Escape East 60 Days, Book Two

As they backed Tane Nui out through the trees, they could hear in the distance the wir, wir wir, of the starter motor on the inflatable and distant men’s voices shouting.

“If there is only a half mechanic amongst them it won’t take them long to figure out what is wrong, we don’t have much time,” said Ernest.

Once in the fast-flowing stream, Ernest’s electric motor had only to give them enough way for Isaac to steer.

“With this strong outgoing current, against an incoming sea there is going to be quite a big surf across the bar,” said Isaac. “Certainly not the right time to attempt it, but we must. We will need every stitch up to power through it.”

Once they were under the bridge, they were sheltered a little by the lee of the headland. They raised the mast, tightened the backstays and hoisted the main. The early morning sky was now turning from black to grey. There was a yellow glow turning red on the horizon to the east.

“Hoist yankee and staysail and harden them in,” commanded Isaac as he turned Tane Nui around to face the surf.

“Beyond the headland, there is quite a blow, so be ready for it,” he called.

Scamp barked a determined warning. They all turned around to see the black inflatable, filled with men in black wetsuits, coming out from under the bridge. The motor sounded irregular, backfired with a bang, and then stopped. A man stood in the stern and lifted the engine cover.

“It won’t run well until they get the spark plug leads in the right order,” said Ernest, “and with four cylinders there are a few combinations.”

A black catspaw came across the water at them from the base of the cliff, Tane Nui heeled for a second then accelerated.

“Where are those rocks Esmé? This time we must be well clear,” asked Isaac.

“Off to starboard,” called back Esmé, “hold your course.”

“Hang on, here it comes,” called Isaac.

A huge standing wave grew in front of them and the foaming water around was sucking them under its foot. Another catspaw this time from around the front of the headland caught hold of Tane Nui and she accelerated. Isaac luffed a little. Tane Nui’s bows rose higher and higher, and the wave crashed through her front decking. Then her bows dropped and rose above a second high but unbroken wave. Isaac pulled away. Tane Nui, now in her element bounded away in the fresh breeze.

“Now ease sheets,” and Esmé and Ernest followed Isaac’s command and Tane Nui raced eastward toward the rising sun.

Scamp again barked a warning and they turned around. The inflatable was now at full power and racing down the river. There were three dark figures sitting each side. One stood up and was standing in the bow.

“He’s got a gun!” yelled Ernest.

The man was standing with the gun butt on his hip. They saw a flash out of the barrel as he fired it into the air, followed immediately by the loud rattling burst that could be heard just over the roar of the surf.

Isaac, Esmé and Ernest stood frozen in horror as the man then lowered the barrel and this time it spat a flash straight at them. Instinctively they ducked as the bullets whistled over their heads and ‘pop, pop, pop’ went through the mainsail, just above the boom.

The helmsman of the inflatable saw the jagged rocks against the cliff at the last second and only just managed to avoid them, but in doing so the inflatable slew sideways at speed into the breaking surf.

That same standing wave, that Isaac had so skilfully negotiated, caught them and lifted the speeding black boat high, spiralling it into the air.

Isaac, Esmé, and Ernest watched with almost disbelief, as the men tumbled out of the boat. The six sitting figures were thrown clear into the surf. The inflatable landed upside down. The engine splattered and then went silent, leaving only the roar of the breaking waves.