove in the bright morning sun. "Ernie, when your injuries are healed, we'll try a canoe"
"OK, Uncle Fred, just make sure it doesn't have any hiding spaces in it."
"Yes, if there are any places to hide, I will check them with a flashlight and a Bowie knife. I guess the snakes had a nice meal of those field mice that they found in the sailboat."
###
About the Author
In his first life Max E. Harris was a computer system specialist living mainly in Houston but for periods in Scotland, Holland, Brunei and the even more remote wild lands of Sacramento, California. In his second life he moved to Como, Italy, where he walks in the woods with his dog Orso wondering what happens next. Harris wonders, Orso knows.
Harris can be contacted at
[email protected].
Other works by Harris are listed here.
Thank you for reading books on BookFrom.Net Share this book with friends