Post by aelfwynn on Mar 24, 2006 8:16:51 GMT -5
Everild lowered the spyglass and sighed, leaning her back up against the rigging. She looked up to the crows-nest of the schooner, and back over to the horizon. She didn't like the look of those clouds. Grabbing a rope she shinned down onto the wooden deck, and ran up to the fo'csle. She nodded to the helmsman.
"Keep a weather eye mate. That doesn't look so good up ahead." She made her way up to the bow of the ship, and took over from the watchman on deck. Wrapping her cloak tighter about her, she settled down for a long night. Slowly the ship crested wave after wave. Afte a while, Everild noticed the waves were beginning to get taller. She looked up to masts and made the signal. The tops'l and the mains'l were furled, but she left two of the smaller sails unfurled - they would be ebough to see them through the storm, but not enough to bring the mast down. She cursed at her ill fortune. She sent out the order for laggers and layabouts to go below decks, and to batten down the hatches. All they could do now is wait and pray. The schooner lifted as the bow plunged and broke crest after crest of ocean wave, and suddenly, the rain began tp plumet. Wave after wave crashed into the schooner's side, threatening to overturn her. Wooden planks and spars groaned under pressure as the ocean pummelled her side.
"Turn her! Turn her into the waves!" Everld yelled at the Helmsman who was sturggling to keep hold of the wheel. Slipping her safteyrope, Everild staggered along the rolling deck. Without warning, a wave crashed over the side of the deck, sweeping Everild off her feet. She made a grab at a spar, and a pair of strong hands pulled back on board. Soaking, she made the foc'sle and grinned at the helmsman as he slipped another saftey belt around her. Both hands on the wheel she and the helmsmen guided the ship round, her bow now pointing into the waves, rolling cresting them. Everild looked up and pushed the helmsman to the ground as she heard ropes tighten and snap overhead. A wooden gimble crashed into the sea, torn loose from the mast.
"Steady as she blows, there!" Everild and the helmsman fought to keep the Defiant's bow forward, fighting against the currents and the wind. Eventually, the wind blew itself out, the seas ceased their rolling, and the storm passed. Everild breathed a sigh of relief, and sent out the call for the quatermaster and bos'un. "Damage report?"
"We've lost a fair amount of rigging, and there's plenty of seawater below decks. Mast's not too badly damaged, I've got a lad up there now looking at the gimble. Should be eaisly replaced. All in all, not too bad. We came out fair lucky.
Everild smiled and nodded. "We'll make port as soon as we can for repairs. Do what you can for now."
"Keep a weather eye mate. That doesn't look so good up ahead." She made her way up to the bow of the ship, and took over from the watchman on deck. Wrapping her cloak tighter about her, she settled down for a long night. Slowly the ship crested wave after wave. Afte a while, Everild noticed the waves were beginning to get taller. She looked up to masts and made the signal. The tops'l and the mains'l were furled, but she left two of the smaller sails unfurled - they would be ebough to see them through the storm, but not enough to bring the mast down. She cursed at her ill fortune. She sent out the order for laggers and layabouts to go below decks, and to batten down the hatches. All they could do now is wait and pray. The schooner lifted as the bow plunged and broke crest after crest of ocean wave, and suddenly, the rain began tp plumet. Wave after wave crashed into the schooner's side, threatening to overturn her. Wooden planks and spars groaned under pressure as the ocean pummelled her side.
"Turn her! Turn her into the waves!" Everld yelled at the Helmsman who was sturggling to keep hold of the wheel. Slipping her safteyrope, Everild staggered along the rolling deck. Without warning, a wave crashed over the side of the deck, sweeping Everild off her feet. She made a grab at a spar, and a pair of strong hands pulled back on board. Soaking, she made the foc'sle and grinned at the helmsman as he slipped another saftey belt around her. Both hands on the wheel she and the helmsmen guided the ship round, her bow now pointing into the waves, rolling cresting them. Everild looked up and pushed the helmsman to the ground as she heard ropes tighten and snap overhead. A wooden gimble crashed into the sea, torn loose from the mast.
"Steady as she blows, there!" Everild and the helmsman fought to keep the Defiant's bow forward, fighting against the currents and the wind. Eventually, the wind blew itself out, the seas ceased their rolling, and the storm passed. Everild breathed a sigh of relief, and sent out the call for the quatermaster and bos'un. "Damage report?"
"We've lost a fair amount of rigging, and there's plenty of seawater below decks. Mast's not too badly damaged, I've got a lad up there now looking at the gimble. Should be eaisly replaced. All in all, not too bad. We came out fair lucky.
Everild smiled and nodded. "We'll make port as soon as we can for repairs. Do what you can for now."