Journey to the stars and worlds of imagination: 2025 S : Sailing

Since R was for rivers, following the theme, S is for sailing. As I have said before, I really do not like being in the water. That said, more than a few vacations or special events have included some aspect of a ship and sailing.

The following excerpt from Imprisoned in Stone describes a ship board problem. It is not written from personal experience. All of my sailing has been enjoyable with good weather. The one exception was a planned sail on a wind-powered ship in San Diego. Although they always said it doesn't rain in southern California, except for the day we arrived, the day we left, and the day before, it rained the entire time we were there. When we booked the cruise, being from the northeast, we of course asked about inclement weather to be told the cruise has never been cancelled. Well, that day it was. We showed up at the dock to be told the captain said he wasn't going back out. But out tickets could be used the following day on a different vessel. Instead of a sailing ship, we toured San Diego harbor on a large, party boat in a beautifully sunny day. All said, that was probably more comfortable than the pitching open deck in a thunderstorm.

Bad weather is always a hazard.
Superstorm Sandy put many a boat miles inland,
docked them inside buildings, or stacked the boats atop each other.

Cruising the Mississippi out of Memphis TN

The issue with on Wayward Bound is that a fanatical group of clerics put a curse on the vessel. Maerva has to use her limited training to save the ship, its crew, and her brother the vessel's captain. The inspiration for the clearing spell came from an episode of the television series, Sea Quest, where a grizzled sailor used an old sea chanty to rally the crew after the submarine is struck by lightning and is dead in the water.

Taking a deep breath, Maerva released it and cast her spell. Her voice rang with the full force of her will. “Clear our decks, we’re a sailin’. Curse be gone, our sails a fillin’. Crew be well, that we’re orderin’. Command, it shall be.”
Arcil carried the chorus in a rich bass. “Away ho, darkness leavin’. Away ho, Dawn be rising’. Away ho, curse be leavin’. Command, it shall be.”
Off key or out of tune, one by one the rest of the ship’s complement joined in. Even though the words were different, the tune of an old sailor’s chanty made it easy for the crew to lend their voices—and determination.
She kept everyone singing until raggedness entered their voices. Her grasp tight on Gareth’s fingers, she gathered the will of the crew, added her and Gareth’s magic, and threw it in a final thrust against the squirming mess. It vanished, leaving behind only the spray-covered boards. Maerva turned to Gareth to tell him, but the ship’s bow dipped into a trough sending her into his arms.

No motors, just the whistle of wind through the rigging.