Another Way
The panic had subsided, but like ants, the crew still scuttled around the Liberty Belle
Shadow did not have a lot to say, and for some reason, she was not happy with the delay
She watched the toing and froing, with a frustrated interest, at a distance, from the shore
She was pondering a blurry vision of a woman swimming, unsure if it was about Ma and Pa's mission
Without warning a pair of hands envelope her eyes, Brett whispers softly in her ears
Sis, a penny for your thoughts, your anxiety is impossible to miss
She let them flow like a stream, even though they were from a waking dream
That's really quite strange, what they are doing is also bothering me
So, we both have anxieties, it bothers me that the pressure on the pumps has grown
We only need for one or two to fail, and the Liberty Belle is going to hell
Perhaps your clouded senses are just the warning we need and may foretell that we don't have another morning
I've not been at ease with Chief's plan from the outset, and I can see is it going down the pan
Ma and Pa have put so much trust in the guy, but I don't plan to let that get in my way
I agree said Shadow, whatever you do Brett, I'm with you all the way, if it fails it will be on both our heads
That's it then, I've had enough, let's go one better, gather the crew together, identify the swimmers and nominate the best swimmer for me
He or she is going to lead a team of divers, the way things are degrading I think it is only a matter of hours before things go tits up
I'm off to see the carpenters, we need to do some temporary patching, before the hulls in tatters
Guys, I want you to start tarring strip planks, and while you're at it, re-dip the tarpaulins
Next, he addresses the crew, listen up, we know the leaks are getting worse, and we no longer have time to sit and wait
We also know the breach is on the Starboard side, this gives us an edge
We don't know exactly where it is, so Marie Loé our best swimmer is gonna lead a team of divers over the side
He turns to Marie Loé, you, and your team's first task is to locate and determine the extent of the damage
You must all remain roped, the rate of flow into bilges is high and may be strong enough to suck you in
Remember the ship's survival is important, but your lives are paramount
So, bear this in mind, I'll kick your ass if you get killed, we don't want dead heroes, Godspeed and come back alive
His humour and compassion toward their welfare captured the hearts and minds of both the men and the women
The team of eight divers, three women, and five men were all roped and ready
Marie Loé was a gem, she soon had them all ordered, impressing all with the power of her French accent
She raised her arm; we are a team and will work as one
We will dive in a line, working our way down the ships hull, close enough together, so we can touch, is that clear, yes Ma'am was the cry
The ship's crew lowered them into the waters, with marked ropes to determine their depths, each carried no more than a low-pressure air hose
The first part of the journey was uneventful, but at a fathom deep they began to feel the movement of the current
It was Bert Barns who was first to find any damage, when his arm was sucked into a hole, thankfully it caused no lasting harm, so around him, the survey was focused
It identified a series of holes that spread in a diagonal line, about ten yards down the hull, it would appear that a rocky outcrop had scoured the hull, as the Liberty Belle was dragged out of the banking
They were gradually widening, where the force of the water, caused by the pumping, it seems the solution was worsening the problem, as it continued to tear off strips of the hull
It may not seem like it, but this was good news, there were plenty of holes, but none more than a foot or so wide
Because the wound was diagonal, a vertical and stronger patch was possible, the tarred strips were soon being lowered overboard
They had been predrilled to make nailing easier, but it was still several hours before everything was patched, the worst of the input had now been stemmed, the pumps were now in control, the ship was slowly beginning to rise
Just the tarpaulins to be fitted and battened, this was no easy task, they were lowered wide of the ship to avoid the current, it would be like trying to control underwater sails.
It was a tedious and delicate task to get the rippling tarpaulins in line with the repairs, when they had succeeded, the divers allowed the current to suck them against the hull, they held like giant black plasters
They had to be secured with a mess of battens, if the ship was required to move this would be essential. the leakage was now little more than normal, it was a job well done
The divers were hauled back on board and one by one receiving a round of applause, when Marie Loé finally climbed aboard, the crew's applause erupted, led by Shadow and Brett
There's one thing for sure, he was never going to forget her face again, he held her in a bear hug and kissed in full sight of the crew, to another raucous round of applause.
Shadow wondered could the wandering star, have finally met his match, as she pushed him off and said, you could have let me get my breath back, Shadow couldn't help but laugh aloud, with the watching crew.