Short Story Fiction
A Close Call
Scott A. Gese
His boat was adrift in the Pacific. It was heading for the jagged rocks of a deserted atoll. Time was not on his side.
Harlen Jacobey was an avid sailor. Over the past twenty years he had sailed around the world several times over. He was no stranger to the open water of the Pacific ocean.
He had more experience at the helm than most of the sailors he knew. At the moment, all of his past experience counted for nothing. At the moment, he found himself ten miles North of the Marshall Islands and in a predicament. His 27 ft. Albin Vega was adrift on the windless waters of Micronesia with his engine giving him problems. This wasn’t the first time the wind had failed him nor was it the first time his engine had done the same. It was the first time it had happened in tandem.
He was now captive to the strong current which was pulling him toward one of the many atoll’s in the area. The atoll’s in Micronesia are plentiful but not all are populated. The one he was heading for he knew for a fact was deserted. Crashing into the rocks of a deserted atoll could be one of the worst things that could happen to him. He could end up stranded there never to be found.
~~~
The day started like many others. A slight morning breeze held the promise of a productive day. If it continued he would make good time. By mid-morning things had changed. The breeze had all but disappeared. He wasn’t worried. His boat was equipped with a small engine. He used it periodically to keep the ocean current from pulling his boat off course until the wind picked up again.
All was well until late afternoon when his engine decided to go as dead as the mornings breeze. Harlen retrieved his toolbox and went to work on the engine. He checked the wiring for shorts, cleaned the spark plugs, filters, fuel lines and made minor adjustments wherever possible. He knew his engine inside and out but nothing he did seemed to work.
The sun was getting low and the tide was getting high. In the distance he could see a sandy shore as well as a smattering of hazardous jagged rocks. That didn’t bode well for him or his boat, the Antebellum.
Harlen kept working. He wasn’t having much luck with the engine. The rocks were getting closer. Soon the waves would pull him toward danger. Time could be his friend or his enemy. At the moment it was the latter. He refused to give up.
His boat was equipped with halogen lights. In a few minutes he would need them.
Once the sun had set he stopped working only long enough to turn them on. He strained to see past their reach, but it was useless. They didn’t shine out far enough. He could only hear the waves in the distance as they beat against the jagged rocks he had seen earlier.
He recalled a clearing between the rocks and hoped he was drifting toward it. If he was lucky, he would skirt the danger zone and make it to the beach unscathed. But that was a big if.
He was running out of the precious little time he had left.
Not finding a problem with the engine itself, he started troubleshooting the fuel lines and valves leading to the engine. Maybe something was clogging them.
Another few minutes and he’d be hitting the rocks. He kept working. Trying whatever he could think of. He switched the fuel valve to the spare tank. He tried to start the engine. No go.
In a last ditch effort he cut the line from the valve and shoved the loose end directly into the tank. He tried to start the engine again. It sputtered, then died. He was getting dangerously close to the rocks. Again he tried to start the engine. Again it sputtered, then took off.
Harlen focused the light just in front of the bow. The rocks were directly ahead. There was no room to turn around so Harlen steered his boat directly toward the sandy shore. He quickly maneuvered to the starboard side of the closest rocks and skirted them but the boat glanced off a rock on the port side. A narrow passage opened up ahead. He took advantage of it and beached the boat.
It was a long night as he worked to keep his boat afloat in the changing tide.
The following morning he checked the Antebellum for damages. She had a few scratches and a damaged keel but she was still seaworthy. A strong breeze allowed him to slowly limp her to the nearest port to get the needed repairs. He took advantage of his down time to enjoy his unscheduled stay on the Marshall Islands.
© Copyright 2023 by Scott A. Gese All Rights Reserved.
You Might Also Like These Short Stories
short story fiction / A Hunters Dream
A Hunters Dream / He went looking for elk but found something unexpected. Something that would change his life forever.
short story fiction / Leo and Cleo: Betrayed
Leo the cat thought he had it made, but then Cleo showed up. Suddenly, without a hint, warning or prior notice, Leo was no longer the focus of attention.
short story fiction / The Gift
He thought the gift was a joke. He never knew how wrong he was. His uncle had named him in his will as a recipient of a significant sum of money.
short story fiction / World Class Travelers
Clarence and his wife, Eunice had found a unique way of budget traveling and they took full advantage of it.
short story fiction / They Don't Fear Us... But They Should
Satire / The citizens were lied to and they believed it. When they finally figured it out, they were pissed off enough to make things right.
I Could Use Your Help
Are you enjoying my stories and articles? This site does not post ads. It depends on people like you to keep these stories and articles up and running. Here's how you can help.
If you click on the green button below, it will take you to my 'buy me a coffee' page. Here is where you can show your support for this site.
While you're there, feel free to browse around and check out some of the posts I've left for you.
A big thank you in advance for your generosity and your support.
Please Share this Website
Add this site to your social media pages by using the social media buttons below. Your friends will thank you for it.
Our Top Five Most Read Articles/Short Stories for the Month of October
<HERE>
Newest Article
Six Important Topics You Must Consider Before Retiring Abroad
by Scott A. Gese
Vlada Karpovich/PexelsDreaming of retiring to somewhere outside of the country? Living the expat life in places like Europe, Mexico, Central America and beyond sounds exciting.<Read The Full Article Here>
Newest Short Story
The Time Bender By Scott A. Gese
Arif Riyanto/UnsplashHe took his computer coding expertise to the next level and used it to his advantage. <Read the full story HERE>
Newest Movie
Shanghai Express
An intoxicating mix of adventure, drama and romance takes place on a three day train ride through war torn china.